It was great to read Dr. Lubchenco’s positive message for the future of ocean resources in an article in The New Bedford Standard-Times today, but it’s also a good reality check to hear her challenge to the nation to fix systemic problems with our fishery management system. As Dr. Lubchenco points out, moving to catch shares based management is not easy, but the costs of a well-designed catch share system are small in comparison to the long term benefits in economic and biological terms.
