This expedition has a total of about 69 minutes of audio and video segment
In the previous eexpeditions we discussed
the conditions that have led to the decline in many marine fisheries.
The reading assignments associated with expeditions 2 and 3 describe how scientists are trying to improve the accuracy of fish stock assessments, but it is a difficult problem.
So what should be done to address the decline in some fish stocks and to produce a sustainable fishery over time?
This is the domain of fish stock management, which is the U.S. is directed by regional fisheries management councils, such as the Pacific Fishery Management Council along the west coast, which attempts to regulate the size of the fish catch, and therefore, produce a sustainable fishery, but regulations are not always welcome by an industry that has been free to fish on the open sea (and the regulations have had unintended consequences in some cases).
For example, attempts at stock management include:
- changing the target fish, which resulted to serial depletion of stocks,
- changing fishing practices, which led to the development of longlines, and the problem of bycatch,
- catching only the big ones and throwing the small ones back, leading to runt fish,
- short-term quotas, producing fishing derbies and waste,
- and lastly, moratoriums that can cause economic and social hardships for towns dependent on fishing.
Objective of this expedition:
Students will learn about some of the methods to manage fish stocks and what each of you can do as a consumer to address the decline in impacted marine fisheries.
In this expedition
student will first learn about the management method of placing limits, or quotas, on the commercial catch of cod in the northeast, to prevent overfishing, followed by a complete cessation of fishing, called a moratorium. A parallel situation, and management practice, happened a few years ago along California when a moratorium was placed on commercial rockfish harvesting, once again as an attempt to prevent overfishing and to stimulate a recovery in rockfish stocks.
A growing movement has been to establish marine reserves, or protected areas (MPAs), in which fishing has been permanently halted, which we will also learn about in this expedition.
Next we will review how you can be part of the solution by being an informed consumer.
Last, we will examine some new methods of management that may provide hope for the future.
