Posted by
jhocevar on 10/05/2007 08:56 am
I'm glad THAT'S over!
Last night, George and I gave a presentation about our Bering Sea canyons expedition to a packed room at the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. It seemed like every industry lobbyist in the state was there to try to pick apart our credibility, our methods, our findings, and our recommendations. We took on all comers, patiently answering questions and explaining what we found and what it means.
Unlike most other areas in the North Pacific that have been closed to one or more fishing gear types, the canyons are in the middle of one of the most heavily fished areas on earth, the Bering Sea shelf break. The huge industry turnout and the aggressive interrogation they threw at us were a clear sign that they are aware that the momentum has finally shifted in favor of protecting the canyons.
The brunt of the questions focused on the fact that there is still a lot we don't know about the canyons and surrounding areas. On this point, I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, that is the norm when it comes to fisheries science and marine biology. In fact, this study provides far more detail than the Council typically has available when it makes most management decisions. The real issue is not that there is too little information, but rather that fisheries managers put the burden of proof on those who seek to protect the ecosystem. Shouldn't it be up to industry to demonstrate that they can fish without destroying the habitat which sustains the fishery?
Greenpeace, along with other organizations like Oceana, Alaska Marine Conservation Council, WWF, the Alaska Oceans Program, and the Ocean Conservancy have been working to protect these critical areas for a long, long time. Finally, the tide seems to be shifting in our favor, but we still have a long way to go. This week showed that we have some support among the policy makers at the Council, but it also was also a hint at the level of opposition we're going to face from the big money fishing industry. Ultimately, this will be a real test - not so much for Greenpeace, but for the Council. In the face of clear evidence that fishing is impacting vulnerable coral habitat, will the Council act to protect these areas, or will they cave in to the lobbyists?
We shall see.
John H
BLOGS
stoweaway [Member] on
October 05, 2007 at 14:06 
