80 



Councils and Fishery Advisory Committees, took a positive step by discussing seriously at its 

 first meeting a "no harvest" recommendation for certain rare species, particularly whale and 

 basking sharks. 



On the other hand, management under this type of team approach may prove 

 problematic. The team is bound by federal regulations from actually voting on controversial 

 issues, which could furdier stall unresolved, tough decisions. Specific responsibilities and 

 procedures for the team have yet to be defined, and it is unclear how often they will meet or 

 how their woric will be received by the Secretary of Commerce. In addition, due to legal 

 limitations on appointments, balanced represenution from all interest groups has not been 

 achieved. Whether the team can be effective in improving the shark FMP remains to be seen. 



Comments on die plan's interim regulations were accepted until June 25 and final 

 decisions are expected this week. Among our recommendations were a reduction in annual 

 commercial quotas and recreational bag limits for large coastal and pelagic species groups, a 

 quota for small coastal sharks, a mechanism to incorporate fishery-independent data to 

 improve stock assessments and estimates of maximum sustainable yield, a mandatory dealer 

 permitting and reporting program, and continuation of the current regulations prohibiting 

 finning. 



BillFish. The four primary "billfish" caught within the Atlantic include the blue 

 marlin, the white marlin, sailfish, and the swordfish (addressed and managed separately). 

 According to ICCAT's 1992 SCRS report both the blue marlin and the white marUn are 

 overexploited. This 1992 report removed the long used excuse that more scientific 

 assessment of billfish was needed before management recommendations could be made. The 

 1993 SCRS report for sailfish, which was released this month, reflects that the Atlantic 

 sailfish is also fully exploited, at a minimum. 



Today, excluding the targeted swordfish industry, ninety percent of today's 

 commercial exploitation of billfish is as a bycatch of the longlining industry. The Atlantic 

 billfish bycatch fishery is now comprised of approximately fourteen countries which in 1991 

 commercially caught and sold a reported 3674 mt. The entire recreation takes for the entire 

 Atiantic for 1991 amounted to only 4% of all commercial takes within the same area. 



The Atiantic recreation billfish industry is comprised of anglers, captains, and crews 

 from approximately fourteen countries, witii die U.S. having die largest contingent of fishers. 

 Witiiin die U.S., recreational catching of billfish is a traditional use, and differs from many 

 otiier forms of fishing in diat it is primarily a non-consumptive fishery that is driven by the 

 quest for the "uncommon event." That is, the experience is the basis of the value, not the 

 food value of die flesh, or a combination of Uie two. While primarily a non-consumptive 

 industry, its economic contribution is significant; a recent report in Salt Water Sportsman 

 reveals that "tournament fishermen pumped $164 million-excluding tournament fees 

 (estimated to be over $20 million in 1988)-into local economies in pursuit of billfishing in 

 die western Atiantic in 1990." 



In contrast to die secretarial management of bluefin, swordfish and sharks, die five 

 Atiantic fishery management councils should be commended for taking affirmative steps in 

 1988 witii die approval of die Atiantic Billfish Management Plan and implementing 

 regulations. These regulations applied to billfish caught widiin die U.S. EEZ and diose caught 

 beyond diis zone, but possessed shoreward of die outer boundary of die EEZ of die Atiantic, 

 Gulf of Mexico, and die Caribbean Sea. The plan begins widi die recognition diat because of 

 die migratory nature of diese fish, management measures must be applied diroughout dieir 

 range and recommends an international plan to complement die FMP. The reach of die plan 

 beyond our EEZ has widistood legal challenge, and should serve as a model for U.S. 

 management of highly migratory species. 



The amended FCMA provides diat die Billfish Management Plan, as widi all plans for 

 highly migratory species, shall remain in effect until a new plan is released by die Secretary 



