As New Englander’s, we are lucky to have our very own marine National Monument in our backyards. But it shouldn’t be the last. Here are 5 reasons why we must continue to protect special places in our ocean.
“This is a watershed moment for New England’s cod population,” said Allison Lorenc, Senior Policy Analyst at CLF. “The groundfish fishery has been plagued by overfishing for decades, but 100% at-sea monitoring will provide critical information needed for sustainable management. It’s time Atlantic cod are allowed to thrive in New England’s waters, and today’s announcement is a major step in that direction.”
Federal fishery managers have approved a new rule that will require 100% at-sea catch monitoring to help stop overfishing species like Atlantic cod in New England.
In February 2020, CLF petitioned the federal government to take bold action to save Atlantic cod – New England’s most iconic fish species. To date, our petition remains unanswered. Cod cannot wait any longer – we need fishery managers to act now.
“The most powerful way to think about what happened with Carlos Rafael is to think of him as a symptom that the system is broken and not operating properly,” said Peter Shelley, senior counsel for the Foundation.
For more than two decades, Carlos “The Codfather” Rafael dominated the New England groundfishery. He made millions from his criminal activities before a sting operation shut him down and forced him into prison.
CLF’s latest publication offers guidance to improve the current management system and avoid another scandal like Rafael’s.
CLF examined the fishery management system that Carlos “the Codfather” Rafael exploited so successfully – a system that seems to have increasingly benefitted the wealthiest, most politically powerful fishing operations at the expense of traditional community-based fishermen.
If we consider the facts, adapt to changing conditions and avoid polarizing this issue, we can find ways to develop and bring to market innovative fishing systems that allow a healthy right whale population and a healthy lobster fishery to coexist.
“Today’s decision proves that the Council has completely abandoned its duty to develop catch limits that rebuild Atlantic cod to sustainable levels,” said Allison Lorenc, Senior Policy Analyst at CLF. “It is devastating to see this iconic species inch closer to complete collapse, and today’s decision does nothing to prevent that. It’s past time for NOAA Fisheries to disapprove these risky catch limits that don’t comply with the law.”
“There is a limited window of time to save critically endangered right whales,” said CLF Senior Attorney Erica Fuller. “Closing certain areas to fishing when high numbers of right whales are present is the most effective way to reduce risk. While NOAA’s final rule has not gone nearly far enough to recover the species, this new closure will reduce the chance that whales become entangled in lobster gear in the Gulf of Maine. The Union’s lawsuit seeks to prevent the government from implementing one of the few proven measures and we cannot stand by and let that happen.”
