Federal fisheries officials have a chance to halt the alarming decline of New England’s cod. But they can only do so if they take swift, bold action not only to reduce the number of cod killed by fishing but to increase protection for the places these fish need to feed, grow, and reproduce. Read the rest here 12:58
NILS STOLPE: The New England groundfish debacle (Part IV): Is cutting back harvest really the answer?
While it’s a fact that’s hardly ever acknowledged, the assumption in fisheries management is that if the population of a stock of fish isn’t at some arbitrary level, it’s because of too much fishing. Hence the term “overfished.” Hence the mandated knee jerk reaction of the fisheries managers to not enough fish; cut back on fishing. What of other factors? They don’t count. It’s all about fishing, because fishing is all that the managers can control; it’s their Maslow’s Hammer. When it comes to the oceans it seems as if it’s about all that the industry connected mega-foundations that support the anti-fishing ENGOs with hundreds of millions of dollars a year in “donations” are interested in controlling. Read the article here
But, What happened to climate change? This must be the only region unaffected! Funny that water temperature data has now been included in Northern Shrimp, and Butter Fish, but not in the Out of the Blue assessment. Pretty hard to save something that says lets get the Hell outta here until the temperature is more to our liking!
Haven’t they heard? EDF Catch Shares already solved over fishing?
“I hope you’ll join us in sending a message to NOAA officials to reject that shortsighted proposal.”
I would just bet they have the movers and shakers at NOAA, NMFS and NERO on speed dial.
You know it!
Bore Head…Las Vegas odds makers would wager that this is a “done deal” on what is coming down the pike.
Hey, any comments from Dr. Jane on the left coast about how Catch Shares worked out in New England?
The last thing I saw of her, she was at some douchy seminar with a bunch of young people singing songs. She was all smiles and thanked them for doing such a great job. I’ll see if I can dredge it up.
No one is mentioning catch shares.
No one is mentioning a lotta things like water temperature data in the Northern Shrimp assessment, or the Butterfish assessment.
I find that little detail should stamp this garbage assessment null and void.
Maybe that’s why the Peter Bakers and the Peter Shelley’s don’t want changes to MSA.
When it comes to the managing the New England ground fisheries, the politics always came out on top over the science the last few decades…and it has become moot points at this time in 2014.
The growing ENGO influence over the New England ground fisheries over a two plus decade period, has influenced management policies. For reference on this, see:
http://books.google.com/books?id=9aQSf5E1pdMC&pg=PT29&lpg=PT29&dq=environmental+groups+sue+over+Amendment+4+of+the+groundfish+plan&source=bl&ots=b3mCj5fDCe&sig=r5IuoS7t6mcO69Uwk2DLVpjZG60&hl=en&sa=X&ei=InJdVJT5A9eUsQSK3IHwBw&ved=0CDYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=environmental%20groups%20sue%20over%20Amendment%204%20of%20the%20groundfish%20plan&f=false
Nonetheless, this current document listed below speaks for itself, and I might add, sad to say, not only we, but future fishermen in New England are going to be paying for this.
“Everything you didn’t what to know about the dismal state of GOM COD and are afraid to ask”:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/nefmc.org/8_141105_GF-PDT-memo-to-GF-Committee-re-FW-53-FINAL-2-with-Appendicies.pdf
Development of Framework Adjustment 53 (FW 53) to the Multispecies
(Groundfish) Fishery Management Plan
Development of Framework Adjustment 53 (FW 53) to the Multispecies
(Groundfish) Fishery Management Plan