Grey triggerfish, one of the species caught in the South Atlantic. (Photo: NOAA)

Green group praises DOC's new catch limit scheme

Holly Binns, a project director for the Pew Environment Group, has issued the following statement in response to the US Commerce Department’s approval of catch limits for more than three dozen species in the South Atlantic from Florida to North Carolina. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council gave initial approval to the plan in August.

“This plan marks a major milestone in the decades-long effort to prevent overfishing, by protecting species before they plummet to critically low levels. For the first time, managers have set science-based catch limits that will allow them to take quick action when fish populations start to decline. This proactive approach can help avoid a crisis and lessen the need for severe fishing restrictions when species are depleted.

“The new catch limits are based on sound science and are reasonable. In fact, due to the analysis of current population levels, many are set above recent average catch amounts.

“Public support was strong, with more than 42,000 people signing a petition in favor of this approach to prevent overfishing. Dozens of anglers, marine scientists, coastal business owners, and conservation organisations endorsed this approach.

“More needs to be done to ensure that the plan works well and the limits are enforced. But overall, in a region where overfishing has taken a severe toll on some important species, this plan blazes a new path in managing fish, which is vital for a healthy ocean ecosystem and our coastal economies.”

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