EDFish

New National Fishing Policy Announced Today Focused on Catch Shares

By / Bio / Published: May 19, 2009

Diane Regas is Associate Vice President for EDF’s Oceans program. 

Diane Regas, Associate Vice President - EDF Oceans ProgramThe top government official for the nation’s fisheries today took a giant step in the right direction for the U.S. fishing industry and the oceans.  At a speech in Boston, Dr. Jane Lubchenco, the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that she was creating a task force to develop a new policy on catch shares to ensure that they are fully considered when fishery management councils amend management plans. 

Recent scientific studies have shown that catch shares perform dramatically better than conventionally-managed fisheries.  The bottom line is that the new policy is likely to dramatically increase the number of fisheries managed by catch shares and that’s great news for the oceans and fishermen.

In her speech, Dr. Lubchenco said that NOAA would move “forward to implement more catch share programs” and that “all of the (fishery management) councils will see increases in their allocations in the 2010 (budget) request” for catch shares.  She also announced a new task force to develop a nation-wide catch share strategy.

Here’s the full text of Dr. Lubchenco’s speech this morning:

Comments by Dr. Jane Lubchenco at the Council Coordination Committee Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts – Tuesday, May 19, 2009.

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Boston Globe Op-Ed by Peter Baker and Robert Johnston Raises Key Point

By / Published: May 19, 2009

Julie Wormser, NE Regional Director for EDF Oceans program.Yesterday’s Boston Globe op-ed by Peter Baker and Robert Johnston, and the economic report on which it’s based, make a key point that I think is the cause of a lot of the conflict and distrust between fishermen and fisheries managers. 

The underlying economics of any effort-based regulation–such as the current “days-at-sea” system for New England groundfish–mean that the average profitability of the fishing fleet is zero at the target catch level regulators set.  This drives fishermen with capital to be more productive than the fleet average, and fishermen without access to capital are driven out of the fishery.  Overfishing continues and regulators are forced to continually clamp down on fishing effort.

Under sectors, a form of “catch shares,” the underlying economics are to maximize profitability–both of individual boats and the fleet as a whole.  Regulators set an annual catch limit, allocate portions of that catch limit in this case to fishing cooperatives, and fishermen are free to fish when and how they can make the most money per fish.  It takes pressure off fishermen to catch as much fish as they possibly can just to break even.

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Oil Exploration in Cuban Waters, Only One of Many Important Marine Issues

By / Bio / Published: May 18, 2009

Thoughts from Dan Whittle. Dan is the Southeast Regional Director for EDF’s Oceans program. He works to reform management of marine fisheries and to protect sensitive coastal areas and essential fish habitats in the southeastern United States and in the northern Caribbean, including Cuba.  

Dan Whittle, Southeast Regional Director for EDF Oceans program.The U.S. and Cuba share many ecological resources, but the countries have different ways of managing them.  Drilling is just one important issue out of many and is covered well in Nick Miroff’s Washington Post article, Cuba’s Undersea Oil Could Help Thaw Trade With U.S.  The U.S. and Cuba should move quickly to facilitate more information exchange among academics, scientists and conservation groups to help both countries do a better job of managing coastal and marine resources.  The sooner we work together, the sooner we’ll see benefits for the people, the environment and the economy in both countries.

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New England Fishery Management Council Member Supports Catch Shares

By / Published: May 15, 2009

Julie Wormser, NE Regional Director of EDF Oceans ProgramBy Julie Wormser, New England Regional Director – Environmental Defense Fund Oceans Program.

I want to share Dave Preble’s terrific op-ed that was just published in the New Bedford Standard-Times, Prosperity for New England Fishermen.  He wrote it just as groundfish fishermen in New England are preparing to fish under “sectors,” a fishing cooperative based form of catch shares. 
 
I first met Dave at a New England Fishery Management Council meeting last summer.  He sits on the Council and is one of the most thoughtful voices on that body.  Born into a fishing family, Dave has been involved in both commercial and recreational fishing and fishery management for over 45 years.  He has taught me quite a lot about how public policy decisions affect both fish and the fishing communities that depend on them.

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New Opportunity to Improve Gulf of Mexico Fishing

By / Published: May 14, 2009

New federal rules that require Federal regulators recently finalized rules to help regional fishery councils comply with new U.S. fisheries laws to end and prevent overfishing with “annual catch limits” and “accountability measures.” This means that tougher limits on fishing are coming, and Gulf fishery managers can take this opportunity to save fisheries and the multi-billion dollars in economic benefits they provide the region. Here’s what can be done:

Catch shares should be the preferred accountability measure for reef fisheries. Reef fish are popular commercial and sport fish and some species are in trouble. Catch shares (like IFQs) help fishermen comply with catch limits, while enabling them to fish year-round, reduce waste, and improve business practices. Catch shares are already working for commercial red snapper, and other reef species should be added quickly. They should also be expanded to for-hire charter and party boats. For private anglers, fish harvest tags can improve accountability and extend fishing seasons.

Each sector should have its own catch limit and accountability measures. Sectors include the commercial, for-hire, private angler, and shrimp trawl (for fish accidentally killed in shrimp nets). Each should be alotted a defined portion of the catch and be held responsible for accurately counting fish and complying with its limit.

The Gulf Council is getting started on a “scoping document” to explore preliminary ideas at the June meeting in Tampa. Public meetings will be held later in the summer. Now is the time to let the Council know that catch shares and sector accountability are essential for healthy and prosperous Gulf fisheries.

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Gulf Council Considers Comprehensive Reef Fish IFQs

By / Published: May 13, 2009

All commercial reef fish species may soon be included in a comprehensive reef fish IFQ program.The Gulf Council recently voted to consider adding all reef fish to the successful IFQ program already working for red snapper and coming on-line for grouper and tilefish in January. When implemented, it will be one of the largest and most modern and effective management systems in the U.S.

With comprehensive reef fish IFQs, progress to end overfishing will continue and potential problems, such as fishing effort shifting to less regulated species, will be prevented. It will also reduce wasted fish.

The remaining reef fish include vermilion snapper, greater amberjack, gray triggerfish, yellowtail snapper and dozens more. At its June meeting, the Council is expected to refine the fishery management plan process and timelines for getting started.

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