And, it’s no wonder there is a lot of tension about the topic – the state of our seafood supply and livelihood of fishermen are at stake. 

So when I received an invitation to participate in the Marine Resource Education Program, a two-day course in fish population science, I jumped at the chance. The program was developed to bridge the gap of understanding between New England’s fishing industry leaders and the fishery science community. I set out to better understand why there are discrepancies in fish stock assessments and differences of opinion among the stakeholders.  It was also an opportunity to better understand the perceptions of commercial fishermen.

For organizations like Chefs Collaborative, that educate chefs about cooking with sustainable seafood, I believe we have a responsibility to see the big picture in all its complexity.

The training program, sponsored by NOAA and led by a team based at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, seeks to empower fishermen with information so that they can effectively participate in the management process and to facilitate trust and relationships among the various stakeholders.

Read the complete opinion piece from Talking Fish