According to a commercial fisherman of Little River low economy and more government regulations every year pushed the commercial fishing industry on the brink of collapse. But the industry is fighting all just to stay afloat. The fishermen say this is certainly not a good time for fishing business. Catch share system introduce by the government could be a serious option to help the snapper grouper commercial fishery.
A commercial catch share works by giving each fisherman a percentage of fish for the long-term and helps avoid restrictive seasons, area closures and trip limits. Catch shares have helped bring better data collection and enforcement to other fisheries worldwide. The catch share system provides year-round fishing seasons with fish markets selling local fish and avoiding imports.
The fishermen said that they are essential to ensuring a snapper grouper catch share design that meets our needs and the fishery’s goals. Catch share design can put restrictions that limit the amount of fish quota any one fisherman can hold. Catch shares fishermen can restrict outside corporations and nonprofits from holding quota and make sure that someone doesn’t buy up quota and not use it. Currently anyone can buy fishing permits. Catch shares actually make good business sense by providing a greater level of stability for all snapper grouper fishermen.
The fishermen of Alaska, New England, British Columbia and Gulf of Mexico have said the common things as the improvements in their fishery. Given the option between catch shares and the old way of management, none of these fishermen said they would go back to the old way of fishing. Certainly current management is killing the industry.
