EDFish

To read this blog in Spanish, please click here. Fishing is essential to the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people—from food to income, it supports vibrant coastal communities. The health and prosperity of these communities depends on their ability to manage their fisheries sustainably and address critical challenges such as overfishing. This is apparent […]

When we sat down to speak with the producers of Rotten, a new documentary series by Zero Point Zero Production, we were hopeful they would bring a thoughtful perspective to the complex challenge of sustainable fisheries management in New England. Unfortunately, the final product released this month does just the opposite. Rotten does little to […]

A new paper published in the current issue of Fisheries Research finds that giving recreational fishing businesses the flexibility to take customers fishing when they want to in exchange for carefully tracking what they catch is a win-win for the environment and the economy. The results of a pilot program show that this added flexibility […]

Update: The bills outlined in this blog were passed by the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources on December 13, 2017. You can read EDF’s full statement here. In an intensely polarized age, fishery issues have been among the few to stay above the partisan fray on Capitol Hill.  Historically, amendments to the Magnuson-Stevens Act […]

[this blog was updated on 12/5/2017] The UK is at a pivotal moment. With a future as an independent coastal state ahead, now is a time to reflect on aspirations for fishing 5, 10, 20 years down the road. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Michael Gove, has stated that the […]

The fortunes of people everywhere are inextricably linked to the oceans.  Overfishing remains one of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges, but around the world we are seeing incredible progress toward sustainable fishing. On World Fisheries Day, we wanted to share fives stories from the past year that inspire us:   1) Belize continues to […]

Bringing fishers and fishery managers from different places together through fishery exchanges is a powerful way to learn and build trust as you explore new approaches to manage fishing. After attending  and leading dozens of fishery exchanges over the years, I have been amazed by the peer-to-peer discussions that take place, regardless of language barriers […]

Small scale fisheries are critically important for the provision of food security, livelihoods, and economic development for billions of people. Most of these fisheries appear to be under-performing with respect to conservation, food production, revenue, and the quality of the livelihoods they can support. Many factors related to successful small-scale fisheries management have been articulated […]

In August, I had the honor of being the co-organizer of a symposium at the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting titled “Ten Years of Science-Based management in U.S. Fisheries: Progress and the Road Ahead” with my colleague Jake Kritzer.  A distinguished group of eight speakers joined us to present papers on topics ranging from the […]

Michelle Bachelet, the President of Chile, reaffirmed her country’s commitment to protecting the marine environment while speaking at a meeting on ocean conservation issues during the annual gathering last week of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. “Our commitment to the prosperity and well-being of our citizens cannot be disassociated with economic growth,” […]

Lawmakers in the House and Senate recently introduced legislation aimed at the perpetually contentious Gulf of Mexico red snapper fishery. Thanks to stronger conservation standards and accountability, red snapper numbers in the Gulf have tripled in the last decade and catch limits have doubled, leading to increased value for commercial fishermen and access for charter […]

What if anyone in the world could access expert help and advice on fisheries management with just the click of button? Overfishing is a global problem that can only be overcome by a global effort to address it. But there is no one-size-sits-all approach. Fisheries managers need access to tools and methods that can be […]

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is proud to sponsor a panel this week at the annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) – the nation’s preeminent organization advancing fisheries science – that examines the role of science in federal fisheries management. Ten years ago, Congress gave science a stronger role in fisheries management. Today, overfishing […]

Every year, Shark Week gives us a peek into the world of shark research and the amazing science and technology developing to study these captivating animals. This year, we were amazed by ultrasounds for pregnant hammerhead sharks and measuring a goblin shark’s bite.  The latest science and technology can also help fishermen seeking other species […]

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Fishing gets in your blood. As a kid growing up on the Texas coast, I spent as much time as possible on the water. Today, an inordinate amount of my time and treasure goes toward maintaining an offshore boat so I can get my salty fix on weekends. I’m one of millions of Americans for […]

By Shems Jud

Photos: Vicky Okimura

Rapid comebacks mean greater fishing opportunities, more sustainable seafood for U.S. markets

EDF’s Pacific team is pleased to share the news that stocks of both Bocaccio and Darkblotched rockfish have been declared rebuilt on the West Coast, well ahead of schedule. Commercial fishermen – who have worked for years to avoid catching the species – will soon be much freer to harvest them and to supply consumers with these beautiful, delicious, sustainable rockfish.

Previously declared overfished, Bocaccio and Darkblotched are among several species that have been under strict rebuilding plans in recent years.  As such, they’ve been among the “constraining species” that fishermen have intentionally avoided catching since 2011, when the trawl fishery’s quota-based catch share management system was implemented. (Fishermen sought to avoid them prior to 2011 also, but under less effective management systems.)

Partly due to the fact that Bocaccio and Darkblotched commingle with many more abundant stocks, the rebuilding plans have required not just cooperation, but real sacrifice from fishermen.

A record of remarkable progress

According to NOAA: “(West Coast) Lingcod was declared rebuilt in 2005, and Widow rockfish in 2012. Both Petrale sole and Canary rockfish were declared rebuilt in 2015. Rebuilding plans remain in place for three remaining overfished species: Cowcod, Pacific Ocean perch, and Yelloweye rockfish. New assessments for Pacific Ocean perch and Yelloweye rockfish will be reviewed this summer and may be adopted in September. Cowcod is expected to be rebuilt by 2019.”

As NOAA said in their announcement, “(Rebuilding) plans required sharp reductions in commercial and recreational fisheries targeting groundfish, which included widespread fishing closures through the establishment of Rockfish Conservation Areas off the West Coast and other measures. Since 2003, managing overfished species through area closures such as the Rockfish Conservation Areas has helped to reduce fishing impacts and rebuild overfished groundfish species. In addition, the groundfish fleet has had to limit fishing for other more abundant species to avoid unintentional catch of the overfished stocks.”

EDF has worked with fishermen for years during this rebuilding process, as they’ve adapted to the new management structure and taken the painful steps necessary to avoid constraining species. They deserve a great deal of the credit for this remarkable conservation win. As Barry Thom, Regional Administrator of NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region put it, “By working together, we’ve brought Bocaccio and Darkblotched rockfish back to where they will again be part of a sustainable West Coast groundfish fishery that creates renewed opportunity for the fishing fleet, as well as more options for seafood consumers.”

By Larry Epstein

The government of Belize has just made major voluntary commitments at the United Nations Oceans Conference that, once implemented, will secure Belize’s fisheries as an engine for sustainable development.

Healthy oceans and sustainable fisheries are crucial for poverty alleviation, food security and generating economic growth in low and middle income countries. This goal is reinforced by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals which declare a target to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.” The health and vibrancy of Belize’s coastal communities, where 15,000 people depend on fisheries for their livelihoods, depend on this target becoming a reality.

Last week, fisheries ministers, fishermen, community leaders and the conservation community from around the world gathered at the United Nations Oceans Conference to share experiences and strategies for achieving this vision, and declare voluntary commitments for good stewardship of the oceans.

The Government of Belize, representatives of Belize’s fishing community, Environmental Defense Fund, Wildlife Conservation Society, Toledo Institute for Development and Environment and The Nature Conservancy presented Belize’s major achievements in sustainable fisheries at the conference. At the gathering of leaders and experts in fisheries management from around the world, Belize’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, Sustainable Development & Climate Change, Minister Omar Figueroa, highlighted the major step Belize took in partnership with Belize’s fishing and conservation community to end open access fisheries, and implement the world’s first national system of multispecies fishing rights for a small-scale developing world fishery, called managed access. In some fishing areas, this system is already yielding benefits as fishermen are reporting higher catch, and illegal fishing has dropped 60%.

We agree with Minister Figueroa – for Belize the oceans are “a matter of survival”.  Further, Belize’s fishing community has the most at stake from sustainable fisheries and development.  Cash Ramirez from Punta Gorda and Paula Williams from Punta Negra presented their experiences as fishers who are collaborating with fishery managers, scientists and community conservation organizations. They told the conference delegates first-hand why sustainable fisheries are important as a way of life for their communities.

Belize has made major steps to protect its magnificent barrier reef, and the biodiversity and fisheries that live there. In doing so it has established itself as a global leader in small-scale fisheries management. Minister Figueroa announced a voluntary commitment that will secure those gains – to pass a modern, comprehensive fisheries act that will significantly strengthen the foundation for good governance of fisheries and collaboration across all stakeholders.

Belize also committed to enact specific policies that will amplify fisheries recovery and rebuilding that is already underway with the end of open access and national implementation of the fishing rights policy.  Minister Figueroa announced the implementation of science-based fishery management plans for lobster, conch and finfish drawing on adaptive management approaches (http://fishe.edf.org/) pioneered by the Belize Fisheries Department, EDF and WCS with support from a community of scientists and experts from around the world. Belize will also increase its no-take zones more than three-fold, from 3% to 10% of territorial waters.

With these measures, Belize will ensure its fishermen and coastal communities continue on a path of sustainable development while also contributing to healthy reefs, more fish in the water, rich biodiversity, thriving livelihoods and food security.

The Minister’s full speech to the United Nations is available and can be viewed here:

By Phoebe Higgins

Kyle Pemberton is a 29-year old fisherman from El Granada, California.  He grew up fishing and crabbing with his father and uncle out of Half Moon Bay, at the southern edge of the San Francisco Bay Area, where he currently resides.  He always showed strong math and mechanical skills, and considered studying engineering, but fishing proved too strong a pull.  He crewed for several years, working his way up to alternate captain on Steve Fitz’s boat, the F/V Mr. Morgan, using the unique and light-touch Scottish seine gear.

With a California Fisheries Fund loan, Kyle purchased the successful trawler F/V Moriah Lee, and is soon pulling up roots to move a four-hour drive down the coast to Morro Bay to trawl for West Coast groundfish, including Dover sole, Chilipepper rockfish, Petrale sole, and thornyheads.  He is leasing quota from the Morro Bay Community Quota Fund, a nonprofit created to prevent historic trawl fishing activity from consolidating into larger fishing vessels and ports, securing rights to the groundfish resource locally.  Anchoring groundfish access in small scale fishing ports such as Morro Bay is critical to the economic viability of these communities.

“I am excited for the opportunity to work with the Morro Bay Community Quota Fund and become part of the groundfish fleet,” he told CFF. “I am very thrilled to establish my new home and become part of the Morro Bay community.”

Hard work and a love of fishing run in Kyle’s family.  His brother is a successful fisherman too, and their mom has been very supportive of their decision to pursue a career in fishing. Kyle’s father is now the deputy harbormaster at Pillar Point Harbor, and he continues a career of fishing for salmon and crab.  When not fishing, Kyle spends time with friends and family (often comparing pounds caught or wages earned with his brother), or surfing in spots from California to Nicaragua.

Kyle is juggling a busy spring crewing, outfitting the F/V Moriah Lee, and learning a new gear type and fishing grounds.  The arrival of a new, young fisherman is welcome news for the port of Morro Bay, where every boat contributes to the economy.  He’s already received the support of several established locals in the Morro Bay fishing community, and should be an integral member of the port in no time.  The California Fisheries Fund is proud to support this new business, especially in light of the impressive recovery of the West Coast groundfish fishery, thanks to years of hard work to implement science-based conservation and management practices.

 

By Rod Fujita

A tragedy is unfolding on the Great Barrier Reef, the largest living organism on the planet.  The non-Hollywood ending is a surprise to many, but it was clearly foreshadowed decades ago by a small group of scientists who were criticized as false prophets of doom and dismissed.

Large sections of the reef are dead.  The reef has been remarkably resilient over the last 8000 years, weathering devastating outbreaks of voracious crown-of-thorns starfish, pollution, fishing and coral bleaching.  The establishment of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority no doubt contributed to that resilience, reducing impacts from some of these threats, especially land-based pollution and fishing pressure.  Recent research by EDF and others shows that managing fisheries is crucial for maintaining healthy coral reefs.

Plans for saving what’s left of the reef are being developed.  The Queensland government has agreed in principle to all of the recommendations of a task force, including measures to cut sediment runoff in half and nutrient pollution by 70%.  Sediments and nutrients are among the most damaging threats to coral reefs, which need clear water to soak up enough sun to feed the tiny symbiotic algae that power reef growth. It turns out that this will cost about 10 times what the government has been spending on such efforts.

The cost of saving coral reefs and the probability that the world will lose this unique and wonderful ecosystem increased dramatically because the warning signs were ignored.  A small group of scientists claimed over 30 years ago that coral reefs would die unless greenhouse gas concentrations decreased dramatically, but they were dismissed as alarmists.

While attention is now focused on the death of large swaths of the Great Barrier Reef, coral reefs have probably always bleached to some extent.  Bleaching is often associated with local events, like sudden flows of freshwater, silt or pollution.  But starting in the 1980’s, a different pattern started to emerge, in which many coral reefs would bleach at about the same time in disparate locations around the globe, even in locations relatively free of human influence.

In the early 1990’s, coral reef ecologist Thomas Goreau and his colleague Ray Hayes showed that  global warming was increasing the frequency and number of ocean hot spots, which — when they overlapped with coral reefs –were associated with coral bleaching.  They concluded that mass coral bleaching events, observed around the world, were probably caused by global warming.

I worked with several colleagues, including Dr. Goreau and Mark Epstein, then with Environmental Defense Fund, to sound this warning in the US, at the United Nations and at scientific conferences.  We pointed out that some corals had already died after bleaching events in the 1980’s and 1990’s but that most were able to recover.  However, we predicted that if global warming continued apace, more frequent bleaching events would allow less time for recovery and result in more coral death.  And since climate change would likely result in warmer ocean temperatures and more prolonged exposure to warm water, we predicted that coral mortality would be even more extensive.

This is exactly what appears to be happening to the Great Barrier Reef.  It was resilient enough to recover from bleaching events that occurred a few years apart, but apparently not resilient enough to recover from back-to-back bleaching events.

We were roundly criticized as “false Cassandras” by the scientific establishment at the time, many of whose members were convinced that bleaching was caused by local factors only.  Perhaps this facilitated the failure of policymakers to take strong actions to prevent mass coral bleaching and reef death.  There are always many reasons to stay the course in order to avoid short term costs.  And when scientific conventional wisdom is arrayed against a few scientists who are calling for preventive action, it makes inaction even easier.  And as we are seeing today, even when scientific conventional wisdom – indeed, near unanimous scientific consensus – swings toward a view that corrective action to reduce the pace and extent of climate change is imperative, forces upholding the status quo can continue to hold sway.

Clearly, this does not have to be the case.  Millions of people know that greenhouse gas concentrations must be dramatically reduced to prevent even more coral reef death and other massive changes in the very conditions that make this planet habitable.  Can billions of people take concerted actions to reduce greenhouse gas concentrations? Yes: the hallmark of civilization is the capacity to do great things together that none of us can do individually.  But will we choose to do so?