Mission Statement
Canadian Treaty
Fishing Regime 2017-2019. 45 Canadian albacore vessels in U.S. waters from June 15 – September 15. U.S. access to Canadian waters June 15 – October 31, based on historic number of vessels.
AAFA’s Current Position:
The current regime expires at the end of this fishing season. AAFA opposes a future regime which mirrors the current regime language. The State Department has continued to express its opinion that so long as there is stakeholder support (without regard to whether the stakeholder harvests or processes albacore), there will be a future regime. AAFA intends to consult with other industry stakeholders about the best path forward.
Management Strategy Evaluation
“Use of simulation to evaluate the trade-offs achieved by alternative management strategies and to assess the consequences of uncertainty in achieving management goals.”
“A process that, given the management objectives the stakeholders and managers have conveyed, uses computer simulations to assess the performance of candidate harvest strategies”
AAFA’s Current Position:
AAFA remains committed to be a valued participant in the MSE process. AAFA understands that MSE is a tool that can be used by fishery managers; but not the only tool. AAFA will support efforts to make the MSE process understandable by all of its members. AAFA will continue to “truth” the assumptions implicit within the model and offer its perspective, based on our members vast wealth of knowledge.
Forage Fish
While AAFA understands the need and protection of forage fish, we believe that management decisions regarding the harvesting of forage fish must be done using the best scientific information available. As harvesters of bait fish we will participate in the discussion regarding forage fish at the management level as it moves forward. A recently proposed Amendment to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan would benefit the bait fishery should the Northern Subpopulation of Northern Anchovy be declared overfished
Limited Access Privilege Programs (“LAPPs”)
Neither Individual Fishing Quotas (IFQs) nor Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs) should ever be used as a management tool for troll and pole caught North Pacific albacore
Effort
For consistent management to take place, ‘effort’ needs to have a universally accepted, well delineated definition. Currently, fishing days are being used as a means for establishing effort for surface fisheries. For long line fleets incidentally landing North Pacific albacore, effort is determined by number of hooks fished. However, if a definition of effort is adopted, it has to be an across the board way of identification for all Pacific albacore fishing countries. Effort must be chosen from a range of years that shows an accurate average. American boats should not be limiting or reducing effort when other countries are building boats and increasing effort.
Limited entry
Suggestions
AAFA welcomes any suggestions regarding these and any other management issues regarding albacore. If you have any suggestions, please forward them to the AAFA office via e-mail or phone. All suggestions will be forwarded to the AAFA management team.