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From: Board Moderator <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: 08 Maret 2001 22:53
Subject: [FishingForum] ACT NOW TO SAVE PACIFIC FISH, COALITION URGES
ACT NOW TO SAVE PACIFIC FISH, COALITION URGES
PORTLAND, Oregon
Environmental News Service
March 7, 2001
The Ocean Wildlife Campaign (OWC), a coalition of six national conservation
organizations, has issued comprehensive recommendations to prevent overfishing and
reduce incidental catch of large, oceanic fish in the U.S. Pacific.
The recommendations, which affect highly migratory species (HMS) including tunas,
swordfish, marlins and oceanic sharks in the waters off California, Washington and
Oregon, will be presented at the Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting this week
in Portland.
"Unless we act now, highly migratory Pacific fish may be in danger of decline because
of overfishing and indiscriminate, non-selective fishing practices that are common in
West Coast waters," said David Wilmot, Ph.D., director of the Ocean Wildlife Campaign.
"We want to avoid the devastation done to Atlantic HMS populations, so we are urging
Pacific fishery managers to act now to protect ocean health as well as the economic
health of the fishing industries."
Fishery management plans are developed by regional councils and administered by the
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). There is no comprehensive federal plan for
Pacific HMS caught off the U.S. West Coast.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council meets this week, with participation from
representatives from industry and conservation groups, to finalize its draft fishery
management plan for HMS off California, Washington and Oregon.
The Ocean Wildlife Campaign is urging the Council to adopt three principles:
1.. Minimization of bycatch. The fishery management plan should establish a
bycatch reduction plan with specific targets and milestones as well as performance
standards for all gear
2.. A moratorium on all new fishing gear. New gears may be allowed in the future,
but only if the fishing industry demonstrates that the gear meets conservation
standards
3.. Precautionary catch limits to prevent overfishing. Catch quotas with a margin
of safety are needed to guard against depletion while scientists develop population
assessments and address data gaps and uncertainties
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