Some commercial fishermen do take the long view of their resource.  Here in
Maine there is both an upper and lower size limit of lobster.  Also females
with eggs that are caught in the traps have their tails notched and are
thrown back.  Any lobster with a notched tail must be tossed back.  As the
notch in the tail lasts through several sheddings of the carapace this means
that the females are returned to breed even if they are not bearing eggs
when caught. These limits are supported by the fishermen to preserve their
livelyhood. Each fishes a particular area so obeying the laws on size and
tossing females back effects the lobster population they make their living
from.
 Lobster catches have been at record levels over the last few years but this
seems to be unrelated to lobster consevation measures that are in place. No
one seems to know why catches have been so high but the fishermen are
finally starting to work with the researchers to begin to figure out all the
things we don't know about lobster breeding, migration, feeding and mating
habits.
Because a fisherman or group of fishermen fishes in only a particular area
they have an incentive to conserve the resource, If they don't they will
lose their livelyhood. If another fisherman tries to set traps in their area
they may get a warning shotgun blast and will find that the bouys to any
traps they lay will be cut.  This is very different from deep sea fisheries
where it is everyman for himself and whatever you lose or miss the next guy
will get. Conservation efforts in this sort of environment are much more
difficult to enforce and it is much more difficult to persuade a fisherman
that any of his conservation efforts will benefit him.

We are not going to solve these resource management issues on this List but
is is important to know that there are management models that work. Not all
commercial fishing or farming results in damage to the environment.

Beth DeHaas
Whitefield Maine

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ellen Bulger" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 12:49 PM
Subject: Re: [CONCH-L] Overcollecting (was re: filed lips)


> I'd put a commercial fishery and private collecting in different
catagories.
> If abalone collecting had been limited to private individuals instead of
> commercial endeavors, the situation now would not be so dire.
>
> Sadly, commercial fishing interests don't seem to take a long view. Just
look
> at the Grand Banks. And it impacts more than our hobby. And it's more than
> fishing too. Shrimp farming trashes mangrove habitats. i could go on and
> on....It's a drag.
>