Views Concerning Use of the Living Resources of the California Current
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Calif. JIw. Res. Comna., CalCOFI Rept., 13 : 91-94, 1969 VIEWS CONCERNING USE OF THE LIVING RESOURCES OF THE CALIFORNIA CURRENT GERALD V. HOWARD, Regional Director Pacific Southwest Region Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Terminal Island, California I have been asked to express the views of the Bu- ‘wetfish ’ ’ fisheries which harvest mackerels, anchovies reau of Commercial Fisheries concerning the legal, and bonito ; and the “ bottomfish ” fisheries which har- economic, sociological and technological problems im- rest, though not exclusiuely, species taken by trawl- peding the best use of the living resources of the ing. California Current and how they can be resolved. Californians generally do not think of the tropical The impediments are generally rather well knowii. It tunas as a resource of the California Current, prob- is their resolution which presents the challenge. ably because they occur in its southern extension off A rnajor objective of the programs of the Bureau Baja California and rarely in commercial quantities of Commercial Fisheries is to seek the resolution of off southern California. I have included them not only problems which handicap the economic well-being of because they support California’s most important the domestic fishing industry and hinder the best use fishery, but because the long-range tuna fleet’s experi- of the fishery resources. Success of Bureau research ence in overcoming economic difficulties has been more and service programs, however, depends on close col- successful than that of other elements of the Cali- laboration and cooperation with other parties, espe- fornia fishing fleet. I especially wish to mention cially State agencics. things that the tropical fleet has done to place itself Pertinent to the present discussion is that regula- in the more enviable situation. tion of fishing in the United States, aside from that A major factor preventinq the rational use, in- done under treaty with other nations, is done under cluding expansion of V.R. fisheries. lics in repula- State laws rather than Federal statutes. As a result, tions existing at the State level. Tabulations exist in the States have major influence or control over the various recent publications which indicate that Cali- development and utilization of the nation’s fishery fornia has a share of prohibitions against efficient resources. Bureau influence is largely advisory and. fishing and better utilization of the resources avail- depending on the policy of the States, its role is ac- able to the several users. This group is well aware of tive or passive in the development and rational utiliza- the restrictions on the kinds of commodities into tion of the aquatic living resources. which fish may be manufactured. You are well ac- To a considerable degree, varying with the situa- quainted with the restrictive quota? applied to the tion, State and Federal fishery programs are both anchovy fishery with rcspect to the total quota and complementary and interdependent. It is common, for the geographical quotas. You also know that there example, for the Bureau to provide research infor- are prohibitions against certajn gcars and the cap- mation of vital importance to a State and for State ture of certain species for commercial use. policy and regulations to affect sharply the degree to The objective of too many regulations, unfortu- which Bureau goals can be attained. The interde- nately, has not been to maintain the fish populations pendence of State and Bureau programs means that at levels which permit maximum sustainable yield team work is essential and that a vigorous State and to assist in their efficient and equitable harvest. agency is important to the Bureau and vice versa. Rather, the origin has been sociological and has re- sulted too often from conflicts between and among IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEMS users of the resources-conflicts between sport and commercial fishermen, among sportsmen and among The title of the present session of this symposium commercial fishermen. Regulations which have that categorizes the problems which arc jmpeding the best basis permit neither maximum use of our fishery re- use of the living resources of the California Cur- sources nor their efficient harvest, and they inevitably rent as legal, economic, sociological and technological. discriminate against some users. I will treat the legal and sociological problems as In that connection. it is encouraging that a number one category and the economic and technological prob- of recommendations hare been made recently for a lems similarly. In each instance the pair is so closely policy for the management of the marine fishery re- related. sources which, if adopted, should go far to remove It is also convenient to categorize the principal legal and sociological barriers which impede the best fisheries which operate in the Calfironia Current be- use of California’s living resources of the sea. The cause they have quite different characteristics and rccomnicndations which are similar. anpear in Coli- problems. I would identify three, the ‘(tuna” fish- forrzia onnd Use of thc Occcxn (University of Califor- eries which take the tropical and temperate tunas ; the nia, Institute of Marine Resources, IlMR Reference 92 CALIFORSIA COOPERATIrE OCEANIC FISHERIES IKVESTIGATIONS 65-21, October 1965) and California Fish and Wild- Beyond the application of technological advances life Plan (California Office of State Printing, Volume and the need for capital, marketing of the catch is 1, Summary January 1966) and Proceedings of the yet another problem in some fisheries of the California Goverfior ’s Advisory Commission on Ocean Re- Current. There appears to be a need for vigorous mar- sources. References f or the recommendation made by keting programs to expand the market available to the GACOR are provided in Compilation of Recommen- bottomfish producers, especially in northern Califor- dations of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on nia where vessels are on limits and unable to fish full- Ocean Resources (December 20, 1966, State Office of time. It would seem that well directed activity in this Planning, Department of Finance). Although the area might recover specialized markets now held by separate recommendations differ slightly, essentially foreign products. they urge that the marine resources be managed to Comparison of events in the tuna fisheries with attain the optimum sustainable yield while encourag- those in the wetfish fisheries and the bottomfish fish- ing efficient harvest. They recommend that where eries over the past decade attest to the contribution of recreational interests are involved, priority should technological advances and investment capital. The be given to reasonable and legitimate demands of comparison is not entirely fair, however. Tuna is a recreation and that the commercial fishery should be high-priced fish; domestic demand for the catch exists; encouraged to use any harvestable surplus. Imple- conflict among harvesters is minimum ; and regula- mentation of that policy would be appropriate for tions are either not needed or based solely on the prin- the situation in California. It would go far to elimi- ciple of maximum sustainable yield. Recovery of the nate conflicts among users of the resources and tuna fishery from near disaster in the late 1950’s thereby automatically contribute to the efficiency of caused by foreign competition is well known. Improve- commercial fishing. ment in their situation resulted from the introduction Implementation of a management policy like that of the purse seine power block which permitted con- described would make it much easier to tackle the version from bait fishing to seining and also the intro- major economic problem which has long confronted duction of new vessels of advanced design. Today, California fishermen-the competition from imported this fishery probably is in the best economic condi- fishery products from other states and foreign coun- tion of any large group of fishermen in the United tries. At least 50 percent of the fresh and frozen States. fish and perhaps 80 percent of the fish meal utilized I should say the observations about the economic in California are imported. Whereas present require- condition of the tropical tuna fishery are not meant ments for these products exceed the landings, local to imply that tuna fishermen are without problems. catches are delivered in a manner and at prices as to They have many but, so far, the majority has dem- limit their sale. The fact that California fishermen onstrated the ability to adjust to changing conditions must pay higher prices for vessels, gear, salaries, and to make a profit. boat repairs and insurance is largely responsible for Except for the tuna fisheries, California fishermen their higher production costs. generally have been free of international problems Much more attention must be given, now and in the which inevitably occur when more than one nation future, to means of lowering the cost of catching harvests the same resource. I will not get into the fish and improving the quality of the landings if international problems of the tropical tuna fisheries California fishermen are to compete successfully and but will mention that foreign harvesting of resources to increase their share of markets in California and off California has begun. The degree of future im- elsewhere. The key to accomplishment in this area is pingement by other nations will depend to a large the application of technological advances. An array of extent on whether California is adequately harvesting technological improvements are required. Among them its resources. If it does and can prove it, foreign im- are improvements to existing vessels and gear, new pingements can be controlled. Success here depends types of vessels and gear, improved practices of han- on the State’s ability, together with the Federal Gov- dling and holding of fish at sea, improved process- ernment through the Bureau, to establish a defensible ing techniques and new products. The application of position regarding the optimum harvest of the living ocean research results to improve fishing strategy also resources occurring off its shores.