In a letter to Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Duane Harris Chairman of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council says that fisheries management in the South Atlantic region of the U.S. suffers from "a chronic, yet well-documented, lack of basic data which hampers scientists’ abilities to evaluate exploited populations and managers’ abilities to develop and ensure accountability with management measures. " He concludes that "the Council does not believe that a sufficient data delivery system is in place to properly implement the system of ACLs and AMs that the Council is establishing."
On October 27th, 2009, I testified on the implementation of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act before the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife House Committee on Resources. My comments highlighted issues before the Council involving significant economic impacts based upon proposed closures and deficiencies in the current data collection system. I have attached my testimony and wish to make you aware of the Council’s belief that the current data delivery system is grossly inadequate to properly implement the system of annual catch limits (ACLs), accountability measures (AMs), and management measures that the Council is establishing in Snapper Grouper FMP Amendments 17A and 17B and the Comprehensive ACL Amendment.
Read the letter from the SAFMC.