Tag Archives: extinction-of-the-week approach

WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH NOAA? – Dick Grachek

WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH NOAA?

Or: Trouble in the Un-Regulated Community

At the risk of stating the obvious: NOAA’s stock assessments are clearly inadequate.

When they are used as a basis for fisheries regulations, the entire management process becomes destructive to both the fish and the fishing industry.

We need a far more comprehensive research and management philosophy if we are to ever come close to realistic assessments and sound management.

The Extinction Delusion

Delusion is a belief held with strong conviction despite superior evidence to the contrary.  (From Wikipedia)

This extinction-of-the-week approach to management is looking more ridiculous and destructive than ever.  We owe it to the fish and to the fishermen to throw out this crisis-mentality management regimen which requires that researchers devote themselves to finding data that will support the crisis predisposition.

Is there a species that swims in the ocean that has not been found to be in dire need of stringent regulation? Now it’s Abalone!  What happened to the “endangered” Sturgeon? Have they now recovered? And please don’t overlook the Wolffish, Cod, Haddock, Pollock, Yellowtail, Black Back Flounder, Fluke, Sea Bass, Dogfish, Skates, Red Snapper, Grouper?  There must be a lament at NOAA headquarters that goes something like, “…so many species and such precious little time to find evidence of their endangerment!”

Then there’s always the Butterfish shortage which apparently is the only vehicle that NOAA could find in order to squelch fishing for the abundant Loligo Squid.   Butterfish are sometimes found with Loligo Squid; however, NOAA’s Butterfish extinction watch ignores the fact (well known to fishermen) that, should they suddenly decide to surface, one could walk on the floating rafts of Butterfish from Cape Cod to Louisiana.  But, there’s no need to let reality get in the way of a good campaign-to-save-a-species, even if the claimed fish scarcity is pretty much confined to the reality that exists as a construct in one of the SSC’s eccentric computer models.  Scarce Butterfish is certainly not a reality that can be found in the ocean.

So, what can be done? Effective management of the fisheries is not an impossible endeavor; but a total overhaul of the attitude and thinking regarding our fisheries is essential.

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