It barely seemed like news last week when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration made its announcement of a "draft policy" to regulate America's fisheries based on fishermen's catch shares. Since Jane Lubchenco, a Pew fellow and former vice chairwoman of Environmental Defense, was first confirmed as NOAA's new chief administrator last spring, it's been obvious her primary push was for regulatory reform through "catch shares." And the New England Fishery Management Council bought it hook, line and sinker, approving a May 1, 2010 launch date that still stands despite cries of foul from the fishing industry, even warnings from the Pew Environment Group, which has urged NOAA to "go slow" in implementing catch share programs — which are in place in some U.S. fisheries and spawning concern over their local economic impact.
The NOAA announcement should, however, turn up the heat on two other important fronts. It has put the pressure squarely on the New England council to make New England's catch share plan viable by coming up with reasonable catch allocations that recognize studies showing many of the fish stocks have recovered or are effectively recovering. And it accelerates the need for lawmakers to push for changes within — perhaps even enforcement of — the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which includes provisions to consider the impact of regulation on fishing communities.