Peter Baker, director of the Pew Environment Group’s campaign to "End Overfishing in New England" and Robert Johnston, a resource economist with Clark University, comment on the proposed transition to sector management.
NEW ENGLAND’S fisheries feed our region’s cash flow and provide dinner for our tables. But by most measures the current management system of this vital industry has been a failure, and hasn’t adequately protected the marine ecosystem nor promoted a profitable fishing industry. Now, 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.
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.