New management approach brings hope to ailing fisheries

Many fisheries in the United States have been in steep decline since the 1990s.

By 2003, two iconic fisheries — New England cod and California salmon — had collapsed completely. Only about a quarter of American fish stocks were considered sustainable.

Fishery managers, using tactics like ever-shorter fishing seasons, had failed to stop the decline in fish populations.

A new way to think about managing fishing

Nearly two decades ago, EDF experts proposed an approach to transform the way commercial fisheries are managed: catch shares.

This approach doesn't limit when or how fishermen can catch fish. Instead, it gives every fisherman a percentage of a scientifically determined total allowable catch. Captains can fish whenever they choose — in good weather, when fish prices are high — to catch their share.

Scientifically valid results were key

On-the-water results for catch shares were promising — the method had restored dozens of fisheries worldwide — yet there was no scientific proof that it worked. Enter EDF’s marine ecologist Rod Fujita, Ph.D., who understood the importance of applying science to develop solutions with strong benefits for fishing communities and fish populations.

Eight years ago, he forged a fruitful collaboration with an academic team led by economist Chris Costello and marine biologist Steve Gaines. This helped seed their landmark study of 11,000 fisheries, published in the journal Science in 2008. Their conclusion: catch shares work.

Each new catch share program provides more evidence of success. For example, a red snapper program we helped develop in the Gulf of Mexico has cut the wasteful discard of unwanted fish by 70% and is helping snapper populations to rebound and fishermen to work more profitably.

For years, EDF was the lone voice for catch shares... EDF has been the thought leader on this issue.

Kristine Johnson Director, Kingfisher Foundation

Today, the majority of fish caught in U.S. federal waters are under catch share management, and we are expanding our catch shares work to Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe.