Commercial fishing groups are dismayed about federal budget negotiations that have resulted in what fishermen are calling the "Anti-Fishermen Act."
This act, formerly known as the Jones Amendment, prohibits approval of new catch share programs for US fisheries under the jurisdiction of the South Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, New England, or Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.
The Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders' Alliance, the Gulf Fishermen's Association and the South Atlantic Fishermen's Association say that the Anti-Fisherman Act minimises opportunities for fishermen and empowers Congress to make decisions better made regionally. The groups are working to ensure this language doesn't extend to the FY2012 budget.
Other fishing groups have opposed this measure too.
Catch shares are a fishery management system that has been shown to make fishing more efficient, profitable and sustainable. The organisations say that by taking catch shares off the table, Congress is forcing fishermen to accept traditional fishery management that has historically benefited few and left many fisheries depleted, which hurts fishing businesses and local communities.
"Federal money will still be spent on existing catch share programs," said TJ Tate, Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders' Alliance Executive Director. "The Anti-Fisherman Act will not save taxpayers any money; it just prevents money from being spent on new catch share programs. It could end up costing money in the long term because it will continue failed fishery management approaches."
