Overview
Title
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Exempted Fishing Permits
Agencies
ELI5 AI
The government is thinking about letting some fishermen catch a few special fish called speckled hind for a study, even though they're usually not allowed to. They're asking people what they think about this idea.
Summary AI
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has received an application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) from Dr. David Portnoy at Texas A&M University. If approved, this permit would allow select commercial fishermen to catch a limited number of speckled hind fish in the South Atlantic to study their population, genetic diversity, and life history. Due to the current prohibition on speckled hind fishing, this permit would let researchers gather essential data without additional environmental impact. The NMFS is considering this application and is open to public comments until March 12, 2021.
Abstract
NMFS announces the receipt of an application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) from Dr. David Portnoy, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi. If granted, the EFP would allow a limited harvest of speckled hind in South Atlantic Federal waters by select commercial fishermen. The samples collected would be used to assess the speckled hind population structure, genetic diversity, and life history in the South Atlantic.
Keywords AI
Sources
AnalysisAI
The document in question announces the receipt of an application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This permit application, submitted by Dr. David Portnoy from Texas A&M University, seeks permission to allow a limited number of speckled hind fish to be harvested in South Atlantic Federal waters. The purpose of this permit is to facilitate research into the fish's population structure, genetic diversity, and life history. The researchers aim to gather data that is currently insufficient due to existing fishing restrictions.
The document provides methods for the public to submit comments on the application until March 12, 2021. It also specifies that the research would involve collecting speckled hind samples from two volunteer commercial fishermen and describes the process of sampling and analysis.
Significant Issues and Concerns
Several concerns arise from the document. Firstly, there is a question of transparency regarding the selection of the two commercial fishermen. The document does not explain why these particular individuals were chosen, which could suggest a potential conflict of interest or favoritism.
Secondly, the document mentions that the harvest of speckled hind would be incidental during routine fishing trips, but it lacks detail on how these activities will be monitored and how the 40 fish per year limit will be enforced. This raises concerns about the oversight and regulatory frameworks that will be in place to ensure compliance with the permit conditions.
Additionally, while the document calls for public comments, it does not articulate how these comments will be integrated into the decision-making process. There is an implied expectation that public feedback will influence the decision but no clear procedure on how differing opinions will be reconciled.
Potential Impacts on the Public and Stakeholders
For the general public, there is a potential benefit in terms of improved scientific understanding of the speckled hind, which could inform future conservation and fishery management decisions. However, there might also be concerns about the potential environmental impact of altering current fishing prohibitions, even if limited.
Specific stakeholders, such as commercial fishermen and research institutions, may be directly affected. Commercial fishermen may have concerns about the fairness and transparency of the permit process, especially if only a select few are involved. Research institutions, particularly Texas A&M University, may view this as an opportunity for significant advancements in marine biology research.
Finally, the provision for anonymous public comments might lead to difficulties in assessing the validity and credibility of the feedback received. This could complicate the transparent evaluation of public sentiment and, consequently, affect the permit's approval process.
Overall, while the permit application and proposed research aim to fill critical knowledge gaps about the speckled hind, the document suggests underlying challenges in transparency and regulatory enforcement that need to be addressed to ensure public trust and achieve the desired scientific objectives.
Issues
• The document's purpose and procedures are outlined clearly; however, potential conflicts of interest are not addressed, such as why only two commercial fishermen have been selected and how they were chosen.
• The document specifies that incidental harvest will occur during routine commercial fishing trips, but does not provide details on how the 40 speckled hind per year limit will be monitored and enforced, raising concerns about regulatory oversight.
• The application suggests reliance on comments from the public, yet does not specify how differing public and expert opinions will be taken into account in the final decision.
• There is potential for favoritism towards Texas A&M University and Dr. David Portnoy, as they are explicitly mentioned as the beneficiaries of the research grant and proposed EFP.
• The document mentions possible conditions on the permit, such as prohibitions on fishing within marine protected areas, but does not specify the process for determining or enforcing these conditions.
• The provision for anonymous comments might lead to challenges in assessing the credibility and relevance of the feedback, which could affect the permit's decision-making process.