Abstract:
Established in 2002, the Northeast Seafood Coalition is a non-profit organization that represents commercial ground fishing entities in the northeastern United States on political and policy issues. NSC strives to find creative solutions that work to rebuild fish stocks while preserving family-owned fishing businesses and a diverse groundfish fleet.
On behalf of its members, NSC directly engages in the stock assessment and policy-making processes. Federal fisheries management operates under open meeting and public involvement laws, primarily the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). Transparency and public participation, with opportunities for written and oral comment, are requirements under Fishery Management Council system and the Administrative Procedures Act. NSC actively engages in this public process by offering fishery expertise; prepares oral and written comments; and working to inform the scientific and management community on essential information concerning the operations and performance of the fishery.
Over the years, groundfish science and management have encountered significant transitions. Of the most noteworthy was the transition from input control (e.g., days at sea management regime) to an output control (e.g., groundfish sectors) in 2010. To comply with new 2006 Magnuson mandates related to annual catch limits and accountability measures, the commercial groundfish fishery transitioned to a sector allocation and management program, known as a catch-share program. The policy development work was extensive and the allocation process, with the move to groundfish sectors, was highly contentious and remains so to this day.
Fifteen years after the inception of sectors, the Council will now be grappling with how to implement an updated scientific understanding of the stock structure of Atlantic cod under the sector allocation and management regime. Transitioning from two to four Atlantic cod stocks will be a monumental undertaking for managers and will directly impact permit holders. Although cod has become incidental catch on groundfish trips, access to cod quota is essential to making profitable groundfish trips. Lease prices have been high on cod and are anticipated to grow as quotas remain low and cod remains available despite low estimated biomass.
This next phase of groundfish management will represent a significant pivot for the groundfish fishery. It will be a critical time for engagement by the Northeast Seafood Coalition.
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Meeting ID: 937 5823 0260
Passcode:426839
