NMFS formally OK's West Coast ratz

摘要

NOAA's Fisheries Service has approved a Pacific Fishery Management Council proposal that for the first time will make a major shift in how certain West Coast fish harvests are managed, one that can benefit both fish and fishermen and lead to economicefficiencies that are difficult to obtain under traditional management schemes. The new approach, known as a catch-shares system, will do away with the conventionalpractice of setting a fleet-wide, numerical quota of how many fish can sustainably be caught and then letting fishermen compete with each other to catch as much of that quota as possible before the fishery is closed or the quota is reduced. The new system has support in the trawl fishing industry and was developed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council, which works with NOAA in producing fishery management plans for the West Coast.