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Cooperative Studies Introduction Why Cooperate Now? How Can Fishermen Participate? Benefits Of Cooperation Primary Obstacles To Cooperation Conclusion Sources and Recommended Reading Introduction The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA) requires that the information used in fishery management be the "best available." This includes data on fish; the environment they depend upon; the fishing, processing and other industries involved in their capture and sale; and the communities that support these industries. State and federal fishery agencies have primary responsibility for providing decisionmakers with this information. Government scientists collect biological data primarily through at-sea resource surveys and by sampling and measuring landed catch. They generate socioeconomic data from surveys of fishing vessels, processing plants and people, and from examining sales of landed catch and vessel registration files. Non-governmental scientists also contribute scientific data and information to the decisionmaking process through their participation on established scientific advisory committees and, sometimes, through independent reports. Fishermen have contributed for years by recording critical landings data in logbooks while at sea and also, less formally, by participating in oral or written surveys. Fishermen and scientists have also worked side-by-side in the past in cooperative studies. But both groups have become more interested in cooperating with one another over the past several years. Why Cooperate Now? Amendments to the MSFCMA in 1996 significantly expanded fishery management information needs. First, they provided a new, more conservative definition of overfishing that requires information on both the maximum fishing mortality and minimum stock size thresholds (or reasonable proxies) for each managed stock. Second, they added new directives to end overfishing and rebuild overfished stocks, minimize bycatch to the extent practicable, identify and protect essential fish habitat, and minimize adverse economic impacts to fishing communities. The increased demands for biological, ecological and social science presented by these new provisions have put substantial pressure on fishery managers who are trying to meet accompanying directives with limited fiscal and personnel resources. Consequently, they are increasingly turning to the fishing industry for help. In addition, reductions in catch resulting from these strict new provisions have led the fishing industry to increasingly question the quantity and quality of data used in management decisions and to request greater involvement in data collection and research¾involvement that is promised by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in its Strategic Plan and mandated under Section 404(b) of the MSFCMA. How Can Fishermen Participate? How can fishermen help improve the quantity and quality of information available on stock status, bycatch, fish habitat, and fishing communities? Stock Status Fishermen can help gather data used in stock assessment by participating in biological surveys conducted by NMFS aboard National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research vessels or by contracting their fishing vessels as platforms for at-sea surveys conducted by government and/or academic scientists. Participants in the Pacific Coast groundfish trawl, New England Atlantic sea scallop, North Pacific sablefish, and other fisheries have assisted scientists in conducting at-sea surveys of their fishery resources. The MSFCMA allows for the retention and sale of fish caught during survey cruises to help cover the costs of contracting vessels. Fishermen can also contribute information on stock status by recording data and other observations while at sea. Pacific Coast groundfish trawlers have collected information above and beyond what was required by law to provide scientists with a better understanding of the biology of Pacific Coast groundfish. The Fishing Industry and Research Scientists Together program is also trying to enhance information on this fishery by training fish processing plant workers to record the sex, length, species, and maturity of fish brought to the plant. And both recreational and commercial fishermen targeting highly migratory species in the Atlantic Ocean have participated in cooperative tagging programs to gather basic information about the distribution, movements, and life histories of these fish. Bycatch Fishermen can help gather data on bycatch and discard mortalities of non-target fish and protected species by recording this information while at sea and by participating in observer programs¾either working as observers aboard other fishing vessels or hosting observers on their vessel. For many years, the North Pacific Council has relied on an industry-funded observer program to produce data used in stock assessments and management decisions. Some Pacific Coast groundfish trawlers have voluntarily carried observers to collect data on bycatch. When requested, Atlantic longline swordfishermen carry observers to gather data on bycatch and distribution. And groundfish trawlers in the North Pacific developed a voluntary and real-time bycatch tracking system to shift fishing effort away from bycatch hotspots. Fishermen can also help develop effective solutions to bycatch by working with scientists to develop more selective gear, fishing techniques that reduce the chance of incidental catch, or even new technology, such as circle hooks, that reduce discard mortality. West Coast shrimpers are working with net makers and state agency biologists to try to reduce bycatch in the shrimp trawl fishery. Shrimpers in the Gulf and South Atlantic have been working with scientists and managers to develop bycatch reduction devices. On the East Coast, fishermen worked with scientists, environmental groups, and managers to develop alarm devices called "pingers" that have reduced the incidental catch of harbor porpoise in Gulf of Maine groundfish gillnets. Habitat Fishermen can record much-needed data on habitat locations and conditions, as well as species life history/habitat associations. Years of observations at sea have provided many fishermen with sophisticated knowledge about local marine ecosystems and specific species interactions. Though this type of information has not been systematically gathered through statistically designed sampling procedures, it could be used to supplement and refine existing studies, check the accuracy of prior assumptions, or even to define new studies. Canadians recognize the importance of fishermen's traditional ecological knowledge and have taken the lead in trying to find ways to best incorporate it into scientific studies. Fishermen can also help scientists study the impacts of fishing gear on marine habitat. For example, Alaskan fishermen are collaborating with biologists from the University of Alaska to investigate the impact of trawl gear on the benthic ecosystem. Fishing Communities By participating in oral or written surveys developed by government and/or independent scientists, both recreational and commercial fishermen can help scientists to better characterize and understand the human component of fisheries and the communities that support them. Through council testimony and participation in advisory groups, fishermen can also relay their unique insights into the economics and sociology of fishing communities, help managers predict the impacts of alternative management strategies, and recommend data and information that would be useful in assessing the socioeconomic impacts of fishery management measures. Benefits Of Cooperation Cooperative studies can benefit fishermen, scientists and managers in a variety of ways, each of which can ultimately result in improved fishery management decisionmaking. Relying on the financial resources and collective wisdom of all fishery stakeholders to meet information needs can enhance both the quality and quantity of the scientific information used to inform fishery management decisions. Decisions supported by enhanced information are subject to less scientific uncertainty and, consequently, reduced risk. For example, more and better stock assessment and bycatch data can help scientists to more accurately estimate the biological potential of fish stocks and, therefore, improve their estimates of acceptable biological catch. Additionally, improved knowledge of species/habitat requirements and the impacts of fishing gear on habitat can help managers to develop regulations that conserve and protect habitat essential to species' survival. In some cases, improved information may support less restrictive regulations. For example, results of cooperative surveys of Atlantic sea scallop populations on Georges Bank led fishery managers to temporarily reopen portions of two areas that had previously been closed to scallopers. They also are considering new management measures to allow rotational closures for scallop conservation. In other cases, however, improved information may indicate a need for more restrictive regulations. Involving fishermen in the scientific process that leads to these decisions will increase the credibility and legitimacy of such decisions. When more restrictive measures are needed, engaging fishermen in the selection of regulatory alternatives can help managers choose regulations that address conservation needs with the least adverse impact on fishing communities. Working together can also promote innovation and creativity as fishermen, scientists and managers become more familiar with, and understanding of, each other's strengths and limitations. Scientists can teach fishermen and managers about the importance of scientific surveys and random sampling, and the limitations of casual observation. Fishermen can teach scientists and managers about the operation of fishing vessels and gear and share their unique insights about fish, their habitat, environmental variability and ecosystem processes that they've gained from their years of experience at sea. Managers can teach scientists and fishermen about the complexities of the management system, regulatory requirements and processes. The practical on-the-water wisdom of fishermen combined with the technical knowledge of scientists and the regulatory experience of managers can spur innovative and creative thinking about long-standing problems, and practical solutions that work for all. The relationships that develop as a result of working together will also provide a foundation for continued collaboration on future problems as they arise. Primary Obstacles To Cooperation Despite increasing interest in cooperative studies, several challenges remain. The primary obstacles to cooperation are:
Fishery science is used to inform management decisions and many fishermen fear that the information they provide may lead to stricter management measures; particularly if there are no prior agreements about how data will be used and interpreted. Fishermen's participation in the highly migratory species tagging programs declined when catch quota were reduced. And regulatory decisions requiring widespread use of bycatch reduction devices in the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery resulted in a lawsuit, despite the participation of fishermen in their design and implementation. Some fishermen also fear that the data they provide will become widely available to competitors. Fear of negative consequences can also provide fishermen an incentive to participate in cooperative studies, when they believe that better data will allow managers to relax regulations or develop a regulatory solution that is more palatable. For example, the participation of Pacific Coast groundfish trawlers in cooperative studies was spurred by severe cutbacks in groundfish quotas and rising concerns about the status of groundfish stocks. Collaboration in the development and implementation of gillnet pingers in the Gulf of Maine was motivated by the threat of large-scale groundfish closures due to bycatch of harbor porpoises. And fear that fishery scientists and managers would force impractical bycatch reduction devices on them compelled shrimpers in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic to assist with the design of these devices. Concerns About Scientific Reliability The past experiences, present circumstances and/or cultural differences that cause some fishermen to be mistrustful of fishery scientists and managers also affect some scientists' and managers' views of cooperative studies. Fears that data collected by fishermen are not scientifically credible¾either because fishermen have not been trained in scientific methods, or because they've falsified the data in an attempt to avoid restrictive management measures¾can make some fishery scientists reluctant to cooperate with fishermen and some managers reluctant to accept the results of cooperative studies. Training fishermen to use scientifically-designed sampling procedures and employing observers to verify data can allay some of these fears. But trust remains an essential component of successful cooperative efforts. Administrative and Financial Constraints Even though fishermen's involvement in research is mandated under the MSFCMA, and programs, such as Saltonstall-Kennedy, have been established to provide funds for cooperative data collection and research, administrative and financial constraints still present significant challenges to cooperative studies. For example, relatively straightforward adjustments to logbooks used in the North Pacific sablefish fishery were made complex by the high costs of meeting the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act and resolving legalities associated with the confidentiality of collected information. The gillnet pinger initiative required action through formal processes established under the MSFCMA and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. And budget cutbacks have limited the Cooperative Tagging Center's ability to supply tags to participants and process data. Conclusion Fishery management decisions require information about stock status, ecological interactions, bycatch and discard mortality, habitat condition and requirements, and the socioeconomic impacts of management measures. As information needs continue to expand in coming years, cooperative studies are likely to become an essential component of fishery management. Combining the skills and resources of fishermen and scientists can lead to improved fishery management decisions but significant challenges to cooperation remain. Sources and Recommended Reading Barnaby, R. 1997. Using Collaborative Problem Solving: Process in Fisheries Management Decisions. Presented at the annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Monterey, CA, August. Barnaby, R. 1995. Harbor Porpoise Working Group: A Solution to Bycatch in the Gulf of Maine Sink Gill Net Fishery. Nor'easter (spring/summer). Bernstein, B.B. and S. Iudicello. 2000. National Evaluation of Cooperative Data Gathering Efforts in Fisheries. National Fisheries Conservation Center, Ojai, CA. Glass, C. 1999. Fishermen, Scientists Working to Solve Problems." Commercial Fisheries News (April):9B. The Heinz Center. 2000. Fishing Grounds: Defining a New Era for American Fisheries Management. Island Press, Washington, DC. National Fisheries Conservation Center. 1999. Investigating Cooperative Data Gathering. National Fisheries Conservation Center, Ojai, CA. National Marine Fisheries Service. 1997. NOAA Fisheries Strategic Plan, May. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Washington, DC. National Marine Fisheries Service. 1995. Cooperative Research Program Addressing Finfish Bycatch in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Shrimp Fisheries: A Report to Congress. National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Region, April. National Research Council. 1998. Improving Fish Stock Assessments. Committee on Fish Stock Assessment Methods, Ocean Studies Board. National Academy Press, Washington, DC. National Research Council. 1998. Review of Northeast Fishery Stock Assessments. Committee on Fish Stock Assessment Methods, Ocean Studies Board. National Academy Press, Washington, DC. Scott, E.L., E.D. Prince and C.D. Goodyear. 1990. History of the Cooperative Game Fish Tagging Program in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea, 1954-1987. American Fisheries Society Symposium 7:841-853. Sissenwine, M. 1998. Joint Science/Industry Research Benefits All. Commercial Fisheries News (October):5B,7B. Warren, B. (ed.). 1994. Win-Win Bycatch Solutions: A Handbook for Collaboration, National Fisheries Conservation Center, Ojai, CA. Wilson, D.C. 1999. Fisheries Science Collaborations: The Critical Role of the Community. Paper presented at the Conference on Holistic Management and the Role of Fisheries and Mariculture in the Coastal Coummunity, Tjärnö Marine Biological Laboratory, Sweeden, 11 November. |