FROM THE CROWE’S NEST

Regulations Derby

On February 28 NOAA proposed implementing emergency actions to “immediately reduce fishing mortality” on specific groundfish stocks. This on top of already scheduled restrictions scheduled for May 1.

This brings two thoughts to mind after “huh?”—first; they have found a scientific way, they haven’t told us about, to quickly and accurately measure, to the half-ton, how many fish of each stock are left in the water, or second; the pressure from the top on Magnuson-Stevens has bureaucrats fighting to have themselves declared the most repentant to get a site in the life boat.

The regulation derby is on in most fisheries. Scallops are now facing new regulations and the fear is that it will be another ground fish fiasco. The numbers for prices, permits, and landings are up. The historic highs for the landings have sent up management’s red flags. The small boats are throwing up red flags of their own, to remain seen by management as the big boat owners muscle their way through the permitting process.

And then there’s the lobster fishery. The ultimate small boat fishery, so far. Effort and scaled resource management are not new to the lobster fishery in Maine. But there are a few new wrinkles—zones, limited entry, apprenticeship programs and then there is the “L” word in trap limits.

“The” hot potato, not in my back yard issue, is trap limits. Among polite company the situation is described as being in the “conversation mode”.

The stock assessment says the Gulf of Maine is in good shape for lobsters, but some say there is too much effort. Others say there is not enough. Some say too many students. Others say not enough students. Some say there are too many traps. Others say not enough. One manager described the situation as being a, “long way from knowing who’s on first and why”.
   
Maybe the lobster fishery needs an arbiter, not a marriage counselor by any means, but an entity that is presenting what both sides agree is likely to be the facts. Lobstermen have long complained that limit numbers are arbitrary. It may be that another unmentionable could present a middle ground that both management and fishermen can stand on. But, it’s the “S” word, science.

If trap limit numbers remain arbitrary, then the lobster fishery too may leave itself at risk of being run down in the regulations derby.