Page 12. MAINE COASTAL NEWS November 2016 Commercial Fishing News
NOAA announces revisions to federal fi shery management guidelines Guidelines continue progress towards ending overfi shing
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consistent technical guidance across the eight regional fi shery management councils. The National Standard 1 revisions
NOAA Fisheries announced fi nal revi-
sions to the guidelines that federal managers will use as they routinely update the nation’s marine fi sheries plans. The revised federal fi shery management guidelines, known as the National Standard 1 guidelines of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, are intended to pro- vide more fl exibility and be more eff ective in ending and preventing overfi shing. “U.S. eff ort s to rebuild fi sh stocks under
the Magnuson-Stevens Act and the National Standards have resulted in real ecological and economic benefi ts, and made the nation an international leader in fi sheries manage- ment,” said Eileen Sobeck, assistant NOAA administrator for fi sheries. “The revisions will continue our progress to prevent and end overfi shing while providing an adaptive management system that better supports fi shermen and fi shing communities.” These successes are based on the funda-
mental mandate within the Magnuson-Ste- vens Act that overfi shing must be prevented. Changes to these guidelines will not change that. Rather, these updates are based on lessons learned since the reauthorization of the Magnuson Act in 2007 and provide
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refl ect advances in fi sheries science and ad- dress a range of technical issues, including: Providing regulatory stability for commer- cial and recreational fi shing – so that busi- nesses can increase their resilience to stock changes over time; Adding scientifi c meth- ods that result in better informed rebuilding plans; Improving guidance on managing a fi shery when data about a stock is limited; and Advancing Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management, which will help managers consider the broader marine ecosystem when managing fi sh populations. The National Standard guidelines as-
sist the eight regional fi shery management councils and NOAA Fisheries in developing fi shery management plans that comply with the Magnuson-Stevens Act. National Stan- dards 3, 7, and the General Section of the guidelines have also been streamlined as part of the revisions. This rule was devel- oped over the course of the past 4 years, and was informed by over 100,000 public com- ments and signifi cant engagement with the fi shing industry and others concerned about the sustainability of our ocean resources. Since 2000, NOAA has declared 40
U.S. fi shery stocks rebuilt, and the number of overfi shed stocks and stocks experiencing overfi shing are at all-time lows. The latest available data show that U.S. commercial and recreational saltwater fi shing generated more than $214 billion in direct and indirect sales and supported more than 1.8 million jobs in 2014.
Marine Species Take Center Stage at Global Wildlife Trade Meeting (JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA) - Conservation actions for chambered nau- tiluses, devil rays and sharks were agreed today among member nations or “parties” to the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flo- ra (CITES) in Johannesburg, South Africa. These species, all of which are slow-grow- ing and produce few young, are at risk of over-exploitation due to commercial trade for their shells, fi ns, gill rakers, or meat. “The United States is dedicated to
conservation of the marine environment across the globe and as a range country for many of these species, deeply appreciates the partnerships formed in development and adoption of these proposals,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe, head of the U.S. delegation to the treaty’s 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP17). “We applaud the leadership of Fiji, India, Palau, Sri Lanka and the Maldives and re- spect their strong actions to promote marine conservation.” The United States trades in several of
these species and is perhaps the largest con- sumer of products made from chambered nautilus - deep sea mollusks prized by col- lectors for their beautifully intricate shells, which are sold as souvenirs to tourists and shell collectors and as jewelry and home decoration items. “Nearly 1 million nautiluses have been
imported into the United States in the last decade. We have a signifi cant role in this trade and a responsibility to ensure it does not drive these beautiful creatures to extinc- tion,” said Ashe. “Existing protections for nautiluses are poorly enforced and imple- mented, which has led to overharvest and population declines. CITES protections will strengthen range States’ ability to address illegal trade in these species.” Similar to manta rays, which are cur-
rently included in CITES, devil rays are vul- nerable species that are increasingly found
in international trade due to the growing demand for their gill rakers (the appendages that are used for breathing) in Asian markets. Relatively few countries have enacted reg- ulations to protect devil rays, and there is a lack of regional and international measures to ensure that harvest is sustainable. “NOAA applauds CITES parties and
the global community for taking steps at CoP17 towards ensuring that the interna- tional trade in key marine species is legal and sustainable,” said Eileen Sobeck, NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries. “We are particularly pleased to see that the trade in chambered nautiluses and devil rays – species that are extremely vulnerable, largely unregulated, and at risk of population decline due to international demand – will now be regulated.” The United States has been a strong sup-
porter of shark conservation and supports the requests by the Maldives and Sri Lanka to include the silky and thresher shark in Ap- pendix II. These listings will go into eff ect in one year to give countries the necessary time to ensure eff ective implementation. The United States is a global leader in
marine conservation. The decisions taken today further the Obama Administration’s legacy of taking bold actions to protect our ocean and marine ecosystems, including creating the world’s largest marine protect- ed area, establishing the fi rst-ever National Ocean Policy, and combating illegal, unre- ported, and unregulated fi shing. Although today’s votes await fi naliza-
tion later this week, Ashe expressed confi - dence that the listings will be upheld. CoP17 is taking place from Sept. 24
through Oct. 5, 2016. CITES is an interna- tional agreement initiated in 1973 and since ratifi ed by 182 countries and the European Union to protect certain wild animals and plants against over-exploitation as a result of international trade. More than 35,000 species of animals and plants benefi t from CITES protection. Every two to three years, parties meet to review, discuss and decide on
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