Tag Archives: SAVING SEAFOOD ANALYSIS

Analysis: New England Marine Monument Proposals Overlook Existing Protections, Overstep Democratic Management

cashes ledge closedFishermen, fisheries managers, and environmentalists agree that the Cashes Ledge region of the Gulf of Maine is home to some of the most important marine environments in New England. Since the early 2000s, federal fisheries managers have recognized the value of these areas and have taken proactive steps to protect their unique habitats, preventing commercial fishermen from entering the areas and allowing them to develop mostly undisturbed from human activity. But according to several environmental groups, including the Conservation Law Foundation, Pew Charitable Trusts, the National Geographic Society, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, such long-standing and effective protections are suddenly insufficient. Read the rest here 09:17

Saving Seafood Analysis: Sylvia Earle Alliance Misleads Public on Habitat Closed Area Changes

WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) March 18, 2013 – After nearly 20 years, there is little evidence that the habitat area closures off the New England coast benefit groundfish stocks. In addition, recent seabed mapping suggests that they are not even in locations best suited for habitat protection. Yet, the Sylvia Earle Alliance’s web-story, “New England Fisheries Face Serious Setbacks (2/27),” misleads readers with the argument that the New England Fishery Management Council’s (NEFMC) proposals to change the closures puts New England’s Georges Bank seabed “at risk of serious ecological setback,” when multiple studies prove otherwise. continue

Saving Seafood Analysis – Conservation Law Foundation Misleads Public on Habitat Closed Area Changes

logoWASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) March 13, 2013 – In the article, “Destructive Trawling and the Myth of  ‘Farming the Sea’,” Conservation Law Foundation’s (CLF) Sean Cosgrove  argues against the New English Fishery Management Council’s (NEFMC)  recent recommendation to open certain areas previously closed to  fishing, claiming that trawling, in every instance, is detrimental to  ocean habitats. But Mr. Cosgrove cites incomplete and unrelated evidence  in order to argue that marine scientists “unanimously” agree with his  allegations. In reality, Mr. Cosgrove’s claims are contradicted by  numerous peer-revised studies focused specifically on New England’s  marine ecosystems. Continued

SAVING SEAFOOD ANALYSIS: Making Sense of Reference Points, Proxies, and F40%

The scientific basis for the current “reference points” used for  New England groundfish management has recently been questioned by  respected scientists, industry members, and elected officials. The  largest organization representinglogo groundfishermen in New England, and  the mayor of the nation’s most profitable seaport, have asked the New  England Fishery Management Council to reconsider the calculation and use  of the current reference points.
Because this issue is highly technical and development of the current  reference points are the result of a unique history, Saving Seafood has  undertaken this analysis to shed some light on the background behind  these requests for reconsideration. Read  the analysis