Catch shares, or Individual Fishing Quotas (IFQs) have been used successfully all over the world for many years. They are simply a means of distributing the commercial quota of fish, or other marine species, set by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Instead of fishermen racing to catch the total commercial quota, it is divided amongst the fishermen who participate in the catch share program.

As someone who has been fishing in the Gulf of Mexico for more than 25 years, I’m exasperated by the actions of some in Congress like Rep. Steve Southerland who are working to destroy the livelihoods of myself and hundreds of other hardworking Gulf fishermen.

March 29, 2012

Healthy fisheries are critical to build coastal economies, jobs, and communities. But healthy fisheries are not important just to coastal fishermen. Healthy fisheries are also important to the 97.3 percent of Americans who cannot catch their own fish in federal waters. Those Americans deserve healthy fisheries to provide access to fresh domestic seafood. Just like a healthy economy will produce more income, healthy fisheries produce more fish, and every American benefits.