It is no denying fact that the fishing industry of New England is thriving and makes most of it. But the sad part is that the current management system is not at all compatible. It has not adequately protected the marine ecosystem nor promoted a profitable fishing industry. Therefore, it is believed that there should be a better fishing management system.
With the encouragement of the public during a pending regulatory comment period, the federal government has an opportunity to adopt a more sensible approach to managing these great fisheries. It is true that every fishing vessel that leaves a New England seaport faces difficult but important choices between conserving the resource – so there will be fish to catch in the future – and earning a decent living.
But the current system of managing fishing stocks by regulating a boat’s “days at sea” falls short of both goals. It is said that the existing rules strictly limit the number of days that each vessel can spend at sea. Fishermen are encouraged to harvest as many fish as possible, as quickly as possible. Anything that increases fishing time is discouraged because it wastes precious days at sea.
Self-organized fishermen cooperatives would be given a renewable privilege to catch a set tonnage of each groundfish species per year. The National Marine Fisheries Service will accept public comments on the plan, formally called Amendment 16, until June 8. It is told that the new plan calls for monitoring both, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration allocating $10 million to develop the New England system.
In a report it is mentioned many of the economic and ecological ways in which sectors could improve the New England fisheries. It shows the benefits of cooperative fishery management, including better stewardship of the resource – keeping catch levels within sustainable limits and reducing discards – while also fostering increased profits and fresher, more carefully treated fish.
