COOL is a non-profit movement whose main effort is focused on stopping destructive fishing habits, particularly overfishing, in the U.S. It says that the ever rising efficient fishing technology developed since the 1950s is the main responsible for the population decline of large predatory fish like swordfish and sharks by 90% and bluefin tuna by 70-80% in the last two decades.
It is fact that destructive fishing habits take a toll on the economy as well. This brings the half of the world’s fish stocks to the brink of collapse, and the future looks grim for many commercial fishermen. In order to deal with this situation the COOL campaign is pushing for the NMFS to set conservative yearly catch quotas based on unbiased scientific data and to hold council managers responsible.
In other words the campaign is demanding stricter environmental review of fishery management decisions and also for the inclusion of public forums in such decision-making processes. The NMFS has decided to review it with public opinion and to see the main goal of the Act is reached and that overfishing practices in the U.S. end completely by 2011.
