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Dr. Mark C. Holliday - MAFMC SSC,NMFS Office of Policy

Dr. Sherry Larkin – SAFMC, GMFMC SSCs, Food & Resource EconomicsUniversity of Florida

National SSC Workshop: Catch Shares & Commercial Fishing Communities

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Session Goals & Objectives

The focus of this session’s discussion is how can SSCs encourage greater engagement and recognition of communities & community objectives in the fishery management policy process, and link them to application of catch share design tools for this particular outcome.

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Session Context

Social Scientists on the SSC have a unique perspective, and this is an opportunity to provide advice and counsel to the Fishery Management Councils on this topic.

In January 2011 NMFS convened a workshop on fishing communities and the use of catch shares. The findings and recommendations from the proceedings are offered as a reference point for our discussion.

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Session Process

Our process is to compare information from the workshop to sustainable fishing communities’ needs around the country, and identify policy/process/other gaps and impediments, and recommend to Council and NMFS leadership the steps to close these gaps.

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Workshop Details

January 11-13, 2011 Washington DC 25 participants: HQ and regional NMFS; Regional Council members/staff; NOAA general counsel; fishermen; community and fishery-based association experts 9 Discussion Topics Read ahead Briefing Papers/Trigger Qs./Small group facilitated discussions/Report-outs 5 Context Presentations on Community Experiences

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9 Discussion Topics

Topic 1: MSA: Communities in Fisheries Management

Topic 2: MSA 303A Limited Access Privilege Programs & Communities

Topic 3: Non-303A Community Pathways for Councils - CFAs, Sectors

Topic 4: Sustainability Plans and RFA Plans

Topic 5: Monitoring and Evaluating Community Objectives/Outcomes

Topic 6: Communities Getting and Holding Quota: (Initial Allocation, Transferability, Accumulation Limits, Permit Banks, Fisheries Loan Fund, Catch Accounting)

Topic 7: Facilitating Community Organization efforts

Topic 8: Current FMP goals and objectives affecting communities; Threats and opportunities; Future vision relative to communities

Topic 9: Transferring Knowledge – Future Communication and Engagement Strategies with communities

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Five Community Experiences

Pt Clyde and New England Sectors

Cape Cod Fisheries Trust Central California

Groundfish Project Kodiak, Alaska Cortez, Florida

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Summary Findings/Needs

1. Councils need to delimit regionally-specific eligibility criteria, define how these criteria relate to overarching management objectives so that groups may design FCs and/or RFAs that align with Council goals;

2. The function, advantage, and appropriate/intended use of FCs and RFAs need to be expressed more clearly to stakeholders and potential members;

 

3. Existing fishermen entities could provide the basis for future FCs and RFAs; however, it is unclear how/if these entities are better than non-Section 303A entities that currently exist;

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Summary Findings/Needs

4. Sustainability plans should be comprehensive but they should also strive to reduce reporting of superfluous information;

 

5. To successfully develop FCs and RFAs, communities need financial and technical assistance from NOAA and the Councils and in some cases third-party expertise;

 

6. NOAA should develop an online clearinghouse of catch share information to hold and disseminate data, knowledge and case study building blocks to support decision-makers, community leaders, and the industry;

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Summary Findings/Needs

7. There are a suite of regulatory “levers” that can be integrated into catch share program designs to achieve economic, social, and ecological outcomes;

 

8. Community organization efforts requires collaboration of agency and public-private cross-sector approaches providing understandable information, financial and technical assistance to off-set start-up costs, and a commitment to long-term communication, monitoring and follow-up with communities;

 

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Summary Findings/Needs

9. Community-related issues need to be brought to and sought out by the Councils more directly by way of formal advisory committees or expanded consultation mechanisms in communities;

 

10. Benefits and impacts of catch share programs need to be made more accessible to the public via a consortium of governmental, non-governmental, and non-profit entities that have experience and long-term

relationships working with local communities.

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SSC Trigger Questions

i. How can SSCs encourage greater engagement and recognition of communities/community objectives in the fishery management policy process?

ii. What are the best options for consideration of catch shares as a means to address sustainable community objectives?

iii. What are the impediments or barriers for consideration of catch shares as a means to address sustainable community objectives?

iv. What are the data monitoring and performance tracking requirements for implementation of catch share solutions to community objectives?

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SSC Recommendations

Enter your ideas here….

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Backup Slides

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Topic 1 Communities in Fisheries Management

Council framework in which communities can define themselves. Council is responsible for final decision, but self organizing is important, allows buy-in, and can be a very ‘personal’ decision for a community and individual fishermen.

Community resilience, sustained participation is a multiple generational concern.

• Maintaining sustained participation - may change radically over time (and not look like the ‘historical’ fishery).

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Topic 1 Communities in Fisheries Management

There is more flexibility in the MSA for defining communities than is utilized. Establish management goals first

• Align with MSA

• Provide the flexibility

Need (1) outreach and communication about the flexibility allowed, and (2) new tools to help with analyses.

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Topic 2 - Fishing Communities and Regional Fishery Assns.

Explicit Community provisions in MSA 303A(c) Collective quota holding under LAPPRequire criteria developed by Council and approved by SecretaryRequire Sustainability Plans (FCs) or RFA plans

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Topic 2 LAPPs and Communities

Councils should first identify goals, then determine if FC/ RFA criteria help meet the goals. Why consider RFA if other approaches are available that are less limiting? Ask “What?” first, then the “how?” Communities must be organized to participate• Existing associations and community structure

NS4 not a problem

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Topic 3 Other Community Pathways for Councils

Interest in learning more about Pacific CFAs and New England sectors

Need outreach from NMFS on options

More flexibility than realized

Potential implications: less oversight and constraint; self-determined groups; cost recovery; path for initial allocation

More info about these new tools

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Topic 4 Sustainability and RFA Plans

Accountability to public and community• How quota will be used, benefit the greater community

General standards for all plans, guidelines on customizing These are strategic plans– require future vision Include performance standardsAdministrative burden - communities will need resources and expertise

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Topic 5 Monitoring and Evaluation

Councils need to require data collectionSome data may or may not be available, have to look for it and compileData sources: census, economic quarterly info, CDI groupsTrack changes, and also meaning behind those changes. Long term analysis

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Topic 6 Getting and Holding Quota

Initial Allocation• Challenge for all catch share programs• Tied to goals, must include restrictions and duration to meet the goal• Set-asides for communities -

Depends on fishery conditions

Based on landings history or other criteria

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Topic 6 Getting and Holding Quota

Transferability• Depends on management goals• Effect on other market participants

Access to quota

Low market experience

• Consolidation•Mechanism to move quota into permit bank or allocation pool

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Topic 6 Getting and Holding Quota

Accumulation Limits• Higher for FCs/RFAs• What are caps based on?

- Individuals

- Community goals

- Limited grandfather clauses

- How to deal with over-the-limit

- Divestiture

- Reverted back to pool upon transfer

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Topic 6 Getting and Holding Quota

Permit Banks• Advantages: anchor quota, access for new entrants•Disadvantages: unused quota, effects on market. political •Council determines what entities could operate as permit bank

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Topic 6 Getting and Holding Quota

Fisheries Loan Funds• Set-aside or some mechanism to generate

funds for loan program• Community raise funds- economic

development• Statutory authority for NMFS to provide loans

to communities• Private loans and philanthropic program

investments

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Topic 6 Getting and Holding Quota

Catch Accounting• Difference between individual and group?• Jointly liable• Norms for self-enforcement

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Topic 7 Facilitating Community Organization Efforts

Proactive Approach- outreach and education• Council, NMFS, NGO, community?

Support – funding, tools, data management• Start-up versus on-going support

Interaction with communities Seek out partners and community leaders

• Emphasis on Sea Grant extension agents

Provide building blocks, but consider regional differences

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Topic 8 Current FMP Goals and Objectives….

Few Community “Goals” in FMPs WPFMC Ecosystem plans have community goals

Community Participation in Council processAttend meetings

Community reps on Advisory Panels or on Council

Provide opportunities, but let communities organize

Rebuilding takes priority, but as stocks improve we can focus on community goals

No FMP goals does not indicate lack of concern

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Topic 9 Transferring Knowledge: Future Communication and Engagement Strategies

Accessible tools for Councils and communities Case studies of community organizations

Clarified guidance on 303A provisions

Organizational strategies and data management tools

Community solutions, not just catch shares Broader community impacts of managementTools, Outreach, Education must be tailored for the

community (cultural, linguistic, etc)

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Topic 9 Communication

Critical to reach out to communities, be proactive Community extends beyond fishermen Division of labor: Council/NMFS/others?

Sea Grant, states, NGOs, other to partner