A new plan to protect Atlantic billfish such as marlin and sailfish doesn't go far enough to protect dwindling stocks from accidental catches, fisheries experts say. The guidelines, released last week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), are the first of 39 new conservation plans covering key fish species required by a 1996 law designed to prevent overfishing.
It has been illegal for commercial fishers to sell Atlantic billfish since 1988, but the fish are still legally caught in tournaments and accidentally snared by longlines intended for swordfish and other species. Russell Nelson of the Florida Marine Fisheries Commission says localized bans on longline fishing would reduce the accidental "bycatch" by more than 25%, while causing only a 5% loss in swordfish catches. He hopes such statistics convince NOAA to impose such a ban. The plan is open to public comment until early next January.
