Creating A Balance For Bottom Trawling

Stephanie Polito

Marine & Coastal Ecology

CSUMB

11/13/13

Introduction to Bottom Trawling• Hidden beneath the surface of the ocean is a world waiting

to be explored• 500,000 and 5,000,000 marine species are yet to be

discovered• What are some ways to reduce fisheries bycatch &

discard from the resulting practice of bottom trawling in California?

Early History of Bottom Trawling

• 1376- petition required the prohibition of a wondyrchoum

• 19th Century- There should be no regulation/limitations on Bottom Trawling

Current Regulations

• Limited Entry• Trip Limits• Size Limits

• Seasons

• Gear Restrictions• Closed Areas

Who’s At Stake?

• Environmentalist• Fishermen• Tourists

General Approaches

• Encourage good fisheries management

Sustainable practice, education, & protecting vulnerable marine habitats

Policy OptionsPolicy

Options

Environmental sustainability Economic

Sustainability

Social Equity

Sustainably

managed

rights

Fisheries management required to

incorporate ecological aspect (+)

Reduce threats to life (+)

Ensure long-term health, integrity &

adaptability of ecosystems (+)

Protection & preservation (+)

Limit overfishing (+)

Reduce high ratio

of fuel spent per

ton of fish landed

(+)

Less boats (+)

Reduce protein

energy < fuel

energy (+)

Alleviate competition (+)

Put some fishermen out of a

job (-)

Promote tourism (+)

Possible increase on amount

spent for seafood (-)

Bottom

trawling ban

Marine habitats can recover (+)

Reestablish species growth (+)

Vulnerable species not caught (+)

Destruction to ocean reduced (+)

Less boats (+)

Ensure sustainable

fish community (+)

Less fishermen (-)

Moral values on coastal

communities (+)

Encourage diversity (+)

Loss of jobs (-)

Recommendation• Implement Sustainably Managed Bottom Trawling Rights!• Limitations: Sustainable Fishing Rights• Concession: Ban = Loss of Jobs for Fishermen• Consequence: Result in Illegal Fishing Practices

Picture References• http://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/visions/coral/

image13_650.jpg• http://www.greenprophet.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/

bottom-trawling-greenpeace-560x385.png• http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/Global/usa/graphics/2006/10/

bottom-trawling.jpg• http://oceana.org/sites/default/files/Trawling.jpg• http://assets.panda.org/img/original/ws_350_hp.jpg• http://www.alaskafishradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/

Trawl-fishing-nets.jpg• http://www.marine-conservation.org• https://web.duke.edu/nicholas/bio217/durkee-eyler-franken/

images/trawling-b-a.jpg