In October, I spent two days fishing off Montauk, N.Y. In fact, I was
quite sore by the end of the second day after reeling in dozens of
false albacore, bluefish, and striped bass.
The success of the trip was due in part to the skill of my guide,
Captain John McMurray. But it also is a testament to the health of the
three stocks we were targeting. More fish mean better opportunities for
anglers, increased economic benefits to fishermen and coastal
communities, and healthier marine ecosystems. Everyone wants more fish
in our oceans -- the challenge today is finding the right way to achieve
that goal.
A Year to Remember
This was a historic year for United States ocean management. Thirty-five years after the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) was enacted, we have finally established a system that, if implemented properly, will keep countless marine species healthy and ensure fishermen stay on the water.
This was a historic year for United States ocean management. Thirty-five years after the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) was enacted, we have finally established a system that, if implemented properly, will keep countless marine species healthy and ensure fishermen stay on the water.
By early 2012, science-based annual catch limits should be in place
for all of our federally managed ocean fisheries. The regional
management councils and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
deserve a lot of credit for their hard work and their pragmatic and innovative approaches
to achieve this important goal. Based on my 25 years of experience with
these issues (including a four-year stint at the Fisheries Service), I
know this was an extremely heavy lift, and we at Pew congratulate NMFS
Director Eric Schwaab and the regional councils on this remarkable
accomplishment.
Although we are making significant progress toward restoring depleted fish populations, the job of ending overfishing is far from complete.
We also cannot ignore the fact that some fishermen have been hit hard
by the short-term quota reductions that are needed to reverse decades of
mismanagement.
Watering down the MSA or postponing deadlines to restore our fish to
healthy levels won't benefit anyone in the long run. Instead, we need to
focus on solutions to help fishermen make the transition to
sustainability through targeted assistance. We also must improve the
quality and timeliness of science that managers use to set catch limits
and make other important decisions.
This year, the Pew Environment Group worked hard with fishermen and environmental organizations to call on Congress to make funding for fisheries data collection and analysis a budget priority.
We are also supporting congressional efforts to provide a long-term,
stable funding source for critical research and management programs
without increasing federal spending. These resources would address some
of our most pressing needs, including support for stock assessments,
cooperative research, socioeconomic analysis, and development of
environmentally friendly gear.
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