10.0 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS 10.1 Consideration of Magnuson-Stevens Act Section 304 (g) Measures and National Standards 10.1.1 Evaluation of Possible Disadvantage to U.S. Fishermen in Relation to Foreign Competitors

• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.423.1947; http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/FSEIS_FINAL/FSEIS.final.section 10 and 11.pdf

In 1996, the United States supported a U.N. agreement 1 concerning highly migratory fish stocks which requires the use of the precautionary approach in fisheries management. The agreement requires nations to “minimize pollution, waste, discards, catch by lost or abandoned gear, catch of non-target species,.[and] to the extent practicable, the development and use of selective, environmentally safe and cost effective fishing gear and techniques. ” The action regarding the use of frozen bait promotes the use of more selective gear types (e.g., gear modifications to reduce bycatch) and the closed areas should help reduce waste and discards. NMFS continues to pursue, through international entities, comparable international management measures with respect to fishing for highly migratory species and incidental catch reduction. At the 1998 ICCAT meeting, SCRS was tasked with developing rebuilding schedules for swordfish for 5, 10, and 15 years. The 1999 swordfish stock assessment included that information (SCRS, 1999) and NMFS prepared a foundation for negotiation of a ten-year rebuilding plan based on the results of the assessment. In 1999, the United States and other ICCAT fishing member nations agreed to a rebuilding plan for North Atlantic swordfish. This rebuilding plan sets landings quotas and requires member nations to reduce swordfish discards. Country catch allocations