Tuesday, December 19, 2006

International protection for spiny dogfish?

Europeans may save us from ourselves and protect spiny dogfish, just as hooks are being sharpened to go after spiny dogfish again in New England.

The European Union will propose trade restrictions under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).

Trade restrictions would largely shut down some unsustainable US fisheries since most spiny dogfish is exported.

Action by some US managers to allow fishing beyond scientific advice may ironically add weight to the CITES proposal by demonstrating poor management and the need for trade restrictions. Is this really what the Atlantic states fisheries managers were thinking when they voted for unsustainable fishing of spiny dogfish?

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