Last month Tom Fote and I attended the National Marine Fisheries Service Conference on “Managing our Nation’s Fisheries.”  This is the second year the NMFS has conducted this meeting which promises to become an annual event.  Among the over 600 attendees were representatives from all the Fishery Management Councils, scientists, fishermen, policymakers, environmentalists and other stakeholders.  The theme was “Focus on the Future.”  There are many challenges that face the NMFS especially since the Pew and U.S. Oceans Commissions published their final reports.  Among the numerous challenges are:

•             Developing ecosystem approaches to fisheries
•             Strengthening scientific advice for management
•             Establishing criteria for IFQ programs
•             Defining MPA’s/protecting cold water corals
•             Improving fisheries governance
•             Addressing overfishing and stock rebuilding
•             Reconciling conflicting statutes

The Magnuson-Stevens Act is up for reauthorization and all of these issues will become part of the new policy for managing our fisheries.  This conference provided the opportunity to discuss the issues and understand the opinions of the various groups that will influence the future of fishing in the United States. 

The keynote speaker for the conference was Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska. However, he did not show in person because he went on his first vacation with his wife in 25 years.  Instead he provided a videotape of his comments.  Senator Stevens is the key individual in the reauthorization process.  He has the most experience, has a powerful position in the Senate and comes from a state that has a huge commercial fishery.  He will listen carefully to the fishermen in his home state.

Captain Paul J. Howard, USCG (Ret.), Executive Director of the New England Fishery Management Council, gave the opening comments and stated that one of the biggest difficulties is that the councils do not know how to handle an overabundance of fish.  In addition, they have difficulty administering MPA’s, which are closed indefinitely.  When is the proper time to reopen them?  When has a fish recovery been complete in an area?  He did state that degradation of water quality has created dead zones and that loss of habitat is the biggest problem.

Dr. Bill Hogarth, Director of NOAA Fisheries, also made some opening remarks.  He pointed out the challenges to the reauthorization of the Magnuson/Stevens Act.  He stated that Individual Fish Quotas (IFQ) need to be market based.  He also admitted that they do not have a good handle on recreational fishing including the number of fishermen and the amount of fish that are caught.

            The format of the conference was speakers on an issue along with a panel of experts to question the speakers.  The audience was then given the opportunity to question the speakers or any member of the panel.  This format led to some lively interactions over the differing points of view.

            The Ecosystem Panel started the morning with presentations by Gregg Waugh from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Roger Rufe from The Ocean Conservancy; and Dr. Steve Murawski from NMFS.  Gregg Waugh stated that the Southern Council is already considering an ecosystem approach when they manage fisheries.  The biggest challenge is the lack of funds to do the proper research.  They recognize the importance of upper wetlands but the lack of data prevents them from taking giant steps forward.  There is also a lack of guidelines.

            Roger Rufe presented a scorecard of overfishing to measure the success of federal fishery managers and the eight regional fishery management councils in achieving the Magnuson-Stevens Act’s goal of ending overfishing and rebuilding depleted fish populations.  Not surprisingly, they did not give high grades to the councils, while indicating that some have done a much better job than others.  Their analysis shows that the management of some fisheries and some stocks in New England has been more successful than others, and that some “best management practices” could be used to expand success to other fisheries and stocks.  They believe that success would be improved by the elimination of overcapacity coupled with establishment and enforcement of science-based limits on fishing.  Where the science is not sufficient the precautionary approach should be used.

            Dr. Murawski posed the question:  What is the definition of the ecosystem?  In the broadest sense it is the opportunity for coastal zone management including housing development, runoff, industrial transport, pollutants and human impact and sewage treatment.  This would go far upland, upstream and upriver to determine the root cause of poor water quality.   Dr. Murawski’s presentation was the most thought-provoking.  It goes far beyond the way fisheries and ecosystems are managed today and would require the cooperation of many government agencies.

            The next panel was on IFQ’s.  This relates to commercial fishing but has major implications to the recreational fishery.  Some of the issues are: (1) initial allocation (2) conservation (3) sunset (4) transfers (5) referendum (6) data collection and (7) observer coverage.  The major discussion occurred over the issue of “property rights.”  Will the quota be a “capital asset” which can be bought and sold or should it be a privilege with a limited duration?  The presenters on both sides gave excellent reasons for or against. Certainly, the biggest benefit would be to reduce derby fishing as seen in Alaska, which is dangerous and has cost many lives.  Whichever way the final program goes it certainly must avoid the difficulties and problems which have come to light in terms of the “clam quota” where a few individuals now control most of the resource and these individuals are not even fishermen but bankers and businessmen who have never stepped foot on a clam boat.

            The challenge ahead for recreational anglers is to stay on top of the issues that emerge in the reauthorization of the Magnuson/Stevens Act.  The JCAA will be spending much time in Washington over the next year to make sure that the recreational angler is not left out of the process or worse yet is treated poorly.  The main goal is the conservation of fisheries so that our children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy recreational fishing in the future. To assist in this the JCAA has partnered with the Marine Fish Conservation Network which is a group of over 170 fishing and conservation groups that are working together to insure that the best possible outcome for the fishery of the United States is the result of the discussions on Capital Hill.

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