Back in September I got excited about the potential for an expansion of individual transferable quotas (er, "dedicated access privileges") in U.S. fishery management (I want my ITQ!). I even unworriedly noted the objections of environmentalists who don't like the idea of "privatizing a public resource." Well, after approval by the Senate Commerce Committee on 12/15, a massive negative comment effort has prompted NOAA to spend a year studying the environmental impact of the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act [pdf press release]. It sounds like the environmental impact is focused on the definition of overfishing but I can't help but think the ITQ issue is related.
From the January 9th NOAA Fishnews e-mail:
Last year, NOAA Fisheries Service proposed some changes to the guidelines for implementing National Standard 1 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which requires us to develop plans to end overfishing and rebuild overfished stocks. In response, we received more than 250,000 comments from the public. It's clear that many people are concerned about the abundance of fish stocks, the extent that overfishing is still occurring in some fisheries, and the need to rebuild stocks so that optimum yield can be achieved for all fisheries.
Based on the significant number of comments received, we've decided to continue analyzing the proposed revisions to the guidelines. A scoping process will allow us to re-examine our original proposals and some additional proposals. Interested members of the public will have the opportunity to submit new ideas for other possible changes to the guidelines. After we publish the notice of intent to begin scoping, we will prepare a draft environmental impact statement and hold public hearings. You can read more about our plans in this month's Bill's Corner. Thanks for your interest in this important issue. - Bill Hogarth
Scoreboard:
(Some) Environmentalists - 2
Environmental economists (and Environmental Defense) - 1
