SAN FRANCISCO — September 3, 2013 — Federal regulators are enforcing tough new rules to protect sperm whales, saying the West Coast swordfish fishery will be shut down if even one more of the endangered species is caught.
Hailed by environmentalists as a major victory, the new rule also adds more fishery oversight, including the tracking of all swordfish vessels. It comes over the objections of fishing interests, and is a blow to the controversial practice of sweeping up marine life in massive gill nets.
"Drift gillnets kill incredible numbers of important marine mammals and fish in the pursuit of money fish," said Ben Enticknap, Pacific campaign manager at Monterey-based Oceana. "We must eliminate drift gillnets and transition to cleaner gears."
The emergency National Marine Fisheries Service rules will be in place through January 2014. The swordfish fishery has been underway since Aug. 15, though it is unclear if boats have been allowed to operate prior to the rule change.
Once prized as a luxury dish, swordfish landings have been in a steep dive since the mid-1980s. While more than 150 swordfish boats once operated off the West Coast, only about a dozen are expected during the 2013 season.
Read the full story at the Santa Cruz Sentinel