New (fed) rules to tighten limits on fishing

[jpak]

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/state/070113fishing.html

WASHINGTON - President Bush signed new federal fisheries regulations into law Friday calling for stricter controls on fishing and more research into fish stocks.

"After years of discussion and debate on this critical issue, a framework for the national fishing industry has been created that strikes a thoughtful balance between marine environments and the importance of commercial fishing to coastal communities in Maine and throughout the nation," said Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, who attended the signing at the White House.

The law, which hasn't been updated in a decade, governs fishing in federal waters within 200 miles of shore. It is important to Maine because commercial fishing employed 8,500 people in the state and provided $400 million worth of landings last year. But groundfish landings over the past decade declined by a quarter and the number of active fishing boats fell by nearly a third.

The compromise that Congress settled on says catch limits must not exceed the "maximum sustainable yield," meaning fishing activity cannot cause a further decline in individual stocks. Regional councils will rely on scientific advisers to determine actual limits.

<more>