Briefing Papers
Performance Criteria for Alternative Gear Research
17th August 2022In March 2014, the Pacific Fishery Management Council “took several actions toward a goal of developing a comprehensive plan to transition the current drift gillnet fishery to a fishery utilizing a suite of more environmentally and economically sustainable gear types that can effectively target the healthy West Coast swordfish stock operating under MSA authority.” In addition to maintaining current regulations on the drift gillnet fishery during the transition period, the council tasked the Highly Migratory Species Management Team with developing research protocols for conducting and evaluating research into the use of alternative fishing gears and methods.
Wild Oceans and the Future of Fishing
17th August 2022Fishing is our oldest and our most intimate connection to the sea. And how we envision the future of fishing may, more than anything else, determine the future of the ocean and all its creatures, and not least of all, its ability to sustain us. When we fish – to feed ourselves, to feed others or for recreation – we join the ocean world as an interdependent part of it, as predators. Which is what we are, by nature. But unlike other predators, we are limited only by the limits we set for ourselves. That’s where conservation comes in.
Best Fishing Practices for Bluewater Fisheries (Atlantic)
17th August 2022“Best management practices” for fisheries are based on pre-determined goals, such as locally-supplied seafood, recreation and tourism, community-based employment and, in support of it all, maintaining abundant and sustainable fishery resources and a healthy environment. Although the primary goals may be social and economic, the long-term health of the resource is always the bottom line. And while each region’s specific goals and needs may be unique, best fishing practices, such as low bycatch of non-target species, live release of incidentally-caught or undersize fish, and cost-effective monitoring and enforcement, are universal.
Best Fishing Practices for West Coast Fisheries
17th August 2022“Best management practices” for fisheries are based on pre-determined goals, such as locally-supplied seafood, recreation and tourism, community-based employment and, in support of it all, maintaining abundant and sustainable fishery resources and a healthy environment. Although the primary goals may be social and economic, the long-term health of the resource is always the bottom line. And while each region’s specific goals and needs may be unique, best fishing practices, such as low bycatch of non-target species, live release of incidentally-caught or undersize fish, and cost-effective monitoring and enforcement, are universal.
Ecological Reference Points for Forage Species
17th August 2022The biological benchmarks, or reference points, used by fishery managers to judge the relative health of a fish population are, in the simplest terms, targets that we aim for and thresholds we aim to avoid. The conventional reference points applied to most single-species assessments, however, do not allow us to gauge the population’s capacity to provide adequate prey for other species in the ecosystem. That’s why, for forage species, we need “ecological reference points,” the development of which is a key element of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Guidance Document to support Ecosystem Approaches to Fisheries Management.
Forage Status Indicator
17th August 2022The major challenge of developing a Forage Status Indicator is identifying and cultivating a reliable index or indices of forage abundance and availability.
Billfish Conservation Act: Intent and the Law
17th August 2022The Billfish Conservation Act, which prohibits sale of marlin, sailfish and spearfish, will provide enduring conservation benefits for these vulnerable species, if properly implemented and enforced. NOAA Fisheries is currently writing rules to enforce the law, with particular attention to the BCA’s exemption for “traditional fisheries” and what restrictions to put on the transportation and sale of fish landed in Hawaii and neighboring U.S. islands.
The Consequences of Allowing Sale of HI-Caught Marlin on the U.S. Mainland
17th August 2022The authors and sponsors of the Billfish Conservation Act (HR 2706) clearly stated on the record their intent that the law’s Exemption for Traditional Fisheries and Markets limit possession and sale of billfish to Hawaii and the Pacific Insular Islands. The language itself, however, is not so clear on this point. The BCA, if interpreted to allow sale of U.S.-caught billfish landed in Hawaii and the PIA on the mainland, would have predictable consequences, and the bad would heavily outweigh any good that might result from such an interpretation.
Wild Oceans’ Position on Marine Reserves
17th August 2022The use of Marine Protected Areas, also called marine reserves, as a fishery management tool is a hot topic of discussion amongst the marine conservation community. Overfishing, and the continued failure to satisfactorily control this widespread problem, is driving support for the use of reserves, including areas where all fishing is prohibited. Unfortunately, the ongoing debate has polarized the issue, holding up a constructive process for examining the utility of MPAs.
Articles written by Former Wild Oceans President Ken Hinman for Saltwater Sportsman magazine
- “Time to Separate Fishery Science From Allocation”
- “International Effort Needed to Halt Marlin Decline”
- “Menhaden Netters Threaten Chesapeake”
- “A New Plan for Fisheries Management: Thinking about fish as more than just a harvest”
- “Food Fish vs. Fish Food”
- “Swordfishing: Back to the Future”
- “An Open Letter to PETA”
- “Boosting Public Awareness of Fish”
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