Page 12. MAINE COASTAL NEWS May 2012


FishWatch Gets a Fresh Look Find easy-to-understand science-based facts to help you make smart sustainable seafood choices


Commercial Fishing News MISCELLANEOUS COMMERCIAL FISHING NEWS


The science behind the seafood. Effective fishery management starts with accurate scientific information about fish and fisheries. From surveying fish popu- lations to tracking annual harvests, scien- tists collect and analyze all sorts of data, which fishery managers then use to make sound decisions about the sustainable op- eration of fisheries. In fact, U.S. fisheries are required to meet 10 national standards for fishery conservation and management, in- cluding using the best science available. Our science-based management process is re- building depleted fish populations and main- taining healthy ones.


The 85 seafood profiles on FishWatch have information ranging from a species’ origin and biology to how we study and monitor populations. They also cover how these species are harvested and managed, and, of course, how they taste!


FishWatch delivers regularly updated information on popular seafood harvested in the United States. We introduce consumers to the dynamic process of sustainably man- aging living resources in an ever-changing ocean environment. These resources are in- fluenced not only by fishing, but also by many other variables such as climate, pollu- tion, and natural shifts within the ocean eco- system. We actively monitor and manage for these variables, and FishWatch reflects this ever-changing information.


Don’t worry. No technical, government talk here—just information that helps you understand the complex science, laws, and management process actively sustaining our seafood supply. Through FishWatch, learn how U.S. seafood is responsibly harvested under strict regulations that keep the envi- ronment healthy, fish populations thriving, and our seafood industry on the job. Also, find out what we’re doing to make sure that imported seafood is safe and that it comes from legal and sustainable fisheries.


NOAA Fisheries maintains FishWatch. We scientifically monitor and manage U.S. fisheries, and U.S. fishermen follow the most restrictive regulations in the world. These regulations work to sustain our fishery re- sources, the ecosystems in which they live, and the people that depend upon them. We’re also involved with developing a sus- tainable aquaculture industry in the United States, helping to ensure aquaculture is envi- ronmentally and economically sustainable through strict regulations, proven manage- ment practices, and proper siting of farms. Look to FishWatch for the story of U.S. seafood from the ocean or farm to your plate. Experts agree that we should eat two servings of seafood per week. How do you ensure the nutritious seafood you’re eating is not only sustainable but also safe and high quality? FishWatch explains how we inspect seafood in the United States for both safety and quality and provides tips to help you purchase the best product possible. FishWatch also has guidelines on properly handling seafood and even offers some of our favorite sustainable seafood recipes from chefs around the country.


We’ve lined up a number of new features for the site. FishWatch will soon profile farm- raised seafood and include more information about imports—both major components of our seafood supply. We’ll also address new challenges and hot topics as they arise in the seafood world. FishWatch is a living re- source. Make it your go-to resource for the facts you need to make smart seafood choices.


U.S. Secretaries Agree to Help Conserve Fish Habitat


The U.S. Secretaries of Commerce, Inte- rior, and Agriculture have made a joint com- mitment - to work together to promote col- laborative, science-based conservation of our waterways and fisheries. They will sign an agreement which will focus on partner- ship-based conservation efforts through the National Fish Habitat Partnership. The agreement uses federal resources to help state and local governments, landown- ers, and community groups conserve the places that provide recreation and power our economy.


“Through the strategic use of limited resources—such as the Fish Habitat Partner- ships established under the National Fish Habitat Action Plan—we can identify the most effective use of resources to conserve habitats vital to our coastal and marine fish- eries, which contribute more than $70 billion annually to the U.S. economy,” said Eric Schwaab, NOAA’s Acting Assistant Secre- tary of Commerce for Conservation and Man-


agement.


“This is a big step for our federal part- ners, who see the value of our strategic ap- proach to conserving fish habitat,” said Kelly Hepler, Chair of the National Fish Habitat Board. “Our coordination and involvement with federal agencies has really grown since 2006 and I think today marks a significant day in recognizing that.”


The National Fish Habitat Partnership works to conserve fish habitat nationwide, leveraging federal, state, and private funding sources to achieve the greatest impact on fish populations through priority conservation projects.


Fishing Permit Study Will Improve Economic Evaluation Tools, Better Characterize Worth of Massachusetts’ Recreational Fishery


An unusual social sciences study just getting underway in Massachusetts will measure the value of the recreational saltwa- ter fishing experience by surveying those who actually go fishing or plan to go fishing in 2012.


Most economic studies of saltwater rec- reational fishing estimate the number of jobs and the amount of sales and income sup- ported by the spending of saltwater recre- ational fishermen in the state, but have not included the value anglers themselves place on being able to go saltwater fishing. “Being able to improve evaluation meth- ods by comparing responses to real offers with responses to hypothetical offers will be a great benefit, and that’s what this study is intended to give us,” said Scott Steinback, the NOAA economist who designed the study. “Studies like this have been done to value other kinds of intangible benefits like recovering endangered species or valuing open space, but I think this is the first time it has been used to value the pleasure and satisfaction derived from recreational fish- ing,” he said.


The resulting data will thus allow re- searchers to validate and improve frequently used economic evaluation methods by gath- ering data from anglers themselves about the value they place on recreational fishing, a topic Steinback has studied for about 20 years.


Dan Ariely, a professor of behavioral economics at Duke University, called the recreational saltwater fishing permit survey a very interesting and important study that could benefit many other fields of research. “For a long time, we have been doing studies asking people for their intuition, what they believe will happen. In this particular case, the study is going to contrast beliefs to actual decisions - actual decisions when the money is in front of you. Hypothetical ques- tions and how we respond to them is central


to a lot of other questions,” Ariely said. “If we find that there are substantial biases between these approaches, it would be easy to con- duct more hypothetical studies to get a sense for what would be the response if they saw it in front of them.”


The survey is being managed by Quantech, Inc, a statistical analysis and sur- vey research firm, for NOAA Fisheries Ser- vice and the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, which maintains the state’s recreational saltwater fishing permit registry. The state is providing a list of randomly selected recreational fishing permit holders who will be mailed the survey. Participation is voluntary and individual information is con- fidential.


NOAA Fisheries has allocated $145,000 to conduct the study, about $75,000 of which is set aside for cash incentives being offered to 500 of the 1,900 randomly selected permit holders to help determine the value people place on access to saltwater angling. The survey involves three “treatments” or survey approaches. The first treatment, being mailed to 500 people, includes a written survey plus an actual check in an amount ranging between $15 and $500 that can be cashed in exchange for the recipient giving up their Massachusetts saltwater angling permit for the remainder of 2012. The second treatment, being mailed to 700 anglers, includes a survey with hypo- thetical cash incentives offered in the same varying amounts as those offered in the first treatment but without an actual check in that amount enclosed. The third treatment, being mailed to 700 people, includes the same sur- vey but asks the recipient what amount they would be willing to pay; the amounts to choose from are the same as those in the other treatments.


The first surveys were mailed February 23, 2012 and will continue monthly through May. Those receiving the survey are notified in advance of the initial mailing to explain the importance of the study, why it is being conducted, and who is conducting it. Those who receive checks can cash them at any time during a specified time period, approximately 45 days after they re- ceive the check, but in return are asked to give back their 2012 permit. Mailings remind re- cipients to think carefully before responding. Steinback and other NOAA economists will compare the rates of acceptance between the real and the hypothetical offers to evalu- ate differences between the approaches and to, ultimately, calculate the total dollar value anglers place on recreational fishing in Mas- sachusetts waters.


Steinback says the focus of the study is about measuring the value of recreational fishing in Massachusetts, and not about an attempt to raise fishing permit fees or prohibit


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