SEATTLE (AP) — NOAA’s Fisheries Services has approved a new approach to managing the harvest of certain West Coast fish that it says will lessen cutthroat competition among fishermen and reduce overfishing.
NOAA officials said Tuesday that the new catch-share system allows fisherman to better plan their season.
NOAA’s Will Stelle Jr. says it will prevent fishermen from having to race out and catch as many fish as possible until a quota is reached.
The new system sets an overall catch limit for a fishery and divides the total catch into shares controlled by individual fishermen.
The system was developed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council and is expected to take effect early next year.
