Minimum Size Restrictions Are a Problem for Fisheries, Is Litigation the Solution?

摘要

Fisheries management is a unique form of natural resource management because all stakeholders, in a way, want the same thing: sustainable fish populations. Yet, differing positions among stakeholders of how fish populations should be divided and managed mean that the odds are against a single effort removing minimum size restrictions. The complicated nature of the Magnuson-Stevens Act's regulatory framework and the prevalence of species-specific regulations mean thousands of rules would need to be changed. Moreover, litigation in the area has proven difficult for plaintiffs, with scientific rationales successfully changing the status quo only when "clear and convincing."