Contact: Scott Smullen FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
9/20/96
Fisheries in the North Pacific and Bering Sea are healthy and effectively managed through a public process and rigorous monitoring by regulators, the National Marine Fisheries Service stated today, responding to inquiries concerning a recent Greenpeace report on federal fishery management that questioned the status of the groundfish resource off Alaska.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council process provides for full and open review of proposed management measures by the scientific community, industry members, environmental groups, and the general public. The council ensures that fishermen harvest Alaska groundfish in a biologically sensible and environmentally safe manner. It has never exceeded the recommendations of government and university scientists in setting annual allowable harvest quotas, which are based on the best available scientific information on the status of the stocks. "Since 1976, the Alaska groundfish resource has been managed by a risk-averse approach of conservative fish quotas and prudent bycatch quotas that has allowed the fishery to stay environmentally and economically viable for the long-term," said Rollie Schmitten, director of the National Marine Fisheries Service. The North Pacific and Bering Sea fisheries are probably the most closely monitored fisheries in the world. Federally certified observers on every large fishing vessel and a significant percentage of the small vessel fleet report fish catch and the capture of non-targeted species called bycatch. Incidental catch of halibut, crab, salmon and herring is restricted through bycatch limits. When either the groundfish quota or the bycatch quota are reached, the fishery is closed to prevent overfishing.
The fisheries service recognizes concern about bycatch and the discard of fish. However, current discards are about 15 percent of the total five billion pound 1995 groundfish harvest off Alaska. This discard by all gear types is less on average than for most other major fisheries in the world that discard nearly 26 percent of their catch. More needs to be done to reduce bycatch in the Alaska groundfish fishery and elsewhere in U.S. waters. The fisheries service in 1996 funded more than $2 million in grants to study fishing techniques that would reduce bycatch in the North Pacific. The council and groups fishing off Alaska also are concerned about the amount of bycatch and discards and are seeking ways to reduce it.
The fisheries service acknowledges that an ecosystem approach to the management of the Alaska groundfish fishery resources is desirable. However, its implementation awaits an improved understanding of ecosystem dynamics. To that end, the fisheries service is conducting research to determine whether groundfish operations affect marine habitat, marine mammals or birds. In a continuing effort to improve the stocks, the agency ordered an extra stock assessment research cruise in 1996 for pollock and cod, and will do so again in 1997.
Copies of a full National Marine Fisheries Service report are available by contacting Mr. Ron Berg of the Alaska Region at (907) 586-7228.
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ALASKA GROUNDFISH STOCKS ARE NOT OVERFISHED -- Through the North Pacific Fishery Management Council process, the management of the Alaska groundfish fisheries provides assurance against overfishing of stocks while allowing for the greatest overall benefit to the nation with respect to food production. The Alaska groundfish fishery is one of the healthiest in the nation.
GROUNDFISH FISHERIES OFF ALASKA ARE HIGHLY REGULATED -- Management of the Alaska groundfish fisheries maintains total harvest within specified groundfish quotas. Incidental catch of halibut, crab, salmon, and herring also is restricted through bycatch quotas. Fisheries are closed when quotas are reached.
THE EXISTING GROUNDFISH MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OFF ALASKA IS EFFECTIVE AT MAINTAINING HEALTHY POPULATIONS -- NMFS acknowledges that an ecosystem approach to the management of the North Pacific fishery resources is desirable. However, its implementation awaits improved understanding of ecosystem dynamics.
RESEARCH IS UNDERWAY TO DETERMINE WHETHER GROUNDFISH OPERATIONS IMPACT THE MARINE HABITAT -- In conjunction with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, NMFS has implemented extensive trawl closures in Bristol Bay and the Pribilof Islands areas to minimize the potentially adverse impact of trawl operations on sensitive crab habitat. The agency recognizes that impacts of fishing operations on the marine habitat, especially the seabed, are not understood and additional research is required.
NMFS CONDUCTS RESEARCH PROGRAMS TO DETERMINE IF GROUNDFISH FISHERIES IMPACT MARINE MAMMALS OR BIRDS -- NMFS recognizes that fishing operations may impact marine mammal and bird populations, although a direct link between the decline in some of these populations and fishing has not been established. Nonetheless, NMFS and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council have implemented regulations to minimize potentially adverse impacts of fishing on marine mammals and birds. It continues to support research activities to better assess the impacts of fishing on these resources and the effectiveness of mitigation measures that have been implemented.
POLLOCK STOCKS OFF ALASKA HAVE NOT BEEN EXCESSIVELY HARVESTED DURING THE POLLOCK ROE SEASON -- NMFS has no information that indicates fishing on roe-bearing fish stocks, including pollock, is detrimental. However, NMFS, in conjunction with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, has taken a conservative approach to management and implemented regulations to prohibit pollock roe-stripping, as well as adopting seasonal allocations of pollock that limit the amount of pollock that can be harvested during the roe season.
DISCARDING FISH THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION IS CONSIDERED WASTEFUL -- NMFS recognizes substantial controversy exists regarding fishing practices which result in discarding of fish that could be used for human consumption. Although discarded groundfish is counted against specified quotas so that conservation concerns are addressed, NMFS is developing policies and procedures to reduce bycatch further and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council is considering a discard reduction program that would require up to 100 percent retention of catch for some species.
OVERCAPITALIZATION OF THE FISHERIES OFF ALASKA IS NOT A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO OVERFISHING -- NMFS manages the harvest of each groundfish category by means of quotas and fishery closures. Although overcapitalization can complicate the monitoring of fishery quotas, management of the Alaska fishery quotas has remained successful due to NMFS' monitoring of catch through observer data and timely catch reports. Thus, resource concerns that can result from overcapitalization are minimized and overcapitalization in the Alaska groundfish fisheries primarily becomes a socioeconomic issue. NMFS remains concerned about overcapitalization and will continue to work with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to find ways to alleviate this concern.
INDUSTRY REPRESENTATION ON THE NORTH PACIFIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL HAS NOT LED TO OVERFISHING OF FISHERY RESOURCES OFF ALASKA -- The management decision-making process of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council provides for review of proposed management measures by the scientific community, industry interests, special interest groups, and members of the general public. The council has never exceeded the recommendations of agency and university scientists in setting annual allowable harvest quotas, which are based on the best available scientific information on status of stocks and are conservatively set at levels that ensure long-term productivity of the resource.