Pacific Marine Conservation Council (PMCC) advocates for ecosystem-based management that fosters sustainable fishing communities. The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy was clear in stating, “ U.S. ocean and coastal resources should be managed to reflect the relationships among all ecosystem components, including humans and non-human species and the environments in which they live.” We agree.
As PMCC considers important and controversial issues, we think in terms of benefiting the marine environment and the people and livelihoods connected to the sea. In this spirit, we offer the following position statement regarding data gathering.
Data on West Coast groundfish has not been gathered in sufficient quantity and, in some cases, quality to adequately address uncertainty. Total catch information (landed fish plus all discard) is critical to sound fisheries management, and is lacking. Little information exists on essential habitat for many life stages of exploited species. The collection of social and economic information critical to understanding the effects and implications of management on fishing communities has not been prioritized. Fishers, scientists, managers, conservation and public interest groups are all frustrated by this lack of information. Change is crucial.
The majority of groundfish species managed under the current Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) have never been assessed. The continued exploitation and overfishing designation of groundfish species makes evaluation of current biomass even more critical. Constant monitoring should be required for species designated as overfished or approaching an overfished condition. An observer program can aid in monitoring and data collection and is particularly critical for gathering total catch information. There is also a need for the PFMC to identify species for which little or no data exist and establish procedures for making precautionary management decisions in the interim period while data are being collected.
- Data gathering needs should be planned at least three years in advance.
- Data already gathered but not compiled should receive high priority.
- Charter boat logbooks should be encouraged and utilized.
- Fishing vessels should be contracted for research whenever feasible.
- The collection of socio/economic, habitat, and gear selectivity data should be prioritized.
