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Gulf of Maine Research Institutes Releases Study on Cost Estimates for Development of a Phased-in Groundfish Fishery Sector Monitoring Program

Posted on: Wednesday, 4 June 2008, 18:00 CDT

Today, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute released a report by two fisheries monitoring experts, Howard McElderry, principal of Archipelago Marine Research Ltd., and Bruce Turris, principal of Pacific Fisheries Management Inc., on the expected cost of monitoring and reporting systems for groundfish fishery sector management in New England. This report provides estimates of the annual costs of operating an improved monitoring and reporting system for consideration by the fishing industry, NEFMC members, National Marine Fisheries Service staff, and others interested in moving forward with implementing sectors effectively.

The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) is currently considering 19 proposals by several groundfishing groups to opt out of the current Days-At-Sea effort control system of management to form harvesting cooperatives called "sectors" in New England. These self-organizing groups of fishermen will receive an annual quota of each of the groundfish species they catch in return for devising and implementing a legally binding plan to keep their total catch below their allocation.

There is widespread recognition by the fishing industry, environmental community, and fishery managers that the current monitoring and reporting system for the groundfish fishery is unlikely to be adequate for sector management. An improved monitoring and reporting system will also provide more accurate catch data for stock assessments which should improve their reliability. McElderry's and Turris' initial (Phase I) analysis of monitoring and reporting needs, presented to the NEFMC in April, recommended phased implementation of a new monitoring and reporting system for sectors with dockside monitoring of landings and a combination of human and electronic at-sea monitoring phased in over three years.

The Phase II report, presented to the NEFMC on June 4, provides cost estimates of operating an improved monitoring and reporting system, and analysis of factors that drive costs. The report draws on McElderry's and Turris' extensive experience designing and operating monitoring systems for several fisheries in British Columbia, Canada. Archipelago provides stand-alone monitoring programs in a variety of fisheries in BC, which vary by target species, fleet characteristics, fishing method, program structure and monitoring objectives.

The costs of monitoring options vary widely and are strongly affected by a variety of inputs that determine monitoring program size such as number of vessels, number of landing events, and number of sea-days. The fishery landing patterns (i.e. number and geographic distribution of landing ports) also play an important role in driving costs. The Phase II report analyzed costs based on a potential scenario of 50% of New England's groundfish fishing vessels operating under a sector management program.

The estimated cost of an enhanced reporting system with dockside monitoring ranges from $0.9 million to $1.9 million. A more comprehensive system with dockside and at-sea monitoring could cost between $6.5 million and $12.2 million per year to operate depending on the percentage of trips and landings observed and other factors. This significant investment may be offset by substantial increases in revenues and profitability if sectors allow fishermen to fish more efficiently. However, given the low current profitability of the groundfish fishery, it may be difficult for the industry to bear the full cost of new monitoring programs. Efforts are already underway to secure federal resources to share the costs of building a robust monitoring program for New England groundfish fisheries and provide a foundation for the industry to build upon.

The Phase I and II reports are meant to stimulate discussion amongst the fishing industry, sector organizers, Council members, NMFS staff, and other groups and agencies in order to advance discussion on monitoring for sectors and how it should be implemented. The next step will be to develop monitoring system specifications which will require discussion amongst fishery stakeholders. Decisions must be made about critical issues that drive cost (e.g., coverage levels, landing ports, staffing levels, timelines, reporting requirements, etc.), a service delivery model, and funding arrangements.

A copy of the report can be downloaded from the GMRI Web site at www.gmri.org/community.

About the Gulf of Maine Research Institute

The Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) is a non-profit marine science center located in Portland, Maine. Through a dynamic fusion of science, education, and community activities, GMRI catalyzes innovative solutions to sustain the Gulf of Maine community's vitality and character for future generations. GMRI's scientists partner with fishermen, environmentalists, and fishery managers to build knowledge of commercial fish species, critical habitats, fishing gear technology, and human behaviors to enable more effective ecosystem management in the Gulf of Maine. GMRI's education programs cultivate science literacy by engaging middle school students with the scientific method and encouraging them to learn about fresh and saltwater ecosystems. GMRI's community programs help to identify emerging challenges and opportunities in Gulf of Maine fisheries, and foster a climate of cooperation among a diverse mix of marine stakeholders. For more information about GMRI, visit www.gmri.org or call (207) 772-2321.

 Media contact: Dan Holland Gulf of Maine Research Institute 207-228-1643 dholland@gmri.org

SOURCE: Gulf of Maine Research Institute

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