Top fisheries regulators are promoting catch shares as the best approach to managing the nation’s fish stocks and meeting federal requirements to end overfishing by 2010.
The head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration told leaders of the country’s eight regional fishery management councils, who are meeting this week in Boston, that catch shares should be “actively considered for each fishery.”
“I see catch shares as the best way for many fisheries to both meet the Magnuson (Stevens Act) mandates and have healthy, profitable fisheries that are sustainable,” Dr. Jane Lubchenco said Tuesday during a meeting of the Council Coordinating Committee.