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keeperreaper · 03-06-2009, 07:53 AM

TUNA FISHERMEN JAM NMFS MARCH 04 HEARING

Gloucester, MA: Bluefin tuna fishermen packed the new NMFS Gloucester headquarters yesterday afternoon for a public hearing on the 2009 bluefin tuna specifications. The standing room only auditorium was jammed with over 100 fishermen angry and frustrated by the upcoming fishing season reduced tuna quotas but more importantly, the lack of NMFS proposals for any changes to restrictions to allow the U.S. to catch more than 24% of the commercial tuna quotas as was the case in 2008.

The 2009 and 2010 western Atlantic quota has been reduced by ICCAT to 1,900 metric tons (mt) and then 1,800 mt in 2008. Under the new 2009 U.S. quota the General category baseline quota will drop to 475 mt this year. The eastern quotas were also reduced from 28,500 mt in 2008 to 22,000 mt in 2009 but few expect compliance and most expect that eastern and Mediterranean catches will remain in the 40,000 to 61,000 mt range identified in recent years by ICCAT scientists and World Wildlife Fund investigators.

Fishermen after fishermen took to the microphone to complain that the current NMFS regulations require U.S. fishermen to conserve more than fishermen from any other country in the world. They also protested that all the extra unilateral restrictions such as daily bag limits, seasonal restrictions, size limits, charter boat restrictions and restrictions on landings of longline incidental catches were leading towards more loss of U.S. quota.

It was pointed out at the meeting that already 175 metric tons (mt) of bluefin quota has been lost to Mexico and 100 additional mt to Canada with nothing in return to U.S. fishermen. The loss of 2,690 mt of swordfish quota of the last several years to countries with no history of swordfish fishing also sets a dangerous precedent for the bluefin situation.

Several specific alternatives were presented by fishermen urging NMFS to take emergency action to change the catch stifling U.S. bluefin tuna rules. Proposals for multiple daily catch limits for offshore giant tuna fishermen, reduction in the size limit for commercial sale to 65” from the current 73” limit, proposals to allow charter/headboats to conduct both recreational and commercial fisheries on the same day and increase longline incidental landings of bluefin tuna were made. NMFS representatives did their best to explain the bureaucratic hurdles of FMP amendments, regulatory amendments and other laws preventing timely relief to U.S. fishermen by NMFS.

Several in the crowd of fishermen supported a new more powerful tuna lobbying organization be formed to demand legislative action to change the unilateral catch restrictions and prevent the loss of U.S quota share for future generations of American fishermen. For further information on the new developing organization you can contact ralph.pratt@verizon.net .

03-06-2009, 07:53 AM	#5
keeperreaper Spot Preserver iTrader: (0) Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Mansfield Posts: 2,461	TUNA FISHERMEN JAM NMFS MARCH 04 HEARING Gloucester, MA: Bluefin tuna fishermen packed the new NMFS Gloucester headquarters yesterday afternoon for a public hearing on the 2009 bluefin tuna specifications. The standing room only auditorium was jammed with over 100 fishermen angry and frustrated by the upcoming fishing season reduced tuna quotas but more importantly, the lack of NMFS proposals for any changes to restrictions to allow the U.S. to catch more than 24% of the commercial tuna quotas as was the case in 2008. The 2009 and 2010 western Atlantic quota has been reduced by ICCAT to 1,900 metric tons (mt) and then 1,800 mt in 2008. Under the new 2009 U.S. quota the General category baseline quota will drop to 475 mt this year. The eastern quotas were also reduced from 28,500 mt in 2008 to 22,000 mt in 2009 but few expect compliance and most expect that eastern and Mediterranean catches will remain in the 40,000 to 61,000 mt range identified in recent years by ICCAT scientists and World Wildlife Fund investigators. Fishermen after fishermen took to the microphone to complain that the current NMFS regulations require U.S. fishermen to conserve more than fishermen from any other country in the world. They also protested that all the extra unilateral restrictions such as daily bag limits, seasonal restrictions, size limits, charter boat restrictions and restrictions on landings of longline incidental catches were leading towards more loss of U.S. quota. It was pointed out at the meeting that already 175 metric tons (mt) of bluefin quota has been lost to Mexico and 100 additional mt to Canada with nothing in return to U.S. fishermen. The loss of 2,690 mt of swordfish quota of the last several years to countries with no history of swordfish fishing also sets a dangerous precedent for the bluefin situation. Several specific alternatives were presented by fishermen urging NMFS to take emergency action to change the catch stifling U.S. bluefin tuna rules. Proposals for multiple daily catch limits for offshore giant tuna fishermen, reduction in the size limit for commercial sale to 65” from the current 73” limit, proposals to allow charter/headboats to conduct both recreational and commercial fisheries on the same day and increase longline incidental landings of bluefin tuna were made. NMFS representatives did their best to explain the bureaucratic hurdles of FMP amendments, regulatory amendments and other laws preventing timely relief to U.S. fishermen by NMFS. Several in the crowd of fishermen supported a new more powerful tuna lobbying organization be formed to demand legislative action to change the unilateral catch restrictions and prevent the loss of U.S quota share for future generations of American fishermen. For further information on the new developing organization you can contact ralph.pratt@verizon.net .
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