As groundfishermen across the northeast prepare for the shift to sector management, they had a chance to ask last-minute questions of fishery regulators before the 2010 fishing year opens on May 1.
In a telephone conference call, set up on April 13 for the industry by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, some fishermen reiterated concerns regarding the new management system’s potential impact on the sustainability of the small-boat fleet and fishing communities.
National Marine Fisheries Service policy analysts Doug Christel and Mark Grant provided a brief overview of Amendment 16 and sector operating regulations. Joined by policy analyst Tom Warren, they followed up with a question-and-answer period designed, Christel said, to help fishermen work out what they need to do to comply with Amendment 16.
Fishermen expressed concern about the mechanics of the allocation system and the data that drives how much fish will be allocated to sectors and to the common pool.
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