Feds agree to larger catch limits on key stock jointly managed with Canada

Feds agree to larger catch limits on key stock jointly managed with Canada

BOSTON — Regulators have proposed a major increase in the catch limit for a key New England fish species that, if approved, could relieve pressure on struggling fishermen and free the industry to chase healthier stocks.
Regulators of a section of Georges Bank jointly managed by the United States and Canada have recommend raising the catch limit there on yellowtail flounder to 2.5 million pounds, federal officials said Wednesday.
The proposed increase is 18 per cent more than last year's catch limit and 44 per cent more than what was originally proposed for the 2011 fishing year, which starts May 1.
The recommendation, which needs final approval from the Commerce Department, comes after a December change in the law allowed U.S. negotiators working out stock allocations with the Canadians to ignore a federal requirement to rebuild fish stocks within 10 years.

Before then, Canada could allow their fishermen to catch more than U.S. fishermen in the jointly managed area because they didn't follow the same, tight, rebuilding timeline. Lawmakers said that left the U.S. at a disadvantage in talks. Led by Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank and Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe, they pushed for the change to even things up.
Fishermen have also argued for a higher yellowtail catch limit, saying it was needlessly low, and threatened their businesses. Under federal rules, if fishermen exceed their limit on one species, they must stop fishing on all stocks.
A higher yellowtail limits frees up fishermen to chase other species that swim in the same area, such as winter flounder and haddock, with less worry they'll inadvertently catch too much yellowtail and exceed their catch limit.
Each year as part of the United States-Canada Transboundary Resource Sharing Understanding, the U.S. and Canada divide the fish that swim in a 45,000-square-mile section of U.S.-Canadian waters. Yellowtail flounder is the only species that was immediately affected by the new law because it was the only one that's entirely contained in this area.
The higher yellowtail limits are set to go into effect with the new fishing year's start in May, but fishermen have pushed for immediate relief. The change could go into effect earlier if regulators can find a way to do it, said Patricia Kurkul, the Northeast regional administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service.
"Given the lateness (in the fishing year) of this legislation, there's a lot of complexity," she said. "We're trying to figure out how quickly we can do this."
Kurkul noted regulators have recently raised limits on several species including pollock, skate and dogfish.
"We're trying to look for every opportunity we can to provide some additional fish without jeopardizing any of the rebuilding programs," she said.
Copyright © 2011 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.Read More ...

Posted in: Conservation, fisheries market