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groundfish
The End Overfishing Campaign empowers local fishermen to help improve regulations in a number of fisheries, primarily groundfish. Our goal is to ensure that the regulations protect small fishing communities while restoring depleted fish populations for a sustainable fishery.
2013 Turning the Corner on Cod
2009 End Overfishing accomplishments:
- After proving that fishermen could catch healthy haddock stocks without hurting struggling codfish populations in an area traditionally closed to groundfishing, we provided relief for fishermen by securing more time and space for fishermen to utilize this Special Access Program in 2009
- Working closely with our partners, we successfully advocated for the incorporation of science-based annual catch limits for groundfish stocks. In 2010, over 90% of the fishery is operating under strictly enforced catch limits for the first time. The rest of the fishery will transition to the same limits by 2012.
- Aggressively campaigned for the implementation and funding of expanded catch monitoring standards, as well as the associated infrastructure. A robust monitoring program is crucial to the enforcement of annual catch limits and, therefore, to the success of the resource and fishery.
the SECTOR
A pioneer of the sector system, the Hook Association established its first "harvesting cooperative" for fishermen using hook gear in 2004. A second Hook-sponsored sector, comprised of fishermen using both hooks and gillnets, was approved in 2006. This year, the two groups combined to form the Georges Bank Fixed Gear Sector.
The sector system allows fishermen to work collectively to harvest a combined quota of fish. These fishing cooperatives increase flexibility and profit for fishing businesses, encourage sustainable fishing methods and make it easier for fishermen to stay within annual limits.
On May 1, 2010, NOAA implemented new groundfish measures for commercial fishermen. Find out more about the new management rules.
2009 Georges Bank Cod Fixed Gear Sector Accomplishments:
- Sector members sailed nearly 1,000 fishing trips and caught nearly 1.1 million pounds of codfish - nearly 60% of their combined quota - during the first eight months of the fishing season
- Sector members landed roughly 400,000 lbs pounds of codfish that they would have been forced to waste under old management rules
- For the sixth year in a row, sector members successfully targeted haddock through the Special Access Program- the program allows fishermen to catch healthy haddock stocks without hurting struggling codfish populations in an area traditionally closed to groundfishing. Ten vessels took 154 trips and caught approximately 433,000 lbs of haddock and only about 13,000 lbs of cod.
Operating Grant Support
