In summary, resource laws should be based on the resource needs, not on 

 the votes of any special interest groups. This requires good biological 

 judgment and data and an ability to avoid the power of pressure politics. 

 Florida's law says that the marine resources are to be managed for the benefit 

 of all citizens. That should include sport fishermen, commercial fishermen, 

 and seafood consumers alike. When the resource is shown scientifically to be 

 in jeopardy, then all resource users should share the burden of restoring the 

 resource. The Seven National Standards quoted earlier represent the Federal 

 attempt to ensure these rights to all fishermen in the FCZ; perhaps Florida 

 needs a national "Standards" for State legislation as well. 



Florida also has "local laws". These laws that govern fisheries may 

 apply only to one county or legislator's district and are not always consis- 

 tent with other laws, even those based on sound biological principles or evi- 

 dence. Partly in response to this problem, the Florida Legislature passed an 

 act in 1980 that established a Saltwater Study and Advisory Council to review 

 all fishery management needs and problems and to establish criteria and guide- 

 lines for such management. The work of the council is extremely important to 

 the citizens of Florida and the results of their months of work were completed 

 in 1982. 



INDUSTRY CONCERNS 



Some rather serious problems confront the fishing industry. The 

 cost of fuel is causing serious concern. The scarcity and high cost of fuel 

 is a continuing consideration among fishemien. Although expensive, current 

 supplies of fuel are fully adequate but an allocation system may be necessary 

 in the future. Currently, most fishermen feel they will be given preference 

 for fuel on the same basis as fanners; this has relieved some concern. Gaso- 

 line and sales tax exemptions and fuel allocation procedures, as a relief for 

 commercial fishermen, was reported by Cato (1973). 



Direct Federal assistance to members of the fishing industry has been 

 small although general assistance such as the use of Sal tonstall-Kenndy (SK) 

 funds for marketing programs has proven to be helpful. The most recent 

 example of Federal assistance to the fishing industry was the aid made avail- 

 able to members of the oyster industry when Bahamian waters were closed to 

 U.S. fishermen. 



Some Federal assistance is also available through the Small Business Ad- 

 ministration (SBA) and other similar agencies for low cost loans. These are 

 loans, however, and must be paid back with interest. The advantage of such 

 loans is their availability and lower interest rates. 



The licensing of commercial fishermen currently is not required in Flor- 

 ida, despite six years of effort by commercial fishing organizations to pass 

 self-licensing regulations. Such a license system would better identify per- 

 manent and seasonal commercial fishermen, and would provide revenue that might 

 be directed toward the solution of fishing industry problems. 



213 



