When the Caribbean Fishery Management Council met in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, this week to work on a plan for fishery conservation, Delegate Donna Christensen and Gov. John deJongh Jr. asked for limits tied to recent averages and based on local data.
Through the new Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act, the federal government is mandating annual fish catch limits or other fishing limitations be in place by 2010 to prevent a fisheries collapse. The law directs regional regulatory bodies under the Department of Commerce like the Caribbean Fishery Management Council put together plans, with public input, that meet the federal requirements. The new law requires states and territories to establish fishing limits that end overfishing and ensure long-term sustainability of the fisheries.
Queen conch, several species of grouper, snapper and a spectrum of parrotfish species are all on the table for new or more restrictive catch limits or other conservation mechanisms. The council is compiling alternatives that range from no action to adding additional areas to those already closed during spawning seasons. Other alternatives include reducing the fishing season and increasing the size of closed areas.
There have been several hearings seeking public input already, and both deJongh and Christensen have been consistent in favoring the least restriction on local fishermen that is consistent with the law’s mandate and protection of sustainable fisheries. The council said in August local data would be used to establish catch limits, so that long-fought battle may already be won. Both had statements read into the council’s record by their representatives
"The fish of our surrounding waters has always been an integral and irreplaceable part of our culture, providing a source of recreation, food, and economic viability for many," deJongh wrote. "That is why … my Administration cannot ignore the socio-economic impacts of our decisions."
Christensen showed a similar sentiment,
“All of us have a strong stake in maintaining a healthy ocean and fisheries,” she wrote. “Although it is not over yet, it seems that their pleas are finally being heard. I will continue to support this important part of our culture and economy, and to just as avidly, work towards a comprehensive approach to protecting our sea and shoreline habitats."
The delegate and the governor are on the same page in terms of policy too.
"The greatest deterrent to establishing fair and reasonable catch limits for the Virgin Islands fisheries is the recent revelation … that the landings data supplied by local fishermen cannot be used in setting quotas," deJongh wrote. "Therefore, any catch limits imposed at this time must be considered interim until they can be supported by accepted data.
Christensen said there is local data to use.
"We do have 40 years of day with a few years of species specific data, which must be used to determine the (catch limits)," she said.
Both Christensen and the deJongh administration recommend annual catch limits be initially set at the highest annual landing over the past five years for all the affected fish species, then revised in three to five years using local data collected under revised methods.
In their separate statements, they both argue the final conservation plan should take into account other fishing restrictions in the territory, such as the recent ban on gill and trammel nets, bans on fishing in the Virgin Islands National Coral Reef Monument off St John, the Red Hind Bank Marine Conservation District and other locales, and an array of species-specific seasonal restrictions.
Once all the hearings are complete, a final fishery management plan will be submitted to the U.S. Commerce Department, which will then begin drafting regulations based on that plan.
For more information on the council’s proposed alternatives, visit caribbeanfmc.com. You can submit comments about the proposals to the council by email. Or send your written questions or comments to:
Miguel A. Rolón
US Department of Commerce
Caribbean Fishery Management Council
268 Muñoz Rivera Ave., Suite 1108
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-1920
