The council has made its final decision on new fishing rules by setting catch limits on specific species in federal waters. Covering snappers, groupers, parrotfish and queen conch -species considered overfished in federal Caribbean waters- the proposed regulations would cut the total catch of those species in federal waters nearing the territory by 15 percent.
The new regulations will go to US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke for final action. The regulations are mandated by the Magnuson-Stevens Act and designed to safeguard fish stocks in federal waters. Even the local fishers also gave their nod to the measure. Julien Magras, chairman of the St Thomas Fishermen’s Association, said that the St Thomas Fishermen’s Association and the St Croix Commercial Fishermen’s Association] fought hard for two years to get their voice heard.
The Council followed the associations’ recommendations rather than slashing the catch of the species in question by 25 percent. Fishers also pushed for the regulations to cover the fisheries around Puerto Rico, St Croix and the St Thomas-St John District individually.
Executive Director of the Council, Miguel Rolon, commented that catch limit was set at 85 rather than 75 percent of the average catch to lessen the likely socioeconomic impact while retaining the sustainability of the fisheries. Holly Binns, manager of the Pew Environment Group’s Campaign to End Overfishing in the Southeast, told that the plan is an important first step toward sustainable fishing, protecting coral reefs and allowing species to rebound, but they are disappointed that parts of the plan were weakened.
