114 



Second, regional fishery management councils must be directed 

 to aggressively pursue market-based solutions to fishery management 

 problems. Until some form of property rights are assigned in 

 fisheries, participants will continue to engage in open access 

 (Olympic-style) fisheries. This race for the fish reduces 

 efficiency, inhibits marketing opportunities, and can lead to 

 wasteful fishing practices. 



Finally, stronger federal guidelines must be developed for the 

 council process. Councils are increasingly involved in contentious 

 allocation disputes, but if these bodies are going to wield 

 authority, guidelines for responsible action must be in place. 

 There must be stricter guidelines dictating standards and 

 methodologies for analysis performed when substantive reallocations 

 are proposed. Some argue that the NMPS regional officials should 

 be more assertive in guiding the councils, but we must be 

 realistic. As long as elected officials urge the Secretary to 

 override the views of the agency's professional fishery managers, 

 as happened in 1992, it is likely that fishery managers in the 

 agency will remain circumspect in advising the councils. 



Avoiding Conflict When the 1994 Allocation is Considered. 



AFTA offers the following thoughts on adopting a process to 

 rationalize the Pacific whiting regulatory scheme for 1994 and 

 beyond. 



1. The 1993 NMFS decision on whiting mirrors the agency's 

 views detailed in the January, 1992 memo to the Council. All 



