Washington Hunter
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Trawl fishing partially banned
Regulators attempt to protect habitats in Pacific Ocean
BY TERENCE CHEA
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
FOSTER CITY, Calif. -- Federal fishery regulators voted Wednesday to impose a permanent ban on trawl fishing in nearly 300,000 square miles of Pacific waters off the West Coast, a move hailed by environmentalists as a landmark in marine conservation.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council, which regulates West Coast fishing, chose a plan that will ban bottom trawling in depths beyond 700 fathoms (about 4,200 feet) as well as dozens of shallower areas believed to be critical habitat for groundfish such as rockfish, lingcod and Dover sole. The new regulations apply in federal waters that extend from three miles to 200 miles off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington.
The fishery management plan is aimed at protecting coral beds, kelp forests, rocky reefs and other sensitive fish habitat from trawling -- a practice that involves dragging weighted nets on the ocean floor to scoop up bottom-dwelling species.
"It's a huge victory for conservation," said Jim Ayers, Pacific region director for Oceana, which developed a plan similar to the one chosen. "It maintains economic opportunity for today's commercial fishermen, but more importantly, it ensures opportunity for future generations."
Trawl fishermen were skeptical that the new regulations would boost declining stocks of West Coast groundfish, but they did not think the trawling ban would hurt their livelihoods.
"I think the council's selection minimizes the negative impact on the fishing industry," said Pete Leipzig, who heads the Fishermen's Marketing Association, which represents groundfish and shrimp trawlers. "People wanted this knowledge that people won't go fishing there but people don't go fishing there anyway."
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Regulators attempt to protect habitats in Pacific Ocean
BY TERENCE CHEA
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
FOSTER CITY, Calif. -- Federal fishery regulators voted Wednesday to impose a permanent ban on trawl fishing in nearly 300,000 square miles of Pacific waters off the West Coast, a move hailed by environmentalists as a landmark in marine conservation.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council, which regulates West Coast fishing, chose a plan that will ban bottom trawling in depths beyond 700 fathoms (about 4,200 feet) as well as dozens of shallower areas believed to be critical habitat for groundfish such as rockfish, lingcod and Dover sole. The new regulations apply in federal waters that extend from three miles to 200 miles off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington.
The fishery management plan is aimed at protecting coral beds, kelp forests, rocky reefs and other sensitive fish habitat from trawling -- a practice that involves dragging weighted nets on the ocean floor to scoop up bottom-dwelling species.
"It's a huge victory for conservation," said Jim Ayers, Pacific region director for Oceana, which developed a plan similar to the one chosen. "It maintains economic opportunity for today's commercial fishermen, but more importantly, it ensures opportunity for future generations."
Trawl fishermen were skeptical that the new regulations would boost declining stocks of West Coast groundfish, but they did not think the trawling ban would hurt their livelihoods.
"I think the council's selection minimizes the negative impact on the fishing industry," said Pete Leipzig, who heads the Fishermen's Marketing Association, which represents groundfish and shrimp trawlers. "People wanted this knowledge that people won't go fishing there but people don't go fishing there anyway."
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