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Gulf of Mexico fisheries are divided into two sectors for management purposes; a commercial sector and a recreational sector. For-hire charter and head boat operations, along with the private recreational anglers, are all part of the recreational sector. Sector separation would allow division of the recreational sector into two or more sectors, or what the RFA believes are the 'haves' and 'have-nots.' In documents obtained last week by the RFA, a two-day event at a resort in Jackson Hole, WY was coordinated by EDF and MRAG Americas to gather input from charter and party boat captains in order to develop just such a recreational catch shares program.
"RFA attempted to get more information about the meeting through EDF but our calls went answered and messages not returned," said RFA Managing Director Jim Hutchinson, Jr. "A source at MRAG called it a private meeting sponsored by EDF," he added. According to the RFA, not only would EDF and MRAG not disclose information about the workshop, the fact that national charter boat groups aren't being made aware of the meetings is causing plenty of suspicion at the grassroots level.
"If the Conservation Cooperative of Gulf Fishermen (CCGF) isn't invited, the sincerity of the event must be called into question," Donofrio said. RFA said that the upcoming public workshops in Tampa are also being coordinated in part by EDF staffers through the Fisheries Leadership and Sustainability Forum, a partnership between Stanford University's Woods Institute for the Environment, Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions & Nicholas School of the Environment, Center for Ocean Solutions and EDF.
"Many of us were under the distinct impression that this sector separation workshop was to be a meeting where free, open, frank, and equal discussion about sector separation was to take place," said CCGF Executive Director, Capt. Bob Zales, II. "It appears to me that this workshop is all about EDF and their continued effort to push sector separation and catch shares," Zales added. In a press release issued by the RFA last week, Zales said EDF has been pushing to separate the charter boats from the head boats in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as from private anglers, using separate sectors for each.
A paper prepared by MRAG Americas in advance of last week's workshops showed EDF had contracted MRAG Americas to help communicate the catch share message within the U.S. recreational sector. EDF prepared documents further described catch share programs as allocating secure privilege to harvest a specified amount of a fishery's total catch to individuals or groups.
"When you look at the catch share design manuals produced by EDF and MRAG, it's all about assigning privilege and getting early investors to buy into this privatization scheme, to the exclusion of the rest of America's fishermen," said Hutchinson who expressed concern at what he calls tacit support of the EDF catch share initiative by key members of the recreational fishing industry. "I'm not sure our tackle manufacturers and boat dealers are really aware of who it was that dragged this Trojan Horse into the castle," he added.
On April 10, 2009, the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) delivered a position paper to the Gulf Council describing a catch share plan for the recreational sector where fish tags would be sold back to anglers at public auction. One year later, a group letter sent to NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco from members of the recreational fishing and environmental community expressed willingness to work together gain angler support for catch shares. The letter signed by EDF and CCA also boasts signed support of the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), Center for Coastal Conservation (CCC), International Game Fish Association (IGFA), National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), Natural Resources Defense Council, Oceana, Ocean Conservancy, Pew Environment Group, The Billfish Foundation (TBF), and Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and concludes with the message, "We would be happy to work with the catch shares task force to discuss these important issues further and believe that addressing these matters directly in the final policy is your best opportunity for gaining broader private angler support for catch shares."
Hutchinson said the only private anglers supporting catch shares are those who wish to see the nation's fisheries privatized for use by those deemed privileged by EDF and their allies. "On behalf of actual private saltwater anglers, many of whom enjoy the robust fishery found among our nation's open access charter boat fleet, I say sorry, no," Hutchinson said.
In a 2009 speech before the ASA at the swanky Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, CA, Lubchenco told industry leaders she was mindful that some recreational fishermen had expressed concerns that catch shares were simply a giveaway of public trust resources, and that catch share allocations would restrict anglers' access to fishing stocks. Lubchenco however called those concerns "unfounded" and explained "We do not have the authority to give it away, a catch share is a privilege." Sources said NOAA paid ASA $10,000 to sponsor the 2009 industry event where Dr. Lubchenco was keynote speaker.
"Obviously, there are some of us who believe that fishing is a right worth fighting for, where others believe it's simply a privilege which can be revoked and reassigned at any time," Hutchinson said. "Dr. Lubchenco and her EDF pals have openly stated their belief that fishing is a privilege which can be sold out from under us for the right price and under the right market conditions, where RFA and our allies don't believe that anyone has the right to corner the market on fishing."
"We've made it very clear that the RFA does not support catch shares in the recreational sector in any way, shape or form," Donofrio added. While testifying before a Congress in April, Donofrio summarized his comments on behalf of RFA, CCGF, National Association of Charterboat Operators, Marine Retailers Association of America (MRAA) and other regional fishing organizations by saying "The use of catch shares in the recreational sector would destroy the traditional open access structure and collapse the entrance of new participants in the fishery."
By comparison, CCC's Jeff Angers, head fisheries lobbyist for ASA, CCA, IGFA, TBF and NMMA told Congressional leaders that his groups would support a program where state-established entities could purchase quota on behalf of their citizens. "States have a long history of fishery management and, on the whole, a trusted relationship with recreational anglers," Angers told the Congressional committee, adding "providing them with the ability to purchase quota on behalf of their angling public will help to maintain public access to a public resource, while promoting sound fisheries conservation."
"Bottom line, if you support selling fish back to the public then you support catch shares," Hutchinson said. "It's sad commentary about the state of our fishing industry when a handful of insiders would go on to support public access with a price tag."
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About Recreational Fishing Alliance
The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit www.joinrfa.org.
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I don't get RFA's position. Sector separation sounds reasonable to me. The charter sector is a lot diffferent than individual anglers so why not manage them separately?
Meanwhile charter and head boats are commercial operations. Catch shares have worked for the commercial sector so why not for the for-hire sector?
Posted by: wreckfish | October 28, 2010 at 05:30 PM
Arghh its funny hows you thinks the catch shares is "working out" for the commercial sector, mees thinks its funny yours name is "wreckfish" seeings how the "catch share" quota for wreckfish just went from 2 million pounds down to 250 thousand pounds! ands to thinks the governments said the share holders would owns there same shares for life! so hows RFA's positions nows? yous needs to do urs homework laddy!!!!!!!
Posted by: Wanchese Pirate | October 28, 2010 at 07:43 PM