Key issues 



One of the key issues that remains to 

 be resolved in the implementation of 

 the Fishery Conservation and Man- 

 agement Act is whether reliable data 

 on the biological and socio-economic 

 aspects of fisheries can be developed. 

 In determining the optimum yield of a 

 fishery — that is setting the catch 

 quotas — councils must consider all 

 three factors. 



But according to Ernie Premetz, ex- 

 ecutive director of the South Atlantic 

 Fishery Management Council, "First 

 generation plans are very weak in the 

 area of optimum yield development. I 

 think as time goes on that situation 

 will change." 



Mandatory catch reports may help. 

 And studies are underway now to pro- 

 vide more information on recreational 

 catches and on the socio-economic fac- 

 tors. 



But for now, Premetz says, "What 

 we're having to work with, quite frank- 

 ly, are some really lousy statistics. And 

 we're having to make the assumption 

 that the fishery is fully utilized and 

 that is maximum sustainable yield and 

 optimum yield." Premetz adds "I'm 

 hoping that the National Marine Fish- 

 eries Service (NMFS) can begin to pro- 

 vide useful statistics. If they don't 

 we're just not going to be able to 

 manage anything." Ted Rice, director 

 of the NMFS Beaufort Laboratory, 

 acknowledges that the act has made 

 NMFS aware of the data it doesn't 

 have. 



While data are being developed, 

 Premetz says, the council is attempt- 

 ing to maintain the status quo in the 

 fisheries until "we can make some 

 meaningful decisions on what will turn 

 the fisheries around. We're trying to 

 get all the information together first 

 before we go willy nilly." 



The lack of information also may af- 

 fect the council's progress. Chuck 

 Oravetz of the National Marine Fish- 

 eries Service office in Miami says that 

 among the South Atlantic, Gulf of 

 Mexico and Carribean councils only 

 one plan has so far been submitted for 

 federal approval. But he says, "Some 

 of the other councils have the advan- 

 tage in that they have historical data 

 that does not exist in the Southeast." 



At a South Atlantic council meeting 

 in January, member J. Roy Duggan 

 criticized the group for not making 



Fishing on "the inside" — the sound 



decisions on the billfish plan sooner. 

 Duggan, whose term expires this sum- 

 mer, said "I would hate like hell to 

 have served on a council in which we 

 didn't approve a single plan. . . We've 

 got to determine to get this plan com- 

 pleted. . . It's hurting the whole image 

 of this council." 



Council chairman Ben Hardesty 

 responded in an interview later that 

 the council has needed time to get set 

 up. "I think most of us are trying to do 

 the best job we can with what is 

 available to us. I for one would like to 

 see these plans come on stream faster, 

 but when you consider that there are 

 seven national standards that we have 

 to consider for each and every one of 

 these plans and there are other laws 

 and restrictions confronting the coun- 

 cils, this is why that long time span." 



Implementation of the act also has 



pointed up the need to manage those 

 species — such as striped bass, 

 menhaden and shrimp — which range 

 from state to state in the territorial sea. 

 FCMA applies to the area from three 

 to 200 miles out at sea. The territorial 

 sea is the three-mile stretch adjacent to 

 the shore where states have jurisdic- 

 tion. 



Already there are interstate fish- 

 eries commissions, but council member 

 Ed McCoy of the N.C. Division 

 of Marine Fisheries says those com- 

 missions do not have the legal clout to 

 carry out their plans. Consequently, ef- 

 forts are being made in Congress to 

 strengthen that system. McCoy says 

 he is hopeful that such a bill will be 

 enacted. While he agrees on the need 

 for such a bill, Premetz suggests that 

 the economic climate isn't too promis- 

 ing for yet another set of commissions. 



