Emergency action needed if you oppose catch shares

[jmac]

Overfishing must end and none of the anti catch share rhetoric is proposing anything but raising quotas and returning us to a state of overfishing. Enough is enough.

I agree with your comments on overfishing, but all catch shares will do is redistribute the overall catch quota to those larger boats with past historical catch data, effectively eliminating smaller draggers, dayboats, that must fish several species (weather, seasonal dependent) in order to make a living....the big boats (single owner of multi-fleet of boats) will corner whatever quota is set. That is the fear with the present pilot fluke sector plan in RI ....the only advantage of sector catch shares is by-catch mortality is reduced, only if the monitors are aboard; if monitors are not on a sector boat there may be "hi-grading" performed....Catch shares is a real hot topic in the commercial fisheries here in RI, MA.....most commercial people I know feel there is a better way to redistribute quota AND hold the line on overfishing if indeed some of these fish are in real trouble (fluke, sea bass, monkfish, scup); as far as cod, don't know...just hearing about a lot of cod being caught in some of the old haunts off the RI shore to Coxes..

[striperman36]

Enforcement is required, self-policing just does not work

[Raider Ronnie]

Originally Posted by jmac

I agree with your comments on overfishing, but all catch shares will do is redistribute the overall catch quota to those larger boats with past historical catch data, effectively eliminating smaller draggers, dayboats, that must fish several species (weather, seasonal dependent) in order to make a living....the big boats (single owner of multi-fleet of boats) will corner whatever quota is set. That is the fear with the present pilot fluke sector plan in RI ....the only advantage of sector catch shares is by-catch mortality is reduced, only if the monitors are aboard; if monitors are not on a sector boat there may be "hi-grading" performed....Catch shares is a real hot topic in the commercial fisheries here in RI, MA.....most commercial people I know feel there is a better way to redistribute quota AND hold the line on overfishing if indeed some of these fish are in real trouble (fluke, sea bass, monkfish, scup); as far as cod, don't know...just hearing about a lot of cod being caught in some of the old haunts off the RI shore to Coxes..

"all catch shares will do is redistribute the overall catch quota to those larger boats with past historical catch data, effectively eliminating smaller draggers, dayboats, that must fish several species (weather, seasonal dependent) in order to make a living....the big boats (single owner of multi-fleet of boats) will corner whatever quota is set."


This is exactly what catch shares will do !

[JackK]

Should note that catch shares do not necessarily favor the large boats... They favor the best businessmen.

Now, oftentimes the best businessmen own a number of big boats, this is true. But there are a surprising number of small day draggers that are making more money then they ever had before using this system, and are in no danger of being cornered out.

Is it right? I'm not sure. I don't like the idea of the traditional small fishing towns going by the wayside. But it's reducing unnecessary waste, that can't be denied. It's rare for boats to high grade when there's no monitor- they stand to gain little from the practice, as the prices for larger fish do not offset the monetary gain from the larger quantity.

Those who can manage themselves effectively are flourishing in this system. Those that can't, aren't.