MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Vol. 11, Issue 2

June 2006
Network News SPECIAL EDITION

In this Issue...
Senate Passes Fisheries Reauthorization Bill,
Letter from the
House Moves Forward
Executive Director 2 much debated National
A decade ago, Congress
passed the Sustainable Environmental Protection
New Network Staff 2 Fisheries Act (SFA), and it Act (NEPA) waiver, which
appears finally, that the would exempt fishery
Network’s Annual reauthorization of the management councils from
Meeting 3 Magnuson-Stevens developing a broad range
Fishery Conservation and of alternatives for fishery
Management Act (MSA) management plans and
Fish Fest 2006 4-5
is a distinct possibility would remove important
this Congress. The final opportunities for public
New Report on outcome, however, participation. In addition
Lee Crockett testifies at a House Resources
Overfishing 6 remains to be seen. to eliminating these
rollbacks, the Network
New Report on Senators Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Daniel would like to see many
Inouye’s (D-HI) bipartisan-supported bill, S. 2012, other provisions included or strengthened,
Bycatch 7
passed by unanimous consent on June 19. including the establishment of an accountability
During the first week in June all Senate measure for overages to annual catch limits, public
Mid-Atlantic Update 8 Republicans had cleared the bill, but several access to aggregate fisheries data, conflict of
Democrats had put holds on the bill while some of interest provisions for both council and Science
South Atlantic Update 8 the remaining issues were worked out. In general, and Statistical Committee members, and term limits
the Senate bill enjoys broad support, and with no on quota programs.
Pacific Update 9 rollbacks to current law, represents a positive step
forward in our attempt to achieve sustainable So, 10 years after Congress passed significant
Gulf of Mexico management of our nation’s fisheries. Of course, conservation improvements to fisheries
Update 9 the Network would like to see some aspects of the management, the House is poised to take giant
bill strengthened, but it is hard to complain when steps backward? The past decade shows that our
you consider what is happening on the House fishery management system is flawed; many
New Network side. councils have allowed continued overfishing in
Members 10-11 many fisheries, and their attempts to rebuild stocks
The climate in the House is markedly different. have failed far too often. This is not the time to roll
Calendar 12 Although several bills floated around the House, back current law; the outcome of this would be
~~~~~~
The Marine Fish
the bill moving is the “American Fisheries
Management and Marine Life Enhancement Act,”
both ecologically and economically devastating.
Congress must pass legislation that corrects some
Conservation Network H.R. 5018, introduced by Resource Committee of the problems contained in current law,
(Network) is a coalition of Chairman Richard Pombo (R-CA) and strengthens regulations regarding overfishing,
more than 190 environmental cosponsored by Don Young (R-AK) and Barney upholds NEPA, and establishes strong standards
organizations, commercial for limited access privilege programs.
Frank (D-MA). Although Pombo’s bill does
and recreational fishing
associations, and marine
contain some positive improvements from the
May 17 mark-up and some important elements As this legislation moves forward, the Network is
science groups dedicated to
promoting the long-term regarding reform of the regional fisheries working hard to ensure that the introduced version
sustainability of ocean fish. management councils and the use of science in of the Pombo bill is significantly strengthened.
The Network represents management decisions, the bill as a whole would The bill is fixable, and we hold out hope, but
nearly five million people. represent a real regression in fisheries without these necessary amendments, the Pombo
Please visit: management. First, the Pombo bill contains bill will represent a regression in law that in the
www.conservefish.org rebuilding timeline extension provisions for long run will not benefit fish or fishermen.
depleted fish. Second, the bill also contains the
 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

A Letter from the Executive Director

An Inconvenient Truth

Many people have seen the documentary about Al Gore’s global warming slide show, “An Inconvenient Truth.” The former Vice President
has been talking about global warming for years and has dedicated much of his life since the 2000 election to educating the public about
global warming. After years of work, his efforts are paying off. It seems like a day does not go by without a print, radio, or television story
about global warming. The media and the public are finally paying attention, but whether the government is remains unclear.
In the fish world, advocates and scientists have been talking about another inconvenient truth – we must end overfishing to rebuild
depleted fish populations. Sounds like common sense, doesn’t it? Not to federal fisheries managers. NMFS has proposed changing
federal law and regulations regarding rebuilding to allow overfishing for two years as part of a rebuilding plan. A NMFS spokesperson was
even quoted saying, “We can rebuild (fish stocks) while overfishing is occurring because unfettered, massive overfishing is not
occurring.” Overfishing is overfishing, and it must end if we want healthy fish populations.

Now comes a new scientific study by Dr. Andy Rosenberg and others (“Rebuilding U.S. Fisheries: progress and problems,” in press at
Frontiers in Ecology and Environment) that documents the impact of government efforts to end overfishing and rebuild depleted fish
populations. The picture the authors paint is not a pretty one. Nearly 10 years after Congress told NMFS to end overfishing and rebuild
depleted fish populations, only 3 populations have been restored. We have 67 populations under rebuilding plans and 45 percent of those
are still subjected to overfishing. The authors sum up the problem by saying “The clearest cause of the lack of progress in rebuilding is
the failure of many plans to reduce exploitation sufficiently to end overfishing.”

Congress has another chance to address this issue. Both the House and Senate Magnuson-Stevens reauthorization bills contain new
requirements for managers to set annual catch limits that prevent overfishing. That’s great. But what we really need is a way to enforce
these limits. The Senate has an enforcement mechanism in its bill that could be stronger, but the House has none. Hopefully, the finally bill
that goes to the President will contain strong limits and a way to enforce them. As the Rosenberg study shows, we can’t leave it up to the
managers to get overfishing under control, Congress must step in again. That’s the real inconvenient truth.

For the fish and fishermen,

Lee R. Crockett

Network’s New Staff

Amy Price, Aaron Prebenda,
Special Projects Intern Media/Communications Intern

The Network’s new Special Aaron Prebenda signed on with

Projects Intern, Amy Price, the Network as the new Media
started with us at the end of May. Intern in May of 2006. He will be
A native of Maryland, Amy an undergraduate senior this
graduated this past spring from upcoming academic term, majoring
the College of William and Mary in political science and minoring in
with a B.S. in biology. In her philosophy at the School of Public
classes and travels she was Affairs at American University in
struck by the dire state of much of the world’s biodiversity and Washington, DC. Aaron comes from New Jersey and has always
decided she would focus her career on conservation. She spent her had a fondness for the ocean. He recently became a certified PADI
previous summer working in an internship at the U.S. National Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver and, though not a regular
Arboretum, where she was introduced to the wide world of plants. fisherman, enjoys going on occasional fishing trips with his family.
Amy hopes her new focus on fish will prove to be as much fun as His interest in political journalism and his dedication to
the plants (no sarcasm implied!). In her free time, Amy enjoys conservation brought him to this internship with the Network.
kayaking and yoga. She plans to return to school next year to get
her Master’s in conservation ecology, but in the meantime is excited
to get some “real” experience in the conservation field.

MARINE FISH 2CONSERVATION NETWORK

 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Network’s Annual Meeting 2006

On June 6, 2006, the Marine Fish Conservation Network held its annual meeting in Alexandria, VA. Around 100 members of the Network
met to discuss the upcoming reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Network’s
new ecosystem/multispecies-based fishery management initiative. Attendees enjoyed two excellent presentations, one on ecosystem/
multispecies-based fishery management by Dr. Ed Houde of the University of Maryland, and another by Margaret Bowman, director of
Lenfest Ocean Program on rebuilding U.S. fisheries.

Network members were treated to the debut of the Network’s new fishery management video, The Long View: A Plan to Save Our Ocean
Fish – a 12-minute video exploring why we need to rely more heavily on sound science in U.S. marine fisheries management. The video
highlights the threats to marine fish populations, how declining fish populations have affected the fishing industry nationwide, and why it
is important to protect fishing communities and the fisheries that they depend on. (To order a DVD of the Network’s video, please contact
us at 202-543-5509.)

Following the meeting on June 6th, Network members visited Capital Hill to speak with Members of both the House and Senate. Network
members discussed the consequences of proposed rollbacks to existing law during Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorization, the need to
keep the Magnuson-Stevens and the National Environmental Policy Acts separate, and the need for strong standards for fishing quota
programs.

Ivy Newman and Justin Massey

Tony DeFalco coordinates with Pacific Coast

members
Caitlin Winans, Kate Simmons, and
Leda Cunningham

Speaker Margaret Bowman and Lee Crockett Dr. Ed Houde addresses the crowd

Bill Chandler and Stephanie Young

sign up for Hill visits

Katie Latanich,
Sarah Gallo,
Kasey Gallogly, Dan Jacobson,
Roger Fleming, Amy Dickson, and
and Aaron Viles Bob Strickland

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 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Fish Fest 2006

On June 8, 2006, the Network held Fish Fest 2006, a Celebration of Sustainable Seafood in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol
Hill. Fish Fest celebrates fishermen who fish responsibly using methods that target select species, avoid overfishing, and protect essential
fish habitat. The event also highlights Washington, D.C.’s finest chefs who prepare the sustainably caught seafood for Members of
Congress and their staff, Network members, and other ocean advocates.

This year more than 600 attendees enjoyed the savory, sustainably caught seafood from around the country. Attendees could also view
the Network’s newest educational video, The Long View: A Plan to Save Our Ocean Fish. Fish Fest allowed the Network to both heighten
awareness of America’s troubled oceans and recognize those fishermen and legislators who work hard to protect, restore, and conserve
marine fish.

The Network would like to thank the 22 Members of Congress who attended Fish Fest 2006 for taking time out of their busy schedules to
support the Network’s efforts.

A special thank you to all of the chefs and fishermen who generously donated their time and expertise, making Fish Fest 2006 a successful
event celebrating sustainably seafood.
All photographs unless otherwise stated are by Justin Schuck Photography

Tim Leahy, Dan Jacobson, Hope Lobkowicz, Erin

Sara Randall, Jennifer Johnson, and
Grizzard, and Amy Hojnowski
Congressman John Salazar

Photo by Network Staff

Chef Rock Harper from B. Smith’s

Najah
Abdullah
Tom Wheatley, and Peter
Jo Knight, and Huhtala
Jason
Schratwieser

Zeke Grader talks to

Congressman Lloyd Doggett, Celeste Drake, and Congresswoman Grace Napolitano Congressman Henry Waxman
Alex Reed
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 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Thank You to Our Participating Chefs

• Rebecca Byrnes, Viridian
• Geoff Tracy, Chef Geoff’s
• Rock Harper, B. Smith’s
• Barton Seaver, Café Saint-Ex Letise Houser,
Jacob Maccoby,
• Lejon Williams, Catering by Chef Inc. and Congressman
• Jeff Buben, Bistro Bis and Vidalia Sam Farr
• John Miller, Art Institute of Washington
• Alex Zeppos, Growlers of Gaithersburg Restaurant
and Brewery
• Teddy Folkman, The Reef
• Lloyd Banks, J. Paul’s

Kristen Bossi, Lori Sonkin, Gerry Leape and

Roberta Elias

Tony DeFalco
and
Congressman
Congressman Jim Moran talks to other Fish Fest Gil Gutknecht
attendees

Ashley Couch and Anna Pickler from

The Reef
Rich Innes and Lee Crockett

Photo by Network Staff

Congressman Mike McIntyre Thank You to the Fish Providers

and Congressman Steve King
• Marvin and Annette Bellamy
• Bering Select Seafoods Company
• Paula Terrel and Dick HofMann
• Eat on the Wild Side
• Columbia River Crab Fishermen’s Association
• Washington Dungeness Crab Fishermen’s Association
• EcoFish
• Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission
• Oregon Trawl Commission
• KoosKooskie Fish
Christian Barnes and Mary Austill Lott

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 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Network’s Report, Shell Game, Uncovers Lack of Progress with Overfishing

The Network released a new report on March 29 documenting the National

Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) finessing of data presented to Congress
on the status of the nation’s fisheries. The report, entitled Shell Game: How
the Federal Government is Hiding the Mismanagement of Our Nation’s
Fisheries, reveals that through some administrative shuffling, NMFS has
been able to veil a complete lack of progress in reducing the number of
fisheries that are overfished or are currently experiencing overfishing.

In 2001, only 13 percent of the nation’s fisheries could be considered healthy;

by 2004, this percentage had not improved. The Network’s report exposes
that 60 percent of the overfished stocks and 75 percent of the stocks
experiencing overfishing between 2001 and 2004 were taken off the list due to
administrative shuffling, thereby creating a superficial veneer of management
success for NMFS’ annual report to Congress. According to Shell Game,
NMFS also continues to
allow overfishing to occur on
nearly half of the nation’s
overfished stocks, thus
preventing these depleted
fish populations from
recovering.

“NMFS has not been clear

with Congress or the
American public because it
consistently finesses the data to mask management failures from year to year,” said Lee
Crockett, executive director of the Network. “We need to take a hard look at what is and
isn’t working in fisheries management if we are to make any progress in the future.”

All of this comes at an important time, as Congress evaluates the Magnuson-Stevens

Fishery Conservation and Management Act for renewal. The Magnuson-Stevens Act is
the cornerstone of the federal government’s management of our ocean fisheries, and
current legislation in the House of Representatives would fundamentally weaken the Act’s
safeguards already in place (see article, front page).

“Catch limits benefit fishermen because they protect the long-term health of this important
ocean resource, and by extension they protect our way of life,” said Mark Leach, a
commercial hook
fisherman from
Chatham, Photo: NOAA
Massachusetts. “How
else are we going to
stop overfishing if we don’t limit the number of fish that we catch?”

The Network submitted Shell Game to Congress with the hope of

pointing out the problems with rollbacks to the current law and
encouraging lawmakers to fortify conservation measures essential to
preserving our ocean resources. To view a copy of Shell Game, please
visit: http://www.conservefish.org/site/pubs/network_reports/.

Photo: NOAA

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 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Network Reveals Fishery Managers are Turning a Blind Eye to Wasteful Fishing

One June 1, the Network released a report on bycatch, the catching and
killing of non-target ocean wildlife from juvenile red snapper to sea turtles,
entitled Turning a Blind Eye: The ‘See No Evil’ Approach to Wasteful
Fishing. The report highlights the enormity of the bycatch problem in U.S.
fisheries and reviews regional council implementation of the bycatch
minimization mandates of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (MSA).

Each year bycatch in twenty-seven of the nation’s most important fisheries

total more than 2.2 billion pounds, the equivalent by weight of over 270,000
Hummer H2 SUV’s, more than 15 QE2 luxury liners, or the fish for more than 7
billion fish fillet sandwiches. While examining council implementation of the
bycatch mandates of the MSA, the Network saw little progress nearly eight
years after councils were legally required to take action. Most councils did
not take direct action to minimize bycatch and bycatch mortality and did not
adequately report on the amount or composition of bycatch in their fisheries.

“The fact is we’re not going to deal with overfishing in some of our fisheries
until we have a real and accurate picture of the levels of bycatch,” said Zeke
Grader, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s
Associations. “Nor is this problem limited to resource conservation since
one fleet’s bycatch maybe the fish another fleet depends upon; too often
small boat commercial family fishermen have had their fisheries wiped out just
to allow the bigger boats to continue destructive fishing operations.”

Surprisingly, 7 out of 8 regional fishery management councils have not

established a legally required standardized bycatch reporting methodology
for all of their fisheries. Out of about 300 federally-managed fisheries, only 42 are currently monitored by fishery observers that help to
quantify bycatch estimates. Sadly, these existing programs are inadequate. While scientists recommend at least 20 percent observer
coverage to accurately estimate bycatch for each fishery, many of the fisheries with the highest levels of bycatch have less than 10 percent
observer coverage. If bycatch is not reported, there is no incentive for councils to address their bycatch problem.

“Many of the fish that sport fishermen love to chase, such as marlin, tuna, and sharks, just aren’t as plentiful anymore because too many
have been caught as bycatch in the longline and swordfish fisheries,”
said Jason Schratwieser, conservation director for the International
Game Fish Association. “It’s a shame that fishery managers don’t do
more to protect such a well-loved American pastime.”

The Network report found that currently most councils rely on indirect
management benefits from fishery closures and gear restrictions
designed to combat overfishing and protect habitat to prevent
bycatch, rather than utilizing specific bycatch reduction measures.
Bycatch data, when available, is not always accounted for in fishery
stock assessments that the councils use to set catch limits. Fishery
models that do not account for large amounts of bycatch will threaten
the long-term sustainability of our ocean’s fish until fishery managers
make an honest and diligent effort to quantify and account for
bycatch. To view a copy of Turning a Blind Eye, please visit: http://
www.conservefish.org/site/pubs/network_reports/.
Photo: NOAA

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 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Mid-Atlantic Update
Council Votes to Increase Landings of Golden Tilefish Over the Objections of NMFS
Against the advice of Pat Kurkel, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Regional Administrator,
the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council voted in favor of increasing the landings of golden
tilefish from 905 metric tons (mt) to 987 mt for the next three years. At issue, was a request from the
tilefish industry to increase the landings because when the catch limit was set by NMFS, it was
based on live weight instead of gutted weight, which is how the tilefish industry historically inter-
preted reported landings (fish weigh less after they have been “gutted”). While the tilefish rebuild-
ing program is ahead of schedule, the increase “could be devastating for the industry,” noted NMFS’
Regional Administrator. The next stock assessment is not scheduled until 2009, which could prove
Photo: Carl Safina to be disastrous if the Council is wrong in setting a higher catch. Any required changes to the
management plan may not be in place in time for the stock to meet its rebuilding deadline of 2011.

NMFS Proposes to Double Spiny Dogfish Bycatch Landings

NMFS has decided to double the spiny dog fish catch to 4 million pounds for the next three years, despite a 20-year stock rebuilding
projection and against an earlier recommendation by the Mid-Atlantic Council to cap dogfish catch at 2 million pounds. Seven months
prior to NMFS’s decision, the Mid-Atlantic Council voted to set multi-year bycatch levels at 2 million pounds and to have 600 pound trip
limits covering two different periods for spiny dogfish. During the debate, Pat Kurkel noted that a 4 million pound cap would potentially
not be “conservation neutral,” especially if the new cap led to unintentionally catching more female dogfish. (Numbers of mature female
spiny dogfish have not increased appreciably in the past three years.)

Reducing Bycatch Mortality in the Recreational Sector

The Ecosystem Committee continues its work on reducing bycatch morality in the recreational sector. Recently, the Ecosystem Committee
reviewed a study which examined recreational catch-and-release angling and whether circle hooks are effective tools for the conservation
of marine fish. The Committee is considering developing a Research Set Aside program in 2009 to further determine circle hook usage.
Atlantic mackerel will be the only recreational stock that will not be eligible for the circle hook program, owing to the structure of its mouth.

South Atlantic Update

At its last meeting in March, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council continued to work on
management measures, including rebuilding plans for several species in the snapper-grouper complex, the
establishment of sites for eight marine protected areas, and further development of its fishery ecosystem
plan.

Rebuilding Plans
The Council also discussed plans for rebuilding the stocks of snowy grouper, black sea bass, and red
porgy, which follow the Council’s approval of Amendment 13C at its meeting in December. Amendment
13C, which was submitted to the Secretary of Commerce for approval, established catch limits and hard
quotas for four species in the snapper-grouper complex; snowy grouper, black sea bass, vermilion snapper,
golden tilefish, as well as a slight increase in the catch of red porgy.
Photo: NOAA
With these reductions, the South Atlantic Council has taken a big step in the right direction to end
overfishing. We will be monitoring its progress in the development of rebuilding plans for snowy grouper, black sea bass, and red porgy,
however, to see if the Council’s commitment to better conservation is serious and sincere.

Marine Protected Areas

The Council has also continued to move forward on selecting its preferred alternatives for eight new marine protected area (MPA) sites
along the South Atlantic coast. The Council is scheduled to decide on its final preferred alternatives for MPA plans at its next meeting in
June, after which the amendments will be open to public hearing.

Fishery Ecosystem Plan

The Council is also making progress on its fishery ecosystem plan (FEP) and its comprehensive amendment that will attempt to lay the
groundwork for a more holistic approach to fisheries management. The Council is considering a collection of preliminary draft actions that
could go into the plan. 8
 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Pacific Update
Sixth Worst Fishery
In the last issue we noted a report detailing the Pacific groundfish fishery’s bycatch rates as sixth worst in
the nation. The report was published in Fish and Fisheries (Volume 6:350-361) and is also available at: http://
www.oceana.org/fileadmin/oceana/uploads/Big_Fish_Report/PDF_Bycatch_July28.pdf.

Increasing Bycatch
In March, the Pacific Council approved a permit to expand its drift gillnet fishery into an area that had been
formerly closed to protect endangered leatherback sea turtles. An environmental assessment presented to
the council showed that opening this area would increase the amounts of bycatch of fish, marine mammals,
and sea turtles. NMFS’ final approval is pending. The council also preliminarily approved a permit for
longline fishing for swordfish and bigeye tuna (a species currently experiencing overfishing), a fishery
Photo: NOAA currently closed due to bycatch of endangered sea turtles. Scientists are completing an environmental
assessment.

Fishing Down to Overfished

In March, the Pacific Council voted 13-1 to set a catch level for Pacific whiting that scientists warned would result in the stock going from
its current level of 30 percent of original population size to 25 percent (the overfished threshold for Pacific groundfish populations).
Council member Rod Moore, who represents seafood processing companies (one of which processes over 50 percent of the whiting
caught off the Pacific Coast), voted for the measure, re-assuring other members that the population will bounce back.

Shortest Commercial Salmon Season

Commercial salmon troll fishermen will be sitting at the dock for most of this year’s season due to the National Marine Fisheries Service and
Bureau of Reclamation’s failure to follow scientific advice in setting flow levels in the Klamath River. In 2001, the agencies opted not to
follow its chief scientific adviser and instead re-wrote a biological opinion to show that lower flow levels would not harm threatened coho
salmon. They were wrong, and the fish and fishermen are paying for it. In 2002, massive numbers of juvenile coho and Chinook salmon
were not able to make it to sea, and 70,000 adult Chinook salmon died upon reaching the low-water, warm, and parasite-infested river. Now,
in 2006 the spawners that did not spawn and the juveniles that did not make it out are “missing,” and the Pacific Council had no choice but
to recommend closing 700 miles of coast to salmon fishing. There is a possible repeat of this closure next year.

Gulf of Mexico Update

Red Snapper IFQ Approved
As we reported in the last newsletter, 2006 is the year of the red snapper. In March, the Gulf Council
approved the controversial red snapper individual fishing quota (IFQ) program. After nearly six years of
development, all but two council members voted in favor of the first IFQ program for the Gulf of Mexico.

The Network has long been in favor of Congress enacting national standards for IFQ programs before the
regional fishery management councils and the National Marine Fisheries Service enact any new programs.
The red snapper IFQ program creates a strong case for this position. The program has the potential to
consolidate quota amongst the largest 12 or 13 shareholders because of the high ownership cap in the
program. Alarmingly, 82 percent of all red snapper permit holders (73 percent of active permit holders) were
not allowed to vote in the two industry referenda. In addition, there is no expiration date for quota shares
in the program, blurring the line between public and private ownership of the resource.
Photo: NOAA

It is expected that the Secretary of Commerce will approve the plan for implementation in 2007.

Red Snapper Rebuilding Plan

Also in March, the Gulf Council made changes to the red snapper rebuilding plan under development after conducting public hearings
throughout the Gulf. Unfortunately, the Gulf Council removed many of the provisions called for by Network member groups necessary to
reduce bycatch (the catching and killing of untargeted ocean wildlife) of red snapper in shrimp trawls.

Mismanagement of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico continues to cause harm to ocean ecosystems and fishing communities. The time for
the Gulf Council to take action to rebuild the stock and provide for healthy ecosystems and more fishing opportunities in the future is long
overdue. The public still has opportunities to weigh in on this plan. Visit www.gulfcouncil.org to read the most up-to-date version of the
plan and find out how and when you can get involved.
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 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK

Network Welcomes Newest Members

Aquatic Resources Inc.
56010 Fairview Rd.
Coquille, OR 97423
Phone: (541) 396-6886
Fax: (541) 396-6806
www.ari1.com
Originally incorporated as a live Dungeness crab supply company
that grew to be the largest in the world, ARI is now dedicated to
providing live Dungeness crab handlers with an unmatched source
of information about Live Seafood handling. ARI is the originator
of the modular wet-shipping/holding systems in which the same
container can be used at sea, shore side, and during trucking. This
modular system reduces handling and associated mortalities.
Environment Colorado
1536 Wynkoop St., Ste. 100
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: (303) 573-3871
Fax: (303) 573-3780
www.environmentcolorado.org
Environment Colorado focuses on protecting air and water
quality, promoting a sustainable energy policy, implementing
transit oriented solutions to Colorado’s transportation
problems and curbing sprawl by promoting responsible land
use planning. Environment Colorado utilizes the time-tested
tools of research, public education, advocacy, and organizing.

Arizona Public Interest Research Group Environment Maryland

(Arizona PIRG)
130 N. Central Ave., Suite 311
Phoenix , AZ 85004
Phone: (602) 252-9227
Fax: (602) 252-9201
www.arizonapirg.org
Arizona PIRG uncovers threats to public health and well-being and
fights to end them, using the time-tested tools of investigative
research, media exposure, grassroots organizing, advocacy and
litigation. Arizona PIRG’s mission is to deliver persistent, result-
oriented public interest activism that protects our environment,
encourages a fair, sustainable economy, and fosters responsive,
democratic government.
Cook Inletkeeper
3734 Ben Walters Lane, Suite 201
Homer, AK 99603
Phone: (907) 235-4068
Fax: (907) 235-4069
www.inletkeeper.org
Cook Inlet Keeper is a private nonprofit organization dedicated to
protecting the vast Cook Inlet watershed and the life it sustains.
Keeper’s programs unite individuals and groups through water
quality monitoring, environmental education, and effective
advocacy, to give citizens the tools they need to promote clean
water in the 47,000 square mile Cook Inlet watershed. Keeper’s 19’
patrol skiff provides the organization with a unique platform to
sample water quality, educate groups, and press for responsible
stewardship. Since its inception in 1995, Keeper has become the
leading advocate for watershed-based protections in the rich but
threatened streams, lakes and estuaries of the Cook Inlet watershed.
3121 St. Paul Street, Suite 26
Baltimore, MD 21218
Phone: (410) 417-0439
Fax: (410) 366-2051
www.environmentmaryland.org
Environment Maryland is a statewide, citizen-based
environmental advocacy organization. Their professional staff
combines independent research, practical ideas and tough-
minded advocacy to overcome the opposition of powerful
special interests and win real results for Maryland’s
environment.
Environment Michigan
103 E. Liberty, Suite 202
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Phone: (734) 662-9797
Fax: (734) 662-8393
www.environmentmichigan.org
Environment Michigan is a statewide, citizen-based
environmental advocacy organization. Our professional staff
combines independent research, practical ideas and tough-
minded advocacy to overcome the opposition of powerful
special interests and win real results for Michigan’s
environment. Environment Michigan draws on 30 years of
success in tackling our state’s top environmental problems.
Environment North Carolina
112 S. Blount Street, Suite 102
Raleigh, NC 27601
Phone: (919) 833-0015
Fax: (919) 839-0767
www.environmentnorthcarolina.org
Environment North Carolina uses independent research and
tough-minded advocacy to win concrete results for the
environment, especially when powerful interests stand in the
way of environmental progress. Environment North Carolina
focuses exclusively on protecting North Carolina’s air, water
and open spaces. They speak out and take action at the local,
state and national levels to improve the quality of the
environment and our lives.

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Environment Texas New Jersey Public Interest Research Group

700 West Ave. (NJPIRG)
Austin, TX 78701 11 N. Willow Street
Phone: (512) 479-0388 Trenton, NJ 08608
Fax: (512) 479-0400 Phone: (609) 394-8155
www.environmenttexas.org Fax: (609) 989-9013
Environment Texas uses independent research and tough-minded www.njpirg.org
advocacy to win concrete results for the environment, especially NJPIRG uncovers threats to public health and well-being and fights
when powerful interests stand in the way of environmental to end them, using the time-tested tools of investigative research,
progress. Environment Texas focuses exclusively on protecting media exposure, grassroots organizing, advocacy and litigation.
Texas’ air, water and open spaces. They speak out and take action NJPIRGs mission is to deliver persistent, result-oriented public
at the local, state and national levels to improve the quality of the interest activism that protects our environment, encourages a fair,
environment and our lives. sustainable economy, and fosters responsive, democratic
government.
Food & Water Watch
1400 16th St., NW, Ste. 225 Oceans Alert
Washington, DC 20036 47 Warren Street
Phone: (202) 797-6558 Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706
Fax: (202) 797-6560 Phone: (914) 478-3188
www.foodandwaterwatch.org Fax: (914) 478-2667
Food & Water Watch challenges the corporate control and abuse of www.oceansalert.org
our food and water resources by empowering people to take action Oceans Alert seeks to involve people worldwide in efforts to create
and by transforming the public consciousness about what we eat ocean literacy; rebuild healthy and sustainable fish populations;
and drink. We work on food safety, agriculture, fisheries, and encourage responsible aquaculture practices, and restore the health
waterrights in a four-pronged effort: public and policymaker of the ocean and waterways.
education, lobbying, media, and Internet activism. We want citizens
to speak up, get involved at the grassroots level, and push for Prime Seafood
change in their communities. 9814 Kensington Parkway
Kensington, MD 20895
Green Fire Productions Phone: (301) 949-7778

Photo by NOAA
P.O. Box 369 Fax: (301) 949-3003
La grande, OR 97850 www.primeseafood.com
Phone: (541) 963-2495 Prime Seafood does wholesale and retail sales of top quality
www.greenfireproductions.org seafood from sustainably managed fisheries to high-end
Green Fire Productions creates and distributes media restaurants in the Washington DC Area.
communication tools that advance conservation and social justice
issues. Our most recent program focuses on protecting ocean Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group
habitat off Oregon’s coast and restoring fisheries.
(WISPIRG)
210 N. Bassett St., Suite 200
New Hampshire Public Interest Research Group Madison, WI 53703
(NHPIRG) Phone: (608) 251-9501
30 S. Main St. Fax: (608) 287-0865
Concord, NH 03301 www.wispirg.org
Phone: (603) 229-3222 WISPIRG uncovers threats to public health and well-being and
Fax: (603) 229-3221 fights to end them, using the time-tested tools of investigative
www.nhpirg.org research, media exposure, grassroots organizing, advocacy and
NHPIRG uncovers threats to public health and well-being and litigation. WISPIRGs mission is to deliver persistent, result-oriented
fights to end them, using the time-tested tools of investigative public interest activism that protects our environment, encourages
research, media exposure, grassroots organizing, advocacy and a fair, sustainable economy, and fosters responsive, democratic
litigation. NHPIRGs mission is to deliver persistent, result-oriented government.
public interest activism that protects our environment, encourages
a fair, sustainable economy, and fosters responsive, democratic
government.

11
 MARINE FISH CONSERVATION NETWORK
“...To Protect, Restore, and Conserve Marine Fish.”
JULY
July 15-20
National Marine Educators 2006
Conference
New York, NY
For more information: http://
nysmea.org/con06/
AUGUST
August 1-3
Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council Meeting
Philadelphia, PA
For more information: http://
www.mafmc.org/mid-atlantic/
meetings/meetings.htm
August 7-18
Western and Central Pacific
Fisheries Commission Meeting
Manila, Phillippines
For more information: http://
www.wcpfc.org/
Marine Fish Conservation Network
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Suite 210
Washington, DC 20003
www.conservefish.org
Phone: 202-543-5509
Fax: 202-543-5774
Calendar of Events
August 14 - 18
Gulf Fishery Management
Council Meeting
Baton Rouge, LA
For more information: http://
www.gulfcouncil.org
SEPTEMBER
September 10-14
American Fisheries Society
136th Annual Meeting
Lake Placid, NY
For more information: http://
www.afslakeplacid.org
September 10-15
Pacific Fishery Management
Council Meeting
Foster City, California
For more information: http://
www.pcouncil.org/events/
future.html#2006
September 18-22 September 26-28
South Atlantic Fishery New England Fishery
Management Council Meeting Management Council Meeting
Hilton Head, SC Location to be determined
For more information: http:// For more information: http://
www.safmc.net www.nefmc.org/calendar/
index.html
September 18-22
Western Pacific Fishery
Management Council South
Pacific Albacore Workshop
Honolulu, Hawaii
For more information: http://
www.wpcouncil.org/calendar/
Current%202006%20Meetings
%20List.pdf