Recap of Second Capitol Hill Briefing

The second congressional staff briefing, "Ecological Benefits of Individual Fishing Quotas (IFQs) in Ocean Fisheries" took place on Friday April 23, 2004 in the Commerce Committee hearing room in the Russell Senate Office Building. More than 40 people attended, including staffers from the House and Senate, as well as fisheries managers and environmentalists. Notable staff offices represented included Senators Snowe (MA), Chafee (RI), and Lott (MS) and the House Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans.

The briefing focused on how IFQs can be used to improve fish conservation and the ocean environment more broadly. The speakers were Pam Baker, an Environmental Defense biologist from Texas, Wayne Werner, a Louisiana fisherman with twenty years experience in the Gulf of Mexico red snapper fishery, and all the way from the antipodes, Daryl Sykes, a former fisherman, who currently is advisor for the New Zealand Rock Lobster management company. Pam Baker and Wayne Werner addressed the biological waste caused by management-induced fishing derbies and the potential for IFQs to end the derbies and reduce bycatch. Daryl Sykes talked about how secure IFQs have prompted his rock lobster industry group to invest over half a million dollars every year in stock assessment and fishery management.

We are now putting together notes and other materials that will go into our second seminar booklet, which will be posted on this Web site.