Academics, Fisherman, and Environmentalists gathered on the Seacoast yesterday to discuss a RECENT report on the health of the world's oceans.
While the academics and environmentalist applauded the report's plan of action, New Hampshire fishermen weren't as pleased.
New Hampshire Public Radio's Dan Gorenstein reports.
With THE Rye seashore as the backdrop, UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE BIOLOGIST, DEAN Andy Rosenberg explained the report to a small crowd of 30 or 40.
Track 4
6:35 the pew report is simply taking the scientific information that is extremely well developed, that says over fishing is a major threat, and saying we need to do something about that.
Over-fishing is just one of MANY THREATS TO THE OCEAN.
THE PEW COMMISSION ON THE OCEANS ?? IS ONE OF THE FIRST MAJOR STUDIES ON THE HEALTH OF OCEANS IN 30 YEARS.
But as UNH Dean told the crowd, the report's goal was NOT to uncover new problems.
THE GOAL WAS TO OFFER Solutions to those problems.
NO ONE REALLY KNEW WHO HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE SAID YOU�BUT WE WROTE ABOUT IT ANYWAY.
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3:20 you would have a national council, that would set national goals, in each region you would have council's that would cut across various types of activities from coastal development to fisheries. Those councils would have oversight about how the different regulations of what you could and couldn't do fit together.
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:00 that's basically what we have right now
That's Ellen Gaythal, a marine biologist married to a commercial fisherman.
...the difference is they want to start an entirely new burueacracy in Washington that pulls everything out of the other agencies, and determines what is going on in the Oceans.
Gaythal says she's very skeptical about a new bureaucracy.
Besides, she says, current law is working.
1:34 ... It's been very painful, and it's very hard. There are problems with it, but the bottom line is that fish stocks have tripled, the bio-mass has tripled in the gulf of Maine. That is a re-building set of stocks, and it is rebuilding very quickly.
AND IN FACT, A CANADIAN RESEARCHER, HAS FOUND THAT IN RECENT YEARS FISH STOCKS HAVE IMPROVED�.ESPECIALLY OFF THE U.S. COAST.
BUT THEY FOUND THAT IN THE LONG TERM, SOME 90% OF THE LARGE FISH STOCKS HAVE DISAPPEARED SINCE THE 1950S.
Gaythal, and others worry the Pew recommendations WILL tighten fishing restrictions and cut fishermen out of decision making.
BUT Dean Rosenberg from UNH admits the report does want to include more stakeholders at the table.
Track 20
:05 what the pew commission is calling for is more weight to the idea that you are managing for the public trust, all of the nation. Not the set of individuals who are fishing, or using it as a resource. It would do that by setting stronger barriers to over-fishing, and broadening out the interests that are at the table, talking about how the resource should be managed.
Another report on Oceans is due out in the early fall.
For NHPR News, I'm DG.
