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CHOIR Coalition 2008 Priority "Sign on" Letter
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Received 09/19/07 |
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I received the below from
Chris Weiner of CHOIR last night. All you have to do
is email Chris that you want your business or group's name
included at the bottom of the letter. |
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Coalition for the Atlantic Herring Fishery's Orderly,
Informed and Responsible Long Term Development
210-E Orleans Road • North Chatham, MA 02650 • 508-945-2432
Paul Howard, Executive Director
New England Fisheries Management Council
50 Water Street, Mill 2
Newburyport, MA 01950
Dear Captain Howard,
I am writing to you today on behalf of the CHOIR Coalition
to request that the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC)
make herring a priority in 2008.
CHOIR is an industry coalition made up of commercial and
recreational fishing organizations, fishing and shore side
businesses, and eco-tourism companies. CHOIR is recognized
as a stakeholder in the herring fishery and is a leading
voice for the responsible management of herring..
The Atlantic herring fishery has serious problems that can
only be addressed with changes to the Herring Fishery
Management Plan (FMP). Currently, midwater trawlers operate
without proper monitoring and insufficient observer coverage
levels. In addition, midwater trawlers are allowed to
operate in Groundfish Closed Areas even though they have a
proven bycatch of groundfish, including substantial bycatch
of juvenile haddock. Midwater trawlers also operate near
shore, creating substantial gear conflicts and potentially
posing a threat to important near shore species such as
river herring and striped bass.
The monitoring system in the herring fishery is inadequate.
Recent events illustrate this and serve to reinforce the
longstanding concerns many people have with the way the
herring fishery is monitored. These events include the area
Total Allowable Catch (TAC) overage in Area 1B in 2006, the
Area 1A pre-June TAC overage in May 2007, and the monitoring
mishap that resulted in NMFS closing- then reopening- the
fishery in August 2007. There is also great concern that
landings data are highly inaccurate to begin with since they
are based solely on vessel and dealer good-faith hail
weights and because herring vessels are allowed to dump bags
at sea without reporting that catch
It’s time for the NEFMC to initiate an Amendment that will
fix these glaring deficiencies in the herring FMP. The
framework should include:
• A mandatory weighmaster system whenever midwater trawlers
unload that reports catch and bycatch on a real-time basis.
• An inshore buffer zone that keeps midwater trawlers at
least 50 miles from shore Mandatory industry-funded observer
coverage for midwater trawlers and USAPs
• Mandatory industry-funded observer coverage for midwater
trawlers and USAPs
• Requirements to bring all fish aboard for sampling (no
dumping of bags at sea)
The fleet of large midwater trawlers currently operating in
New England poses a grave threat to the future of New
England’s healthy fisheries and the rebuilding of groundfish
and whiting stocks. We encourage you to take action
immediately to protect the herring resource, our marine
ecosystem and our traditional fisheries.
Signed,
Steve Weiner
Chairman
CHOIR Coalition
On behalf of the undersigned businesses and groups:
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© Offshore Pursuits LLC 2007 |
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