COMMERCE
Subscriber Services
Classified Ads
Subscribe
Advertise
NEWS
This Month
Editorial
Letters
F/V Safety
Past Issues
ABOUT US
Contact Us
Latest Issue
Subscribe
History
MORE CONTENT
CFN Archives
Links
Each month exclusively in the PRINT edition of CFN
Along the Coast
Ask the Lobster Doc
Bearin’s
Classifieds
Coming Events
Editorial
Enforcement Report
FISH SAFE
Fleet Additions
Letters
Lobster Market Report
New Boats
News Catch
Quahog Market Report
|
Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 33 Number 9
May 2006
NE stakeholders release vision for future of groundfish fleet
PORTLAND, ME – The people who participated in last year’s groundfish Fleet Visioning Project made one thing clear. They didn’t want the groundfish fleet to be reduced to a relatively small number of big, efficient boats. They wanted to see “a diverse, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable fleet that is managed through a participatory governance structure.”
This primary vision was developed after 250 stakeholders – fishermen, processors, environmentalists, shore support operators, and researchers – filled out surveys to describe their individual visions. Plus, 65 people attended one or more of 10 area workshops from Maine to New York held June through November to reach local consensus.
On Dec. 6 in Danvers, MA, project leaders held a summit, where representatives from each of the 10 regional workshops pooled their thoughts to develop a collective position.
The participants’ final “shared vision” for groundfish was articulated through the following four statements:
• Diversity – “A geographically distributed commercial and recreational fleet that includes all gear types and boat sizes.”
• Economic viability – “An economically viable, safe, and sustainable fleet that works with shoreside infrastructure to supply seafood and job opportunities for coastal communities.”
• Governance – “Participatory, accountable, and decentralized governance structures at various scales that include local involvement in decision-making and maintain an adaptive regulatory environment.” And
• Environmental resilience – “Fishery stakeholders who exhibit stewardship of resources that is consistent with the long-term health and restoration of the marine ecosystem.”
After presenting this vision to members of the New England Fishery Management Council on Feb. 2, project Director Jen Levin said, “For many of you, this is stating the obvious, but sometimes it’s important to state the obvious.”
Levin was upfront in saying that the project faced many challenges in getting people to participate.
“We mailed out over 7,000 surveys. We made hundreds of phone calls. We went to dozens of meetings,” she said. “We found there was learned apathy.”
But those who did participate were earnest and deeply committed.
“This vision was developed by a diverse group of stakeholders. Every opinion, idea, and thought was welcome at the table,” Levin told the council.
And at the end of the day, “Nobody wanted efficiency. They wanted viability,” she said.
Levin also stressed the vision wasn’t just for the New England council.
“It’s for everyone who’s involved in management or cooperative research,” she said. “This is a vision and it’s a dream, but everyone knows we don’t live in a dream. We only ask that you use this vision as guidance as we move forward.”
Each council member was presented with a final report containing the project’s history and conclusions.
Maine council member George Lapointe said, “It’s kind of nice to have a document that lets us go back and reflect on the core values.”
For copies of the report, visit the Fleet Visioning Project web site at <www.fleetvision.org> or call or e-mail Levin at (207) 284-5374, <jen@namanet.org>.
Janice M. Plante
Back to story list
|
|
Tell us what you think.
