Fish aren’t the only thing disappearing under catch shares; so are jobs. Catch shares fundamentally alter the economic landscape of our nations fisheries by pushing smaller vessels off the water. Given the devastating economic effect these programs have on coastal communities and fishermen, the United States cannot afford to pursue catch shares under the guise of environmental sustainability, nor should we.
Fortunately, Congress, in an attempt to stop the madness, defunded the creation of any new catch share programs on the East Coast until the end of FY 2011. While this safeguards some fishing communities for the coming year, legislation is needed to protect them and other non-covered fisheries for years into the future.
Congress must prohibit NOAA from implementing catch shares as they have been in the past, in order to ensure the long-term health of our commercial and recreational fishing industries.
Read the complete opinion piece from The Hill.