Environmental Advocacy Policy Memo

MEMO

TO:                Robert E. Beal, Executive Director, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commissions

FROM:                Policy Advisor

DATE:                December 10, 2017

SUBJECT:        Measures to Limit Destructive Fishing Methods and Overfishing

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Per your request, over the course of the last four months, I have examined the commercial fishing industry and its effects. I have found that although commercial fishing plays a large role in local and global economies and is an important source of food, its negative effects on the fish population and ecosystem far outweigh this. Some of the most harmful effects from commercial fishing can be mitigated with stricter policies and restrictions. If action is not taken, entire ecosystems will be devastated and the fish population will be depleted greatly.  This, in turn, will result in the demise of the entire industry. By implementing more sustainable practices, we can preserve the aquatic life population and ecosystem for future generations.  Though there are current policies in place attempting to do this, due to overwhelming overfishing and habitat destruction in the past, more drastic measures should be taken. Doing so will allow for the ecosystem and fish populations to recover. Through my research findings, I have created three policies centered on sustainability and preservation. They are as follows:

1. Incentivize alternative fishing methods to bottom trawling
2. Implement stricter individual vessel quotas
3. Reduce bycatch through quotas, monitoring, and cleaner fishing methods

Measure 1- Incentivize Alternative Fishing Methods to Bottom Trawling

The most destructive commercial fishing method is the act of dragging a large net affixed with heavy weights along the sea floor, or trawling. This method is highly destructive when used over coral reefs, seagrass, and other delicate seafloor habitats (García, 2003). The damage caused to the seafloor habitats can take years to recover from. There is also large amounts of aquatic life being caught in the nets in addition to the targeted species, or bycatch, associated with bottom trawling due to the nonexistent selectivity. Many species have been pushed to the brink of extinction because of this (Maribus, 2013). There are several alternatives to bottom trawling, the most effective and least harmful is longline fishing. One boat with a bottom trawl has the equivalent damage of 1,719 boats using a longline (Fish2Fork, 2014). Boats using a longline also have significantly decreased fuel consumption, using around 0.1 to 0.3 tonnes of fuel per tonnes of fish versus the 0.4 to 1.3 tonnes used by bottom trawlers (Fish2Fork, 2014). Outlawing bottom trawlers all together could result in significant pushback but offering incentives for boats that longline as oppose to trawling could prove to be a better solution. Giving a choice, but incentivizing the right one, will lead to better a relationship between the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commissions and the commercial fishing industry in the future. This will allow for future policies to be better received and increased cooperation in conservation efforts.