Vol.

12, Issue 3
Network News
September 2007
Network Welcomes New Executive Director
In this Issue... The Network, after the aquaculture
a nationwide leasing and
Letter from the search, gives a environmental
Executive Director 2 warm welcome to its protections. He
new executive has also facilitated
director, Bruce J. strategic planning
NMFS Initiates
Stedman. On and advisory
Rulemaking for September 4, Bruce committee
LAPPS 3 took over the job meetings on
from Tom Kitsos, fisheries, marine
In Memoriam: who served as the mammals, marine
Mary P. Marsh 3 interim executive protected areas,
director throughout and estuaries, as
Pacific Update 4 the summer. well as numerous
other workshops
Bruce brings to the and dialogues on
Gulf of Mexico position more than other
Update 4 25 years of Photo: Jenny Billet environmental
experience in marine policy topics. As a
Mid-Atlantic and environmental policy. His love for the ocean marine biologist, Bruce participated in research
Update 5 has a long history, beginning with salmon fishing projects involving basic ecosystem analysis,
and a trip to the Oregon coast as a child. Trained marine mammal and octopus behavior, and oil in
South Atlantic in marine biology at Friday Harbor Laboratories the marine environment.
5 (University of Washington), land planning at the
Update
Conway School of Landscape Design, and Looking forward to the challenges he will face as
environmental planning at Massachusetts the new executive director of the Network, Bruce
New Network Staff 6 Institute of Technology, Bruce has directed five said, “Now that the Magnuson-Stevens
other environmental non-governmental Reauthorization Act has been passed, we really
Fish Fest Chef Wins organizations and companies. As a marine have our hands full to completely restore our fish
Reality Show 6 biologist, he participated in research projects populations and American fisheries to health.
involving basic ecosystem analysis and animal We’re already working with fisheries managers to
New Network behavior, and was part of a four-person team that make sure they fully implement the new
7 designed and built The Whale Museum in Friday amendments to our ocean fisheries law, and we
Members
Harbor, Washington. He has taught academic also want to make certain that there are plenty of
courses in negotiation and conservation biology prey fish in the ocean to support the food webs
Calendar 8 at Harvard University. Bruce is also the director on which marine fisheries and ecosystems
~~~~~~ of the Ellie Dorsey Marine Conservation Fund, a
small charity funding marine research that
depend. It’s an exciting time for the Network, and
I’m very fortunate to join a staff so fully engaged
The Marine Fish continues the work of his late wife. in this vital work.”
Conservation Network
(Network) is a coalition of
Bruce joins the Network from RESOLVE in Bruce currently lives in Washington, DC with his
more than 190 environmental
organizations, commercial
Washington, DC, where as a senior mediator, he two children. While accepting his new position
and recreational fishing co-designed and facilitated the New York as executive director, Bruce said, “Diversity is a
associations, and marine Governor’s Ocean and Great Lakes Symposium powerful force for change, and the Network’s
science groups that advocates on ocean policy, and co-managed a national major contributions toward improving ocean
national policies to achieve symposium on coastal subsidence and wetlands management are due to its ability to bring to the
healthy oceans and loss in Gulf of Mexico. He also guided the debate the ideas, experience, and passion of its
productive fisheries. Please Maine’s Governor’s Task Force on Marine diverse membership. I’m sincerely honored that I
visit: Aquaculture in its successful effort to provide have been chosen to lead this influential group in
www.conservefish.org
recommendations to the legislature for improving its future efforts to protect our oceans.”
 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

A Letter from the Executive Director

Earlier this summer a friend sent me a brief “position announcement” about the Marine Fish Conservation Network needing an executive
director. I thought, “Well, that’s interesting and would be a great organization to work with.” At the same time, I also thought, “Trouble is,
while I know something of the Network’s work, and I was trained as a marine biologist, I am a mediator generalist, and they will probably
want a fish specialist.” As it turned out, after talking with the directors of the Network it became clear that the fit for me and the Network
was very promising. Now after two weeks as your new executive director, that fit has proved to be a very good one.

Thank you all for the notices of congratulations and “good luck” you have sent or expressed in our phone conversations. It’s a great
feeling to have this kind of support at the start.

You won’t be surprised that when I first arrived I found a there was a pile of decisions of the “let’s wait till the new director gets here”
variety. But you should also know that I also found your Network in excellent shape when I arrived, from the fine systems put in place by
Lee Crockett, my predecessor; from the very capable managing by Tom Kitsos during the interim period before I arrived; and from the
amazing policy, media, and regional outreach work done by your staff during the period between Lee and me. If you have a chance to
thank all of these people, by email or voice, please do so – they deserve your thanks.

Now that I am here, I have discovered that this is really an extraordinary time of transition for the Network as we embark on the new and
challenging post-Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act (MSRA) period. And because of that reauthorization – led by the Network – it is
a significant transition time for fisheries management in the U.S. – both for fisheries science and regulatory policy.

As a network, now is the time to consider what we want to accomplish for fish conservation over the next few years. There is significant
work to be done to advocate for strong regulations from the fisheries service and proper implementation of the MSRA by the regional
councils. At the same time, we have a chance to think broadly and deeply about other areas of work and even other areas of the world. To
the Board of Directors, Board of Advisors, and all members I say, “Let’s make the Network more relevant than it already is; let’s look at how
we can dig more deeply into the scientific and technical aspects of fisheries management; let’s be one of those “good offices” that can
solve disputes between (and among) members, the councils, the fishing communities, and even the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Together we can overcome the obstacles that prevent genuine conservation of marine fish and their habitats. Together, we can make the
Network really find ways of “achieving healthy oceans and productive fisheries.”

For the fish and fishermen,

Bruce J. Stedman

2
 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Federal Agency Reverses Position and

Agrees to Develop Regulations for Market-Based Fisheries Programs

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in August

initiated a rulemaking to implement Congressional action
intended to protect coastal communities and fish populations.
NMFS posted on its Web site the agency’s intent to develop
regulations for quota-based fishery programs. This marks a
reversal in the agency’s previous decision not to develop any
regulations for the national standards that Congress legislated
for limited access privilege programs (LAPPs).

“We’re glad that NMFS has decided to take a leadership role on

this issue after all. NMFS must develop strong regulations that
ensure our oceans will be healthy and productive, and will
remain a public resource for everyone’s benefit,” said Tony
DeFalco, director of regional operations for the Network.

Limited access privilege programs, such as individual fishing

quota programs, use quota shares to give fishermen exclusive
access to a fixed percentage of the total annual quota in a Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
fishery. Unregulated LAPPs have caused excessive
consolidation of quota shares into the hands of larger industry
players and increases in bycatch (the catching and killing of untargeted ocean wildlife) in some fisheries.

In the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act signed in January 2007, Congress enacted national
standards for LAPPs that guard against excessive consolidation of the fishery, protect the marine environment, and ensure that family
fishermen remain active participants in the fishery. NMFS is seeking some preliminary input from the public on the LAPP regulations until
September 30, 2007. The agency will then publish a proposed rule and will seek further public comment.

In Memoriam

Mary P. Marsh
President
Maryland Conservation Council

On July 5, 2007, the Network sadly lost one of its supporters. Mary P. Marsh, president of the Maryland Conservation
Council (MCC) for three years and a long-time MCC member, died from brain aneurysm complications. A constant sentinel
over Maryland’s environment, Mary was a tireless advocate for improving and safeguarding its treasured resources.
Despite her hectic schedule, Mary always found time to take a telephone call from the Network, who would seek her advice
on regional strategy, or to lend a hand on federal fisheries management reform. Mary left a lasting impression on Brooks
Mountcastle, the Network’s Mid-Atlantic regional organizer: “After seeing the respect and deference that Mary was
afforded by her colleagues, I knew Maryland’s environment was in good hands.” Mary possessed a powerful combination
of brilliance, persistence, compassion, and leadership – rare traits that greatly helped MCC carry on its valuable work. She
will be sorely missed by the conservation community.

3
 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK
Pacific Update
Council proposes taking science
decisions out of the hands of
scientists
At the September council meeting,
the Pacific Fishery Management
Council will vote on draft rules
clarifying the role of their scientific
advisory committee. These rules
state that the science committee
cannot be part of council policy
decisions, and that the council
Photo: NOAA should determine the “best available
science.” This would effectively
remove a critical component of scientific analysis and decision-
making from the hands of scientists, and instead allow the council
to make these decisions without scientific basis.
Managers put vulnerable rockfish species at risk by seeking to
reopen whiting fishery
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) closed the west
coast whiting fishery on July 26, after discovering the fishery had
exceeded widow rockfish bycatch limits and illegally disposed of
the rockfish in an attempt to cover up its transgression. The
council now seeks to raise the widow rockfish bycatch limit by 50
metric tons to allow the whiting fishery to reopen. The council set
2007 catch levels that scientists warn will cause whiting numbers to
Gulf of Mexico Update
Grouper limited access privilege
program
The Gulf Council is developing a
limited access privilege program
(LAPP) for the grouper fishery. An
evaluation of grouper landings
between 1999 and 2004 indicates
that 50 percent of “active” reef fish
permits reported no deep-water
grouper landings and 19 percent
reported no shallow-water grouper
Photo: NOAA landings. For the same period, 13
percent of reef fish permits did not
report any grouper landings at all. The Gulf Council hopes to
reduce permits not currently fishing and the amount of boats
fishing for grouper in hopes of making the fishery more cost
efficient.
Congress recently authorized such programs and created new
standards that fishery managers must abide by to prevent excessive
consolidation in the fishery, protect historical participants in the
fishery, allocate quota fairly amongst all the fishermen, and ensure
conservation measures are part of the program. In addition, Gulf
fishermen have the added protection of an industry referendum on
all new quota programs. Should they move forward with a grouper
LAPP, fishery managers should carefully comply with the new
4
drop below the overfished threshold again by 2010. Past
mismanagement of species like rockfish and whiting resulted in
massive closures and hundreds of jobs lost. Going down that road
again would be a mistake.
Council moves forward on sweeping changes to groundfish
management
The Pacific Council took a preliminary step toward establishing a
limited access privilege program (LAPP) for groundfish by
approving a set of alternatives for analysis. The alternatives
include a 10 percent holdback of quota shares for unforeseen
issues, incentives for clean fishing, or community impacts.
However, this 10 percent of the trawl fishing shares could also be
auctioned off to pay processors who claim they are harmed by the
program. There is significant controversy among constituents over
the LAPP and how it should be set up. Several members of the
public, including fishermen, scientists, and conservationists, asked
for analysis of a variety of additional options that the council chose
not to consider. For example, the council ignored requests to
analyze some proposed measures for community-based fishing
practices that could protect fish stocks and maintain the economic
viability of smaller port towns and family fishing businesses. The
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Reauthorization Act requires that LAPPs conserve marine fish
populations, protect fishing communities, prevent excessive
consolidation of permits, and preserve opportunities for new
entrants into the fishery.
standards. Only with careful attention to ecological, economic, and
social issues can fishery managers achieve healthy oceans and
productive fisheries.
Can the Gulf Council end overfishing?
When the National Marine Fisheries Service publishes its annual
report to Congress on the health of U.S. fisheries, the news is rarely
good for the Gulf Council. This year’s report showed little progress
for Gulf fish, with two more species on the overfishing list (gag
grouper and gray triggerfish) and one coming off (vermillion
snapper). One-step forward, two-steps back.
The Gulf Council is currently working on amendments to end
overfishing of gag grouper, greater amberjack, and gray triggerfish.
In addition, the Gulf Council approved a plan in early June to end
the overfishing of red snapper. Not reflected in this year’s report,
the new assessment for red grouper indicates that this species is no
longer overfished and is not subject to overfishing anymore. This
is good news, but substantial work remains.
The overfished threshold for gag grouper was never properly set to
meet the criteria in 1996 Sustainable Fisheries Act. The Gulf
Council, 11 years later, is finally going to set this threshold after the
last assessment indicated that gag grouper populations might be
unsustainably low depending on the threshold chosen. As
mandated by Congress, the Gulf Council needs to end overfishing.
The status quo of allowing overfishing and hiding behind
undefined benchmarks needs to end.
 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Mid-Atlantic Update
Council ignores scientific
advice and sets higher catch
level for summer flounder
For the third year in a row,
the Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council defied
the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS)
and set a higher catch level
Photo: Carl Safina for summer flounder than
what was recommended by
the council’s scientific advisors. Overfishing is occurring in the
summer flounder fishery during rebuilding of the population. The
Summer Flounder Monitoring Committee, comprised of scientists
whose purpose is to offer advice to the council, advised a safe
catch level between 11.64 million pounds and 12.9 million pounds.
Both levels accounts for problems with the retrospective analysis,
which has been criticized for overestimating biomass and
underestimating mortality of summer flounder. The council chose
to set a catch level of 15.7 million pounds for the 2008 fishing
season. Since 2000, summer flounder has never been fished below
the overfishing threshold, according to NMFS.
When the Magnuson-Stevens Act was reauthorized last year,
Congress extended the summer flounder rebuilding plan from 2010
to 2013, to help managers meet the rebuilding target and soften the
economic hardship on the fishing community. Currently, the stock
is about halfway toward the rebuilding target of 197 million pounds.
Black sea bass overfished; scup overfished and experiencing
overfishing
Unlike its summer flounder decision, the council supported the
Monitoring Committee’s recommended catch levels for black sea
bass, bluefish, and scup. Bluefish is scheduled to be rebuilt by
2010 and all indications are that the stock will be at or above a
healthy level by 2009. Unfortunately, NMFS data indicates that
black sea bass is overfished and scup continues to be overfished
and is experiencing overfishing.
Council rejects royalty collection (for now) for tilefish IFQ
At the suggestion of the Tilefish Fishery Management Action
Team, the council recommended a “no action” alternative for
royalty collections for a proposed tilefish individual fishing quota
(IFQ) program. Royalty collections are one of many methods that
could be used to help defray expenses for management,
implementation, enforcement, and data collection for an IFQ
program in the tilefish fishery. However, industry was united in its
opposition to royalties, noting that such a program is untested.
The biggest hang up centered on the realization that there was no
guarantee the collected royalty would accrue to the tilefish fishery;
instead, the monies could conceivably fund other fishery programs.
According to NMFS, the revised Magnuson-Stevens Act requires
the councils to consider royalty collection, but they do not have to
implement it.

South Atlantic Update

South Atlantic organizer moves on
Our outstanding South Atlantic
regional organizer, Caroline Keicher,
left the Network in August for the
greener pastures of the Sierra Club’s
global warming program in DC.
Caroline’s enthusiasm, ability to
generate grassroots pressure in the
region, and excellent monitoring of
the South Atlantic Council will be
sorely missed. We wish Caroline the
Photo: NOAA best of luck in her new job.

We are looking for a regional organizer for the South Atlantic

region. The position may be based in NC, SC, GA, or the east coast
of Florida. Job duties include working with the media, generating
grassroots support in the region for Network positions, and
monitoring the South Atlantic Council for compliance with the
newly revised federal fisheries law. If you are interested, please
send a cover letter, resume, 1-2 page writing sample, and a list of
three references to tdefalco@conservefish.org.

5
 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

New Network Staff

Jeff Lambert, Summer Media Intern

The Network’s summer media intern, Jeff Lambert, will begin his junior year
at American University in Washington, D.C. He studies print journalism
and women’s and gender studies, and divides his time between the campus
newspaper, the student radio station, and advocating for alternative
transportation methods on campus and in the District. Jeff has recently
started volunteering for Street Sense, a D.C. street newspaper that focuses
on homelessness issues. His summer at the Network has given him
valuable insight into the way journalists report on environmental and
fisheries issues.

Photo by NOAA
Congratulations to
Fish Fest Chef Rock Harper!

The Network would like to congratulate Chef Rock Harper, a

five time participant in the Network’s annual event, Fish Fest:
A Celebration of Sustainable Seafood, for winning the grand
prize on ABC’s television show, “Hell’s Kitchen.” Chef Harper
will move to Las Vegas, Nevada where he will be the head chef
of a new fine Italian restaurant at the Green Valley Ranch
Resort and Spa. The Network is happy for his success;
however, we are sad to see one of our favorite chefs (along
with the delicious meals he prepares) leave Washington, DC.
Best of luck, Chef Harper!

Photo: Justin Schuck Photography

6
 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Welcome New Network Members

Blue Ocean Institute Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance

PO Box 250 200 Main St.
East Norwich, NY 11732 Saco, ME 04072
(516) 922-9500 (207) 284-5374
fax (516) 922-9505 fax (207) 284-1355
www.blueocean.org http://www.namanet.org

Using science, art, and literature, Blue Ocean NAMA’s purpose is to restore and enhance an
Institute works to inspire a closer relationship enduring Northwest Atlantic marine system,
with the sea and devise practical solutions to which supports a healthy diversity and
conservation problems. abundance of marine life and human uses.

Ocean Conservation Research

PO Box 559
Lagunitas, CA 94938
(415) 488-0553
www.ocr.org

Ocean Conservation Research promotes and

supports marine biological and technological
research based on conservation priorities.

7

SEPTEMBER
September 25-27
Western Pacific Fishery
Management Council
96th SSC Meeting
Council Office
http://wpcouncil.org/
OCTOBER
October 1
North Pacific Fishery
Management Council meeting
Hilton, Anchorage, AK
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/
default.htm
October 7
Hawaii Fishing and Seafood
Festival
Pier 38, Honolulu, HI
http://wpcouncil.org/
MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK
“...To Achieve Healthy Oceans and Productive Fisheries.”
Calendar of Events
October 9-11
Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council meeting
Hilton Garden Inn
Kitty Hawk, NC
http://www.mafmc.org
October 9-12
Western Pacific Fishery
Management Council
139th Council Meeting
Ala Moana Hotel
Honolulu, HI
http://wpcouncil.org/
October 29- Nov 2
Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council meeting
Beau Rivage, Biloxi, MS
http://www.gulfcouncil.org/
NOVEMBER DECEMBER
November 4-9 December 3
Pacific Fishery Management North Pacific Fishery
Council meeting: Management Council meeting
Hyatt Regency Islandia Hilton, Anchorage, AK
San Diego, CA http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/
http://www.pcouncil.org/ npfmc/default.htm
November 6-8 December 3-7
New England Fishery 4th Western and Central Pacific
Management Council meeting Fisheries Commission regular
Hotel Viking, Newport, RI session
http://www.nefmc.org/ Hyatt Regency Hotel
Tumon, Guam
November 11-13 http://wpcouncil.org/
Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council meeting December 11-13
Holiday Inn Harmon Meadows Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Secaucus, NJ Management Council meeting
http://www.mafmc.org TBD, NJ
http://www.nefmc.org/
Fax: 202-543-5774
Phone: 202-543-5509
www.conservefish.org
Washington, DC 20003
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Suite 210
Marine Fish Conservation Network