Issues and Solutions

Background

New England's original economy was built on cod, yet today, marine fisheries in New England are among the most depleted and poorly managed fisheries in the nation. Because of their historical importance, however, New England’s fishing industry has had a disproportionate political significance, heavily influencing national fisheries policies set by Congress.

Overfishing continues on 13 depleted groundfish stocks, including signature species such as Atlantic cod and many of the flounders - restaurant favorites .

Bycatch, fish caught unintentionally while targeting another species, is poorly monitored, largely unlimited, and results in enormous quantities of dead fish being dumped overboard.

These problems worsen every year because the National Marine Fisheries Service has refused to set catch and bycatch limits, instead relying on input controls—limiting time at sea and how much fish can be kept per trip. This has led to dramatic declines in fish stocks and revenue and fishermen leaving the industry.

The Near Future

There is hope on the horizon: for fishing year 2010, the New England Fishery Management Council is planning to implement a new management system called sector allocation, which operates on three simple premises:

1. It implements science-based catch limits to rebuild fish populations and prevent overfishing.
   
   
2. It incorporates monitoring so fishermen and regulators know exactly how much fish is being caught, and as a result, fishing stops once catch limits have been reached.
   
   
3. It establishes community-based, fishermen-run co-ops, called sectors. Each sector receives its own share of the annual catch. While respecting catch limits, the co-ops provide fishermen with the flexibility to set their own fishing guidelines so they can run their businesses more efficiently and profitably.
   

New Strategies for Rebuilding Fish Stocks

As the saying goes, New England was built on the back of the iconic Atlantic cod. The bountiful waters off these shores, such as Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine, attracted fishermen who caught vast loads of cod and other bottom-dwelling fish including halibut, haddock, and flounder. A fleet of thousands grew all along the coast from Eastport, Maine to Montauk, Long Island; and cod became a mainstay of the New England economy. As has been well chronicled, however, the mighty codfish populations have collapsed, taking many of our fishing communities with them.

There are new strategies in New England that offer solutions for rebuilding the cod stocks and saving our traditional fishing fleet. These strategies are being developed from the ground up by forward-thinking commercial fishermen determined to avoid mistakes of the past and advocate change in three major categories: (1) management; (2) marketing; and (3) techniques.

Read the full piece by Peter Baker, Campaign Manager.