According to NMFS the proposal can help both fish and fishers and breed economic efficiencies that are difficult to achieve under customary management plans. The new approach — a catch shares system — will eradicate the traditional practice of establishing a fleet-wide, numerical quota. It will allow fishers to compete to catch as much of that amount as they can prior to the fishery being closed or the quota lowered.
Will Stelle, Jr, NMFS Northwest regional administrator, told that under a catch-share system, fishermen can better plan their season, reduce overfishing and bycatch and fish during safer weather. Fishery managers have for decades argued that the customary, fleet-wide approach encourages fishers to fish as hard and as fast as they can despite risky weather, excessive hours and strained gear, as any fish left in the water can be harvested by other fishers. NOAA will make two formal modifications to a current management plan governing West Coast trawl groundfish harvests. The two changes to the existing Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan — Amendments 20 and 21 — will formally apply catch shares to manage the fishery.
Amendment 20 is known as the “trawl rationalisation programme,” and will set individual fishing allowances for the shore-based fleet and fishing cooperatives representing the trawl fleets at-sea. Amendment 21 will allocate the catch of groundfish between trawl fishers and non-trawl sectors of the fishery. Said allocations would enhance management by streamlining the programme’s administration, providing the fishery with stability and lowering halibut bycatch.
