Source: WCTI12
A valuable fish could soon be off the market and fishermen are wondering where that would that leave them. They are sharing their concerns with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA.
Wednesday night’s meeting was supposed to be for NOAA to gather data from fisherman about bluefin tuna, but many fisherman made it a point to emphasize that putting bluefin tuna on the endangered species list would spell disaster for them.
In an industry struggling to stay afloat, Eastern North Carolina’s fishermen are waiting to find out if their livelihood will be banned.
“It would destroy a number of fishing families and it would destroy a number of coastal businesses dependent on the fishery,†says Rich Ruais with the American Bluefin Tuna Association.
The Center for Biological Diversity asked the government to put bluefin tuna on the endangered species list. But the fishermen at the meeting say if the government does that, the only thing that will be an endangered species is them.
Fishermen like David Schalit, who first began fishing bluefin tuna when he was 8-years-old with his grandfather.
“We have fisherman in the fishery who have been fishing for bluefin for 3 generations, so that’s all they know,†says Schalit.
NOAA contends it is currently just trying to gather the best available data from the men at the helm to see if bluefin tuna needs to be added to the endangered species list. If it is, no more fishing of the valuable fish would be allowed.
“But it wouldn’t shut down all fisheries that interact with bluefin tuna, we would consult on those fisheries, but some incidental take would be allowed,†says Kim Damon-Randall an Endangered Species Coordinator.
The only shared point is that both groups want to see the species thrive.
The final decision will be made on May 24th.