How Trump’s plans to boost catch limits could hurt Gulf fishermen
When President Donald Trump signed an executive order in April ordering an increase in fishing limits to restore “American seafood competitiveness,” fishermen from Texas and other coastal areas cheered him on. But behind the scenes, many were concerned. The limits, set up by Congress 50 years ago to manage how much fisherman could catch, helped critical species like red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico rebound after overfishing through much of the 20th century. And Trump was proposing to raise them while cutting fisheries staff at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is charged with conducting the fish counts that determine catch limits, at a time when some fishermen say they’re suddenly seeing less stock in the sea. In his executive order, Trump described existing catch limits as overly “restrictive.” At the same time, he called for the U.S. Commerce Department, which oversees NOAA, to “modernize data collection and analytical practices” toward a better understanding of “real-time ocean conditions.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:39
Leave a Reply