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George Lapointe, Commissioner
Department of Marine Resources
As we approach the fall slow down of the lobster fishery and the quickening of the urchin fishery, I've heard much discussion about how the zones are working. This has ranged from leave them alone to do their work to let's do away with the zones and zone management because they'll "never work."
Both the lobster and urchin zone processes are now five years old. They were established as part of Maine's co-management system where the fishermen shared management responsibility with resource managers, fostering a sense of responsibility and commitment to the fishery that was not easily found in traditional fisheries management.
In the lobster zone management system, lobstermen vote on number of traps per fishermen, traps per trawl, and fishing hours; and they make recommendations on limited entry ratios should a zone choose to go forward with an entry restriction program.
The Sea Urchin Zone Council (SUZC) makes recommendations on the urchin season, research programs, and on other issues pertinent to the urchin fishery.
All the folks involved in the lobster and urchin zone processes have put in an incredible amount of time and energy to make this side-by-side management system work -- and it has paid off.
Every lobstermen and urchin fishermen has benefited from the sacrifice and heart that zone participants have put into making the management process better. The zones have worked on the issues before them to protect both fishery resources and the fishermen and communities involved.
To be sure, it hasn't been easy. At times, we have all been frustrated with the pace or content of the discussions.
It is important to remember that, in the zones, Maine has built a new governance system that takes time, plus trial and error, to work. It is a process that we will all have to work on continually to make sure that we work on the right issues and that we improve the zone system to better use shared management in these fisheries.
Improved communication
In thinking about how zone management has worked, it is critical to not only look at the voting items before the zone councils but also at the other work that the zones have taken on.
With lobsters, right whale protection and the Lobster Conservation Management Team (LCMT) process of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) quickly come to mind.
The contributions of industry representatives, sometimes for more than a decade, on these issues have resulted in processes that have more fishermen involvement than ever before. The lobster management zones have made communication easier and better. They have allowed information and ideas to move from lobstermen to the department, and from the department to lobstermen, so that tough, necessary decisions are made with as much real world input as possible.
Can you imagine resource managers coming up with a plan like the LCMT plan recently approved by the ASMFC? Similarly, Maine's whale plan, which is entirely dependent on industry participation and support, is the result of much discussion among zone council members and between the zones and managers.
Maine's SUZC is another example of a zone process working. This year, the SUZC worked hard for six or seven months to craft a management recommendation for this year's season that protected the urchin resource with a 25% reduction in effort in a way that allowed harvesters and process some access to the fishery.
Urchin council members talked to many harvesters, processors, scientists, and the department in crafting a viable solution. Again, commitment and communication were key components in making this work.
Work together
We have often asked others for the opportunity to do things ourselves. The lobster and urchin councils are our chance to do just this and we've been doing a pretty good job.
I urge all lobstermen and urchin fishermen to become actively involved in the zones to continue to work in these collaborative processes. I think that it was one of this Nation's founders (Franklin? Jefferson?) that said something to the effect that the key to democracy is an informed citizenry.
In Maine, the zone process has shown that informed, involved citizens do make the government system work better. The future success of the zones depends on your involvement.
Let's work together to make the zones better still. The department looks forward to working with you in this important work.
