FINDINGS OF TWO RECENT U.S. REPORTS ON EXCESS HARVESTING CAPACITY IN FEDERALLY MANAGED COMMERCIAL FISHERIES

摘要

NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) recently completed two reports on excess harvesting capacity, National Assessment of Excess Harvesting Capacity in Federally Managed Commercial Fisheries and Excess Harvesting Capacity in U.S. Fisheries:A Report to Congress. This paper presents the definitions of harvesting capacity, excess capacity, and overcapacity used in the two reports; summarizes the method used to estimate harvesting capacity; and presents some of the findings and policy recommendations in the two reports. The National Assessment was used in preparing the Report to Congress. The Report to Congress includes harvesting capacity assessments for 25 fisheries, 60 fleets, and 127 species groups; identifies and described the fisherieswith the most severe examples of excess harvesting capacity; and discusses measures to reduce excess harvesting capacity.