EDFish

EDF presents analysis of illegal fishing to the Mexican Senate

By / Published: March 27, 2013

EDF was recently invited by the Fisheries Committee of the Mexican Senate to present a study on Illegal fishing in Mexico that we have developed with the Mexican Institute of Competitiveness (IMCO) and other partners. Three of the five Senators who make up the Committee were present: the Chair – Sen. Francisco Lopez Brito (PAN, Sinaloa), the Secretary – Sen. Oscar Rosas González (PRI, Campeche), and Sen. Ernesto Ruffo (PAN, BC). Also in attendance was the General Director and several staff from National Fisheries Institute of Mexico (INAPESCA), as well as representatives from fishermen´s associations from both the industrial and small-scale fleets.

This is the first time EDF attended one of the monthly public meetings of the Committee. Pedro Zapata (EDF de Mexico Director) and Rodrigo Gallegos (Director for Global Warming from IMCO) made remarks and presented key conclusions from this study, which we hope will open up a constructive dialogue on this critical and complex issue. A few of the main points presented follow: Read More »

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‘Fish on Fridays’: Gulf of Mexico Grouper

By / Published: March 22, 2013
Grilled Grouper

Grilled Grouper over Arugula & orange salad. Photo credit: Food Network/Emeril Lagasse

Grouper are delicious fish that are harvested in both the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. In the Gulf of Mexico, these fish are managed under a catch share program, where species like red and black grouper have healthy populations. John Schmidt, a fisherman in the Gulf of Mexico who fishes for grouper, tells us about his experiences in the fishery and how it has changed for the better under a catch share. Finally, we are sharing a delicious and healthy recipe for grilled grouper over an arugula and orange salad.

Gulf of Mexico Grouper/Tilefish IFQ Program

The Grouper-Tilefish IFQ program was implemented in January of 2010. Prior to this program, commercial grouper and tilefish were managed with limited access fishing permits, trip limits, size limits, closed seasons and catch limits. These management measures resulted in overcapitalization of the fishery and subsequent early closures. Fishermen were going bankrupt and fish stocks were depleted. Since the fishermen have been operating under a catch share in this fishery, the stocks are rebuilding, discards of dead fish are down, the race to fish has been eliminated, and fishermen are able to grow their businesses in an industry that was previously struggling. Read More »

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EDF on FOX News: “Fish Smarter, Not Harder”

By / Published: March 19, 2013

Kate Bonzon, Director of EDF’s Catch Share Design Center, recently appeared on the “Down to Earth” segment of KION Central Coast FOX News to discuss the serious issue of overfishing and the value of fishing smarter, not harder.

“The problem in the past is that regulations have actually worked against fishermen because their incentive was to go out and fish as much as they could, as fast as they could,” said Bonzon who leads our research on designing sustainable fishery management programs.

Bonzon was joined on the program by Joe Pennisi, a third generation West Coat fisherman who catches groundfish and David Crabbe, a Pacific Fishery Management Councilman and longtime commercial fisherman. Pennisi fishes smarter, not harder under a sustainable fishing program called catch shares. The West Coast catch share program gives him a secure privilege of the total catch and the ability to trade or sell their quota. And with this privilege, he has the time and flexibility needed to operate a more efficient and profitable business.

“If for some reason I have a break down, or maybe there is a lot of bad weather, I can trade some of my fish on the auction side, the other fishermen can buy it and they can trade with me,” explained Pennisi.

Watch the news program or visit our Catch Share Resources page to learn more about how these systems are restoring the world’s fisheries back to health.

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EDF Oceans saddened by loss of Captain Larry Simns and shares its appreciation for his lifetime of Chesapeake leadership

By / Published: March 19, 2013
Larry Simns

Larry Simns. Photo credit: Maryland Watermen’s Association

We at EDF Oceans were saddened to hear that Larry Simns, founder and leader of the Maryland Watermen’s Association for 40 years, passed away last Thursday at the age of 75. We are certainly not alone, however, as Larry was admired and respected by a wide range of communities. His ability to transcend the line between industry and government entities allowed him to lead his organization to consensus on challenging issues facing the Chesapeake Bay and the fishing industry.

Thomas V. Grasso, our Senior Oceans Advisor, wrote the following when he heard of Larry’s passing:

I have been privileged and honored to have known Captain Larry Simns for 20 years. I first met him when I was living and working on the Chesapeake Bay. For the entire time I knew Larry, he was a true leader on issues that mattered for the Chesapeake Bay and the Watermen who rely on the health of the bay for their livelihoods. Larry was a creative problem solver, always looking for ways to advance both the business interests of watermen and the restoration of the bay. He saw these two things as being intimately linked to each other and I could not agree more.  I learned a great deal from Larry and I know he will be missed on the Chesapeake Bay. We’ll miss his common sense and thoughtfulness in the public debate on the Chesapeake. I will miss him as a person and for his keen insights, sense of humor and passion for the watermen’s way of life.

This is a sad moment for the Chesapeake Bay community, but we hope that those who admired him and drew inspiration from his work will carry on his spirit of determination for the hardworking watermen of the Chesapeake Bay.

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‘Fish on Fridays’: Black Sea Bass, Virginia Beach Style

By / Published: March 15, 2013
Black Sea Bass

Black Sea Bass

If you’ve been to an upscale Manhattan seafood restaurant, chances are you’ve seen Black Sea Bass on the menu. New York chefs drive the bulk of the demand for this tasty Atlantic fish, but you don’t have to be a fancy New York City chef to put Black Sea Bass on the table.  Sea bass fished off the coast of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware is caught sustainably under a catch share program which ensures that catch limits are not exceeded and fish populations can maintain healthy numbers. It is important to note, however, that not all sea bass caught on the Atlantic coast is sustainably managed, so it is best to ask your chef or seafood vendor where the fish was caught to ensure you are supporting fishermen who are fishing sustainably.

This week’s ‘Fish on Fridays’ post features VA black sea bass, currently managed under an ITQ system. Jack Stallings and his partner at Virginia Beach’s Coastal Grill have shared their technique for frying sea bass whole and serving it with scallion butter. Read More »

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Ending Overfishing is Vital to Our Future: A Reminder as Congress Reviews the Magnuson-Stevens Act

By / Bio / Published: March 12, 2013

 

photo credit: cliff1066™ via photopin cc

Congress is about to embark on a review of what has worked and what hasn’t in a law widely regarded as having halted overfishing in many American fisheries.  Though we have made progress here in the United States, overfishing is wreaking havoc on the world’s oceans and the mismanagement of our fisheries is the chief cause.  Recent peer reviewed science estimates that 64% of global fisheries are depleted below the levels required to sustain production.

Overfishing can lead to the loss of important species that can upend the balance of critical ocean food webs leading to the further degradation of our ocean.  To save the ocean, we must end overfishing.

One of EDF’s missions is to rebuild global fisheries with the best possible solutions that serve both fishermen and fish so that future generations can enjoy sustainable seafood, fishermen can continue to fish profitably, and our seas are healthy and abundant.  Peer reviewed and published scientific evidence and our decades of experience have shown that catch shares are one of the best solutions for rebuilding depleted fisheries both in the United States and globally. Read More »

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