Mission Statement:

“To unify and strengthen the reef fish industry, achieve sustainability, and accountability through the use of individual fishing quotas to manage the catch. Members strive to conserve fish by reducing bycatch, protect the marine environment, improve safety, and enhance economic value. They also work with buyers and distributors to give consumers year-round access to high-quality, sustainable seafood.”

Background:

The Alliance works for stewardship. Many people who contributed to creating the Alliance also played a key role in the design and implementation of the red snapper IFQ program. With this success, commercial fishermen learned that the industry itself can and should drive positive change in fisheries. With that in mind, the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholder’s Alliance was created in 2008 as a 501 (c)(6), non-profit trade association to represent the interests of fishermen and fish dealers participating in IFQ fisheries in the Gulf.

The Alliance’s mission reflects its commitment to stewardship. It is working to unify and strengthen the reef fish industry. Results so far:

• Efforts include sustainability and accountability using IFQs to manage the catch.
• Members in turn do their part by striving to conserve fish, reduce bycatch, protect the marine environment, improve safety and enhance economic value.
• Members are working with buyers and distributors to give consumers year-round access to high-quality, sustainable seafood.

Activities:

To advance its goals, the Alliance’s activities include:

• Represents members before regulators and elected officials.
• Sponsors research
• Facilitates communication among members
• Improves awareness of commercial fishing
• Implements IFQs for all commercial “reef fish,” including red snapper, grouper, amberjack and others that favor habitats found among the Gulf’s reefs.
• Pursues new opportunities for building markets and providing consumers with eco-friendly fish.

Goals:

• Extend IFQ management to all commercial reef fisheries
• To build healthy stocks and fishing businesses
• Protect and improve IFQ programs which maintain and increase conservation and economic benefits
• Provide consumers with high quality fish and seek independent eco-friendly certification
• Work cooperatively with recreational fishermen, shrimpers, and other stakeholders to solve problems
• Contribute to research that improves stock assessments and helps reduce bycatch
• Promote accountability and comply with fishery laws and regulations
• Increase awareness of the commercial fishing industry’s contribution to society

On-Going Challenges:

The Alliance is off to a good start with red snapper IFQs and stands ready to face important challenges. Severe overfishing continues in the red snapper recreational sector threatening recovery of the stock that commercial fishermen are now helping save. Other commercial reef fisheries are still operating under “race-for-fish” management resulting in continued threat of overfishing. Unless IFQ’s are implemented rapidly the situation will continue to decline. Scientific and economic data need to be significantly improved to meet the real needs of good fisheries management. Finally, even with mounting scientific and economic evidence of IFQ successes, many people still adhere to old-style management creating conflict between fishermen and regulators.

With its members who are part of the fishing industry and live in Gulf Coast communities, the Alliance is committed and uniquely positioned to help stop overfishing and ensure stewardship of healthy fisheries now and in the future.