January 11, 2012 — The new catch-share program in the West Coast groundfish fishery has been a success, helping the industry cut down on wasted fish and enabling fishermen to "fish to the market."
ONE year ago, West Coast trawl fishermen entered a new management regime in the $40 million-a-year fishery for Pacific whiting, Dover sole and other groundfish. Called catch shares, the idea was to give fishermen an economic incentive to fish more carefully and not waste the resource. The new system appears to be a success.
The old way was to set fishing limits for the fleet. If the fleet reached its limit on an overfished species — say, halibut or rockfish — a boat owner could keep fishing for, say, whiting and throw the halibut and rockfish back. Some 20 to 30 percent of the catch was discarded, usually dead.
The new system forbids most throwbacks. Each boat has limits for several species. If an owner exceeds his limit on one, he must borrow or rent quota for that species from another owner.
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