The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, tasked with, among other things, managing the nation’s fisheries resources, has recently announced plans to shift control of the at-sea fishery observer program over to the very fishing industry that is being observed. If this plan goes through, it could seriously degrade the truth and validity of these important biological observations. These observers go on board vessels to record the sizes and species of fish and marine mammals that come up in fishing nets, drags, longlines and other gear. This information is very different from the landings at the dock, as much of what is caught is not brought to shore, and observer coverage comprises one of the three main data sets that managers and scientists use to set fishing quotas and restrictions — the other two being regular surveys on oceanographic research vessels, and the record of commercial landings.
One of the validating features of the program was that it was performed by neutral government contractors, not under the influence of either side, and this quality should be rigorously defended if the information is to have any value. Both fishermen and conservationists gain from this neutrality, as the information gathered can and has been used to argue for either greater or relaxed management measures. The recent scallop fishery reopenings of closed areas are one example of adaptive management that directly benefited fishermen. Bad information, which could stem from a program without neutrality, will provide no long term gain for anyone.
Things are bad enough in the salty henhouse already, with our New England patrimony of groundfish stocks in a grossly reduced state, and we should not be letting any more foxes in through the door. Like the case with unaccountable security forces in Iraq, the right way to do things is to maintain a system of real checks and balances, and this plan does not pass the straight face test for neutral, high quality science. If we want our marine resources to recover, and for future generations of Mainers to work as groundfishermen, then it is time now to apply rational, accountable and effective management based on real quantitative science, the foundation of which is a valid accounting of what we are really taking from the sea.
A former NOAA on-board observer who has also worked at the Island Institute, Ben Neal is a graduate student at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California.