FROM THE CROWE’S NEST

Throwing Bones

Management. It seems to be a word that finds its way into the discussion of a lot of topics these days. This is definitely true of marine and fisheries topics. Bay management, ocean management, coastline management, development management, ground fisheries management, and lobster fishery management are a few in the news this month.

Management and fishermen are by nature on opposite ends of a spectrum. Fishermen go fishing because they don’t like being managed. Managers don’t fish because they cannot impose a structure to control it.

Fisheries management is presented to fishermen as a two way conversation. Management asks for input from fishermen on policy development. Some fishermen are willing to enter the conversation and do.

Individual lobstermen and the Maine Lobstermen’s Association as a group, asked how the data collected under a new mandatory policy would lead to improved management. They asked how it would be paid for. The move to 100% participation was widely considered burdensome. Many, including the MLA’s formal statement to the ASMFC, supported data collection for better understanding of the lobster resource. They did not believe that the ASMFC had demonstrated how an increase from 10% to100% participation by fishermen would lead to better management decisions.

These are all legitimate questions for people being asked to change the way they have always, and successfully, operated.
   
But lobstermen thought these and other concerns, were responded to with, “just trust us” not answers. Many of them through the debate felt the decisions to be voted on had already been made.

When the vote was taken, Maine fishermen’s participation was held at 10%. But, and it’s a big but, that is with the expectation it will go to 100%. This may be how managers manage managers, but independent minded people know when they are being thrown a bone.

There is well known mistrust between fishermen and management. Evasiveness and throwing bones does not build trust.