The leadership of Viking Village, Lund’s Fisheries and Agger Fish Corp. who handle an estimated 75% of monkfish landed in the Southern Fishery Management Area, (SFMA) have written to Maggie Raymond, Chair of the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils' Monkfish Advisory Panel expressing opposition to to reaffirm their positions and that of the Monkfish Defense Fund in opposition to catch share management for Monkfish.
In addition, they expressed the "firm belief that at least a two thirds majority of the monkfish fishermen in the SFMA are strong in their opposition to any form of catch share management, including “sectors” such as is being applied to the groundfish…"
They noted that "There are no problems with the monkfish fishery in the SFMA. The stock is thriving, the fishermen are making a living and the markets are stable. In fact, when the condition of the stock was considered problematic, it was shown that this was due to inadequacies in the science underlying the stock assessment, not to any inadequacies in management."
The text of their letter follows:
Maggie Raymond, Chair
Monkfish Advisory Panel
New England Fishery Management Council/Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
March 7, 2011
Dear Ms. Raymond,
Prior to the Monkfish Advisory Panel meeting on this coming Wednesday, March 9, we wanted to take the opportunity to reaffirm our own personal positions and that of the Monkfish Defense Fund (testimony submitted on January 30 and attached) on catch share management in the monkfish fishery.
Collectively our companies (Viking Village, Lund’s Fisheries and Agger Fish Corp.) handle what we estimate is 75% of the monkfish landed in the Southern Fishery Management Area, (SFMA) and we interact regularly with the fishermen who land them.
Most importantly, it is our firm belief that at least a two thirds majority of the monkfish fishermen in the SFMA are strong in their opposition to any form of catch share management, including “sectors” such as is being applied to the groundfish, in their fishery. Each of us personally shares this position.
As you know, there are no problems with the monkfish fishery in the SFMA. The stock is thriving, the fishermen are making a living and the markets are stable. In fact, when the condition of the stock was considered problematic, it was shown that this was due to inadequacies in the science underlying the stock assessment, not to any inadequacies in management. This is a management regime that has evolved over the life of the fishery, and while it isn’t perfect, it is as close to perfect as any other fishery that any of us are involved in.
However, we can’t claim to be able to speak for every fisherman in the fishery, so we will reinforce our request made through the Monkfish Defense Fund that before proceeding any farther with planning for any form of catch share program in the monkfish fishery in the SFMA, that the Mid-Atlantic Council, with the cooperation of the New England Council, carry out a referendum of all qualified participants in the fishery to determine industry interest in/support of such a revolutionary change in what has proven up until now to be a successful management program. Given adequate interest (a two-thirds majority), we can proceed to design a program. That program would then be presented to the members of the fishery for a vote on whether to accept it or not (again by a two-thirds majority).
We will also reinforce our insistence that any monkfish catch share program in the SFMA, in the unlikely event that the referendum results warrant proceeding further, be completely independent of the groundfish sector program. From a Mid-Atlantic perspective we see no possible benefit and a tremendous level of unnecessary complication from any such integration.
Finally, we are looking forward to participating with the Mid-Atlantic Council in the visioning process that it is about to undertake, not only for the monkfish fishery, but for all of the important fisheries in the Mid-Atlantic.
Thank you,
Marc Agger, Agger Fish Corp.
Ernie Panacek, Viking Village
Jeff Reichle, Lund’s Fisheries
cc: Howard King, Pete Himchak, Erling Berg, Terry Stockwell, Kevin Wark, Rick Robins, Jr., John Pappalardo, Chris Moore, Paul Howard