| To: ~digs who wrote (352) | 3/28/2007 6:46:10 AM | | From: Litore Lapis | | | | More on the same story..
Landmark Study Shows Clear Pathway to Restoring Imperiled Fish Populations
prnewswire.com
Report Shows Bycatch Reduced by Nearly Half; Per-Boat Revenues Increased by
80 Percent; Safety Doubled in Fisheries with Catch Share Systems
WASHINGTON, March 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Environmental Defense
today released the results of a landmark study that provides a clear
roadmap for rebuilding fishing stocks and restoring fishing communities.
Entitled "Sustaining America's Fisheries and Fishing Communities," this
research details how Limited Access Privilege Programs (LAPPs), or "catch
shares," save fishing stocks and help restore fishing communities by
offering clear environmental, economic and social benefits. The report also
describes a tool to help design effective systems.
A team of over 30 scientists, economists, fishery specialists and other
experts collected data on nearly 100 fisheries and analyzed over 150 peer-
reviewed studies. Funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, this is
largest such study since the U.S. Congress lifted the moratorium on catch
shares five years ago.
"Catch shares are the missing piece in the puzzle to restore our
fisheries and fishing communities," said Fred Krupp, President of
Environmental Defense. "For the first time, this comprehensive study
provides the hard data that shows how catch shares can improve the
performance of fisheries at lower cost to fishermen and greater benefit to
the overall ecosystem."
"This comprehensive analysis shows that LAPPs can be a pivotal tool in
preserving fishing stocks," said Barry Gold, the Marine Conservation
Initiative Lead at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. "When designed
with local objectives in mind, these systems not only help create
sustainable fishing practices, they can also help restore fishing
communities."
Environmental, Economic and Social Benefits
Catch shares work by allocating a dedicated percentage share of a
fishery's total catch to individual fishermen, communities or associations.
If a fishery is well managed, the value of these shares increases as the
stock expands. When participants have a secure portion of the catch, they
gain the flexibility to make business decisions that improve safety,
increase profits and promote healthy fishing stocks.
An in-depth analysis of ten fisheries in the U.S. and Canada before and
after the implementation of catch shares showed:
-- Bycatch was reduced by more than 40%, which, together with the benefits
of complying with catch limits, each year saves the equivalent of the
annual seafood consumption of 16 million Americans.
-- Revenues per boat increased by 80% due to higher yields per boat and
higher dockside prices.
-- Safety more than doubled, based on an index of vessels lost, lives
lost, search and rescue missions and recorded safety violations.
"The biggest thing catch shares do is end the race for fish," said
David Krebs, a Gulf red snapper fisherman. "We used to go out in dangerous
conditions, regardless of the cost of fuel or what price we'd get for our
fish. Now our jobs are safer and we can deliver a higher quality product."
"The combination of catch limits, protected areas and controls on
bycatch provide a foundation for healthy fisheries," said David Festa,
Oceans Program Director at Environmental Defense. "Catch shares multiply
the benefits of these practices and create powerful incentives for
improvements in fisheries throughout the country."
The Problem
An estimated 90% of large predatory fish are gone from our world's
oceans. Of 230 assessed U.S. fisheries, 54 stocks are classified as
over-fished, 45 stocks are experiencing overfishing and just over half of
the nation's stocks are in uncertain status.
"Fisheries have continued to decline despite decades of trying to
manage these resources," said Steve Gaines, Director of the Marine Science
Institute at the University of California, Santa Barbara. "As these data
show, this doesn't have to be the reality."
America's fishing communities are also suffering. The collapse of the
iconic cod fishery in New England in the early 1990s cost an estimated
20,000 jobs. An estimated 72,000 jobs have been lost due to decreasing
salmon stocks in the Pacific Northwest. The typical fisherman now makes
nearly 30% less than the average American worker and faces an occupational
fatality rate that is 35 times higher than other industries.
"This report clearly shows that catch share programs help end the
dangerous race for fish and contribute to a vibrant, safe future for our
coastal communities," said Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA). "These findings
confirm actual experiences with successful catch share programs in the
North Pacific. These programs have increased the value of fisheries while
contributing to conservation."
The Future
President Bush recently set a practical goal of doubling U.S. catch
share programs by 2010. Congress also promoted these systems and
established guidelines for their use as part of the reauthorized
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, which passed
Congress unanimously in December 2006. This new report provides the hard
data to properly evaluate and design these systems.
"Faced with reduced landings and fragile waterfront economies,
California's fishing families and their communities are going through
profound change," said Congresswoman Lois Capps, a member of the House
Natural Resources Committee. "To preserve the economy and heritage of
special places like Morro Bay, we should give fishermen tools that enhance
their economic vitality, advance sustainable fishing practices and protect
fish populations for future generations."
"The task at hand today is prompt and well designed implementation of
catch shares," said Krupp. "We call on both President Bush and Congress to
prioritize funding over the next five years for these innovative approaches
to rebuild our fisheries and fishing communities." To download a copy of
the report and learn more about catch shares, please visit
sustainingfisheries.com.
Contributing Partners
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, established in 2000, seeks to
advance environmental conservation and cutting-edge scientific research
around the world and improve the quality of life in the San Francisco Bay
Area. The goal of the Marine Conservation Initiative is to achieve progress
towards resilient and productive marine ecosystems in British Columbia, the
California Current, and New England by implementing area-based management
and reforming fisheries management. moore.org
Environmental Defense, a leading national nonprofit organization,
represents more than 500,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense has
linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships
to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental
problems. environmentaldefense.org
Redstone Strategy Group, LLC is a trusted advisor to businesses,
philanthropies and NGOs around the world. Redstone helps its clients
address pressing business and social policy issues through collaboration,
tough-minded analysis, practical insights and tangible results. Redstone
provided the analysis of catch share systems including the detailed
performance evaluation of the 10 U.S. and British Columbia fisheries
included in the report. redstonestrategy.com |
| | FISH FARMS NEED TO BE THE SIZE OF COUNTRIES | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Litore Lapis | 9/13/2007 3:49:42 PM | | | | | | Wasted catches hit Europe's cod
Anne-Marie Bullock
Radio 4's Costing the Earth
news.bbc.co.uk
Despite cod stocks in UK waters being at risk, fishermen are being forced to throw thousands of tonnes back into the sea dead while Iceland, an important supplier to much of Western Europe, is cutting the amount of cod it catches because of concern over falling stocks.
Iceland has long been heralded as an example of sustainable fishing and the country relies on the industry more than any other state in the world.
The Icelandic fisheries are very good at the moment but we are taking measures to ensure this will continue to be so
Johann Sigurjonsson, Director of the Marine Research Institute
Perhaps this is why their government is prepared to take drastic action and unpopular measures to preserve the industry.
From this month Iceland's cod quotas have been slashed by a third because scientists say there has been a decline in young fish.
Johann Sigurjonsson, Director of the Marine Research Institute says it has been difficult to persuade the fishermen of the need.
"Perhaps the biggest difficulty is the Icelandic fisheries are very good at the moment but we are taking measures to ensure this will continue to be so. We believe it is important to make the spawning stock stronger both in volume and to secure a higher proportion of large females because they are more important in the reproductive capacity of stock. It is an important and difficult decision," he said.
Minister of Fisheries Einar Gudfinnson admits it has been controversial.
"Of course we will see boats tied up and some not fishing. Many will transfer their rights to others. We have listened to the advice of scientists generally but now we have taken it more seriously than ever before because of these strong warning lights. It will have negative implications politically and economically but we are sure it will have positive long-term effects," he explained.
Heavily dependent
Since 1983 the UK's white fish fleet has fallen by 70%
Over the last 20 years Western Europe and the UK in particular have become heavily dependent on Icelandic fish as stocks in EU waters have declined.
The impact on the UK and other Western European countries is likely to be a significant rise in the price of cod.
Managers at the Fishgate auction in Hull anticipate an increase of up to 20% over the next year, not only due to shorter supply but also competition from Spain and Portugal for their salted cod.
But there are also lessons from Iceland for the European Commission whose own attempts to preserve fish stocks have proven far less successful.
Since the introduction of the Common Fisheries Policy in 1983, the UK's white fish fleet has reduced by 70% while the UK's cod quota has reduced from more than 100,000 tonnes to just 18,000.
Other countries have also suffered big cuts. But stocks have failed to recover.
Wasted
A recent report highlighted the problem that every year thousands of tonnes of cod are caught and then thrown back dead into the sea to comply with the rules of the European Commission's Common Fisheries Policy.
Fish which are undersize or exceed the permitted quota for particular species has to be thrown back into the sea but less than 1% of discarded fish survive so most is wasted.
Last year more than 8,000 tonnes of North Sea cod was discarded, that is more than 30% of the amount brought in and sold.
The UK cod quota is 18,000 tonnes
The report just released from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) shows that in "Subarea 7" - the English Channel, Western Approaches, Celtic and Irish Seas - 63% by number and 35% by weight of all fish caught are discarded.
Dr Joe Horwood, the chief scientist at CEFAS says:
"The large majority of cod thrown back are below the minimum landing size. This is set to deter fishermen from areas where small fish are but unfortunately small cod is found in many places so they will catch them.
"Certainly cod numbers would be significantly improved if we removed all discarding. The amount of cod discarded has been increasing as we have reined back on the size of the quota and so more marketable cod are thrown back as well. We would like an ideal balance between the size of the fleet catching cod and the size of the quota. Fishing effort has not been reduced to the level where we think it is necessary to deliver cod recovery at present."
The fishing industry agrees that the level of discard is an appalling waste.
"It really is a shocking waste. Not only are the fish killed unnecessarily - the economic value has been lost and the source of food to the consumer - but they are no longer there to reproduce so it is a double whammy. This is one of the fundamental failures of the cod recovery plan," says Doug Beveridge, assistant chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations.
Cod recovery plan
The EU is now beginning to look at how it might reduce its discard rate but the mixed nature of its waters mean it cannot be eliminated entirely.
The EC's fisheries policy has also been criticised for failing to follow the advice of its own scientists on limiting the catch for the different species.
But politics also plays a role in what is actually set according to former UK fisheries minister Elliot Morley.
More than 8,000 tonnes of North Sea cod was discarded in 2006
"Many fisheries ministers in EU countries are under pressure from their fishing industries who are not interested in the science. They often dispute it and all they are interested in is getting as much quota as possible and judge the success of the minister by the amount he brings back so a lot of pressure is on ministers to talk up quotas," he said.
A specific "cod recovery plan" was also brought in three years ago limiting the number of days cod fishermen had at sea but an EC report 'Fishing Opportunities 2008' published in June says the policy has not brought the expected improvements.
Introducing the report, Joe Borg, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, said total allowable catches (TACs) have been "substantially higher than those recommended by scientists, by an average of between 42% and 57%".
He added: "This situation is aggravated by the fact that a number of TACs are, in practice, consistently overshot."
He said the problems "will have to be urgently resolved in order to return fish stocks to a healthier and more secure biological state".
Costing the Earth: Plenty More Fish in the Sea? is broadcast on Radio 4 on Thursday 13 September 2100BST, repeated Friday 14th at 1500BST.
|
| | FISH FARMS NEED TO BE THE SIZE OF COUNTRIES | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: S. maltophilia | 1/15/2008 2:54:46 AM | | | | | | January 15, 2008
Empty Seas
Europe’s Appetite for Seafood Propels Illegal Trade
By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL
LONDON — Walking at the Brixton market among the parrotfish, doctorfish and butterfish, Effa Edusie is surrounded by pieces of her childhood in Ghana. Caught the day before far off the coast of West Africa, they have been airfreighted to London for dinner.
Ms. Edusie’s relatives used to be fishermen. But no more. These fish are no longer caught by Africans.
On the underside of the waterlogged brown cardboard box that holds the snapper is the improbable red logo of the China National Fisheries Corporation, one of the largest suppliers of West African fish to Europe. Europe’s dinner tables are increasingly supplied by global fishing fleets, which are depleting the world’s oceans to feed the ravenous consumers who have become the most effective predators of fish.
Fish is now the most traded animal commodity on the planet, with about 100 million tons of wild and farmed fish sold each year. Europe has suddenly become the world’s largest market for fish, worth more than 14 billion euros, or about $22 billion a year. Europe’s appetite has grown as its native fish stocks have shrunk so that Europe now needs to import 60 percent of fish sold in the region, according to the European Union.
In Europe, the imbalance between supply and demand has led to a thriving illegal trade. Some 50 percent of the fish sold in the European Union originates in developing nations, and much of it is laundered like contraband, caught and shipped illegally beyond the limits of government quotas or treaties. The smuggling operation is well financed and sophisticated, carried out by large-scale mechanized fishing fleets able to sweep up more fish than ever, chasing threatened stocks from ocean to ocean.........
nytimes.com |
| | FISH FARMS NEED TO BE THE SIZE OF COUNTRIES | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Litore Lapis | 3/16/2008 3:57:11 AM | | | | | | Yowser!
Message 24406973
Salmon fishing ban possible this year By SAMANTHA YOUNG, Associated Press Writer
Fri Mar 14, 11:05 PM ET
news.yahoo.com
Federal fisheries managers took the first step Friday toward imposing what could be the strictest limits ever on West Coast salmon fishing amid a collapse of the central California chinook salmon fishery.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council unanimously adopted three options for sport and commercial fishing off the Pacific Coast, including an unprecedented complete shutdown of fishing off California and Oregon.
"This is a major disaster. We've never had one ever like this," council chairman Donald Hansen said after the vote. "It will have a major impact on California commercial fisheries for salmon, recreational fisheries, California charters."
The closest the council has come to halting all salmon fishing was 2006, when a decline in Northern California's Klamath River run forced severe restrictions on the number of fish caught.
The other options are severely limiting fishing, or hiring fisherman to catch and release salmon for scientific projects. Both those options would require the federal government to grant an emergency rule because the salmon numbers are so low.
The fishery council is expected to decide which action to take in April during its meeting in Seattle.
"I think the likeliest outcome this year is no one will put a hook in the water," said Humboldt County fisherman Dave Bitts, who was attending the weeklong meeting in Sacramento.
The Sacramento River chinook run is usually one of the most plentiful on the West Coast, providing the bulk of the fish caught by commercial trollers off California and Oregon.
But this year's returns — even with no fishing allowed — are expected to reach less than half the council's goal for spawning a new generation. It marks the third straight year of declines, and the outlook for next year is no better.
After years of declining salmon runs, few fishermen rely solely on salmon for a living.
Supplies of farm-raised fish and sockeye from Alaska are expected to remain plentiful in supermarkets and restaurants, but there will be few chinook. Also known as king salmon, they are the type of salmon most prized by chefs and sportsmen.
Many coastal communities that still have salmon fleets have yet to recover from long-standing downturns in fishing and timber.
"It's going to have a big effect on our coastal communities," said Zeke Grader, executive director of the San Francisco-based Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations.
It is the third straight year of hardship. In 2006, the season was curtailed to protect struggling chinook returns to the Klamath River in northern California. Last year, catches were poor despite a relatively open fishing season.
Congress authorized some aid for fishermen after the 2006 seasons, and California representatives are looking for more this year.
The council's action on Friday prompted Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the governors of Oregon and Washington to urge the federal government to declare a resource disaster if the fisheries are closed or severely restricted. Such a declaration would make communities eligible for federal aid.
Closing fisheries in California and most of Oregon also could lead to higher salmon prices for restaurants and consumers who would be forced to buy Alaska-caught salmon instead of locally caught fish.
In most years, about 90 percent of wild chinook salmon caught off the California coast originate in the Sacramento River and its tributaries.
Only about 90,000 adult salmon returned to the Sacramento River and its tributaries to spawn last year, the second lowest number on record and well below the government's conservation goals, according to federal fishery regulators. That's down from 277,000 in 2006 and a record high of 804,000 in 2002.
Biologists predict this year's salmon returns could be even lower because the number of returning young male fish, known as "jacks," hit an all-time low last year. Only about 2,000 of them were recorded, which is far below the 40,000 counted in a typical year.
Other West Coast rivers also have seen declines in their salmon runs, though not as steep as California's Central Valley.
Experts are uncertain about what caused the collapse, pointing to dozens of factors.
Marine scientists blame an unusual weather pattern that triggered a collapse of the marine food web in 2005, the year most of this year's returning adults were entering the ocean as juveniles.
Fishermen, environmental groups and American Indians largely blame the salmon's troubles on poor water quality and water diversions in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. |
| | FISH FARMS NEED TO BE THE SIZE OF COUNTRIES | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| |
