163 



to the need to ensure the Magnuson Act makes conservation the number one prior- 

 ity in fishery management and successfully promotes clean fishing. 



Lessons Learned — Alaska's Future 



The continuing practice of targeting spawning aggregations of pollock and cod, 

 compounds waste problems and in some areas of the world has been blamed for the 

 collapse of the fishery. The cod fishery on the Grand Banks of the North Atlantic 

 is often cited as an example. 



In human terms, the consequence of allowing wasteful, destructive fishing prac- 

 tices to continue is vividly portrayed in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, where en- 

 tire communities have been placed on welfare rolls and relocation programs are 

 being examined. All this due to poor fishery practices and gear types, resulting in 

 30,000 men and women losing their livelihoods in just three years. 



In ecological terms the northern districts of that area are considered marine 

 deserts unlikely to recover due to intense bottom dragging and destruction of fishery 

 habitat. Alaska and the United States cannot afford to make these same mistakes, 

 nonetheless, we have and continue to do so. 



In the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands, a moratorium is in place on the Aleutian 

 Basin Pollock Stock in the Bering Sea due to its collapse, which was caused by 

 rampant overfishing on the high seas as well as within the U.S. EEZ, including fed- 

 erally sanctioned fisheries on spawning pollock stocks. 



In the Alaska EEZ destructive and disruptive fishing practices continue on other 

 stocks and hard on bottom trawling is permitted on spawning cod stocks, yellowfin 

 sole, rock sole and a roe fishery continues on pollock stocks assumed dissociated 

 from the Aleutian Basin Stock. 



Surely history tells us how imprudent these practices are and guides us to pre- 

 cautionary approaches mandating sever restriction or perhaps banning of these and 

 similarly destructive and disruptive practices? Does it not also indicate the necessity 

 for ecosystem management? Don't we need to recognize the importance of selective 

 gear use and the need to account for the destruction of associated and dependent 

 species, their habitats and ecosystems if we are to realize the long term benefits 

 from these common resources? 



Commitments of the United States to Other Countries to Reduce Bycatch and 

 Waste: Support for Clean fishing by Citizen Organizations. 



The government of the United States has committed itself within the inter- 

 national community to the goal of minimizing bycatch waste. Specifically, the Presi- 

 dent of the United States signed, on June 14,1992, the United Nations Conference 

 on Environment and Development (UNCED) Agenda 21, which included the follow- 

 ing commitment: 



"Promote the development and use of selective gear and practices that mini- 

 mize waste of catch of target species and minimizes bycatch of non-target spe- 

 cies." Chapter 17 Program Area D, Sec. 79(d). 



This same principle was previously affirmed at the International Conference on 

 Responsible Fishing at Cancun, Mexico in May, 1992. 



On June 1,1993 the United Nations released the U.S. position statement on 

 Straddling and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks which states: 



"Regional organizations or bodies should promote environmentally safe tech- 

 nologies, including minimizing pollution, bycatch, and other forms of waste, as 

 part of any conservation programme for the area." General Assembly document 

 A/CONF.164/L.3, Item 9. 



Thus both Republican and Democratic Presidents and Congress have pledged the 

 United States to reducing bycatch. Unfortunately these International commitments 

 have not been Implemented at the Council level because they are not yet written 

 Into United States law. It is therefore imperative that these same principles to pro- 

 mote "clean fishing" be incorporated as legally binding and enforceable provisions 

 in the current reauthorization of the Magnuson Act. 



The State of Alaska in its testimony before this Subcommittee in June stated: 



"* * * Congress can provide the leadership to address this problem by 

 strengthening the conservation provisions in the Act, and providing a priority 

 for the use of 'cleanest' gear and fishing practices which are available for har- 

 vesting a particular fishery resource." 



The recent international Pacific Northwest Roundtable on Straddling and Highly 

 Migratory Fish Stocks held in Vancouver, British Columbia stated a non-negotiable 

 principle of fishing as follows: 



"No fishing technique shall be allowed where more selective techniques 4 pro- 

 tecting weak or threatened target or non-target species exists." 



The Marine Fish Conservation Network testimony to the Senate Committee on' 

 Commerce, Science and Transportation recommendations included: 



