CLF STATEMENT: Conservation Law Foundation Applauds Commerce Department’s Decision to Preserve Integrity of New Fishing Management Plan

Calls Upon Governor Patrick to Take Immediate Steps to Assess and Improve Plan

CONTACT:
Karen Wood, CLF: (617) 850-1722 or kwood@clf.org
Peter Shelley, CLF: (617) 850-1754 or pshelley@clf.org

BOSTON, MA  January 7, 2011 – Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement in response to today’s decision by Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to reject Governor Patrick’s request for emergency action to increase catch limits for Massachusetts fishermen.

“With his decision to reject Governor Patrick’s request to increase catch limits, Secretary Locke has rightly rejected the notion that the new fisheries management plan is contributing to an economic crisis in the Massachusetts fishery,” said CLF Senior Counsel Peter Shelley. “On the contrary, fishing industry revenues in Massachusetts are up 21.9 percent over 2009 in just the first seven months under the new “catch shares” management system.  The Governor’s demand for emergency action was more politics than economics.”

Early Economic Data Shows Promising Results

Early results from the plan’s implementation are encouraging, both on a state-wide and regional New England level. Seven months into the new fishing season, gross groundfish revenues in New England are up 17.1 percent over the 2009 fishing year; the sector fleet seems to be staying well within their harvest limits; and the new sectors seem to have improved the ability of fishermen to selectively catch the more abundant fish like haddock, leaving the still-recovering fish like cod to rebuild for future harvests.

Gross groundfish revenues for boats that are based in Gloucester and New Bedford—the two ports that are making the most noise about “economic disaster”—are even better, up 26.4 percent and 29.5 percent respectively. Total groundfish landings in those ports (including boats based elsewhere that land their fish in those ports) are ahead of 2009 by 45.1 percent and 36.6 percent respectively. This does not count the lucrative sea scallop fleet and its landings in New Bedford that consistently make New Bedford the highest value-landed fishing port in the United States. Massachusetts boats and Massachusetts ports as a whole have gross groundfish revenues that are 21.9 percent and 30.4 percent ahead of 2009.[1]

CLF Calls for a Reasoned and Open Approach to Ensure the Plan is Equitable

Shelley continued, “Instead of reacting to the self-interested objections of a few powerful fish processors and big commercial operations that seek to undermine the plan he approved, the Governor should direct the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries to conduct an open assessment of the performance of the new system using all available economic, scientific and anecdotal data so that any shortcomings may be quickly identified, documented and fixed. Such leadership would bridge the perceived divide between environmental and fishing interests to achieve a common goal of a sustainable and thriving fishing industry, built on healthy fish populations, diverse and successful fishing operations, and high quality ports.”

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) protects New England’s environment for the benefit of all people. Using the law, science and the market, CLF creates solutions that preserve natural resources, build healthy communities, and sustain a vibrant economy region-wide. Founded in1966, CLF is a nonprofit, member-supported organization with offices in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Read Commerce’s responses to Governor Patrick here:
- Letter to Patrick from Secretary Locke
- Letter to Patrick from Eric Schwaab, Department of Commerce Assistant Administrator for fisheries

[1] http://www.nero.noaa.gov/ro/fso/reports/2009_2010_Comparison.htm