We just received the following press release:
“Once adversaries, now allies, recreational and commercial fishing groups met in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, June 18, to plan a united front and challenge federal authorities questionable management of the nation valuable fishing stocks.
Over-precautionary measures mandated by the Magnuson-Stevens Act have caused damage, both social and economic, to fishing communities throughout the United States.
Here’s the dilemma: If fishermen catch more fish; the government says they are “overfishing.” If fishermen catch fewer fish: the government says the stock is “overfished.” Either way, the fishermen lose.
In reality, catching more fish usually signifies a healthy, growing fishery. Catching fewer fish could be a signal of trouble.
In the case of gag grouper in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic, one might expect fishermen to catch fewer fish due to the explosion of the more aggressive red snapper. Ironically, red snapper populations are at a twenty year high, yet the restrictions are so strict, fishermen can only target the species two months out of the year and keep just two fish per angler.
Current assumptions used to determine the health of the stocks are far too precautionary and will guide any assessment toward the pessimistic. Last spring, Dr. Trevor Kenchington, a marine biologist with 30 years of national and international fisheries management experience, was hired by an unlikely union of commercial and recreational fishing groups to provide insight as to why the stocks appeared healthy to the fishermen, yet new regulations called for a nearly 50% cut in landings.
Among other things, Kenchington discovered that managers failed to take into account that fishing effort was down by 50%, thanks to runaway fuel prices. And when fishermen do head offshore, they don’t go as far, or for as long, as previously thought, which results in fewer and smaller fish being caught.Stocks of red and gag grouper and red snapper are 15- to 25-year highs. This new consortium of fishing groups, recreational and commercial, will fight to see that common sense prevails.”
Our sincere thanks to all who took part. If we all stick together and continue to work in this manner, maybe the fishermen and their families do have a chance of survival.
We’re rooting for common sense to prevail !