As the federal government takes action to restore and conserve our nation’s lands and waters, strengthening protections for National Marine Sanctuaries must be a priority.
Federal fishery managers denied CLF’s petition to end overfishing and rebuild Atlantic cod. Now, New England fishery managers begin a third attempt to save cod.
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.
“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.”
Climate change struck home for me when the waters at Salisbury Beach recently hit an unheard-of 75 degrees.
“With several New England fish populations in perpetual crisis, now is the time to strengthen the Magnuson-Stevens Act,” said Peter Shelley, Senior Counsel at CLF. “Congressman Huffman’s bill has the potential to address the impacts of the climate crisis on our fisheries and improve protection of important habitat from destructive fishing gear, but it also risks weakening core provisions of the law that are essential for rebuilding overfished species. We’ll be continuing our push to end overfishing and rebuild our region’s threatened fish populations as this bill moves through Congress.”
Justin Suca, oceanography researcher at WHOI, highlights the crucial role of forage fish for larger species, coastal communities, and the entire ocean ecosystem.
Atlantic cod is in crisis. That’s why CLF petitioned the federal government to take these 5 actions to protect the future of this species.
