103 



COMMONWEALTH OF 



THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS 



Statement of Jesus C. Borja 



June 1, 1995 



cept of a community-based fishery development quota has merit. 

 The program would set aside a percentage of total allowable catch 

 for Alaska Native fishing communities in certain areas. This 

 would guarantee access to a portion of the harvest in a highly 

 competitive fishery. Without such protection, the native fisher- 

 men might not be able to compete with well-f inanced, high-tech 

 rivals. 



Such a program could have benefits for our indigenous fish- 

 ermen as well. It might not produce the immediate results seen 

 in Alaska, however, because our fishing industry is not as highly 

 developed as the Alaskan pollock fishery. The program is de- 

 signed for fisheries where limited entry restrictions are neces- 

 sary. We have no restricted fisheries now. Instead, we are try- 

 ing to develop our industry. Our fishermen lack the financial 

 ability to buy the vessels and equipment to be competitive, but 

 access to fish is not now an obvious problem. 



The Western Pacific Region Community Development Quota Pro- 

 gram is racially and ethnically neutral: Communities receive quo- 

 tas; indigenous fishermen do not. Given the small size of our 

 island communities and the heterogeneous nature of our popula- 

 tion, it might be difficult to tailor a program to benefit indig- 

 enous fishermen. As we explain above, ethnic preferences in fa- 



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