Think of Wall Street, the auto industry, maybe even your own personal health – moving anything from “collapse” to “recovery” is a complicated process. But it is possible. For proof, simply ask Gulf fishermen about the American Red Snapper.

Unfortunately, many of the world’s fisheries teeter on collapse and as recently as 2007, American Red Snapper was in peril, too. But our members support sustainability in the Gulf of Mexico, and we believed a new catch share management program could change our futures. Implemented in January 2007, the individual fishing quota (IFQ) system proved successful almost immediately, both ecologically & economically.

IFQs represent a single but significant part of the Alliance’s work toward sustainability in the Gulf. Our commitment to the resource is proving to be a model of how to move “red listed” fish into recovery. With an industry unified by sustainability, we’re landing support from distributors, restaurants and consumers-at-large whose patronage of responsible fisheries and those demonstrating improvements clearly signals that their hearts, minds & stomachs value sustainable seafood.

To learn more about IFQs and other catch share programs, please give us a call.