Over the last ten years, both North Atlantic right whales and the fishers in their habitats have faced unprecedented hardships. These majestic whales, which migrate along the North American east coast from Florida to Canada each spring and fall, have seen their numbers drop by more than 25% due to various dangers, including entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes, and climate change. From a population peak of 480 in 2010, only about 350 whales remain today.
The impact on fishers has been severe as well. In an effort to protect these dwindling whale populations, government agencies have imposed strict gear regulations and seasonal fishery closures along the Eastern Seaboard. For many fishers, like Michael "Chops" Cowdrey Jr., a captain from Sneads Ferry, North Carolina, these measures have led to financial devastation.
Cowdrey is one of 32 fishers in the small Atlantic sea bass pot fishery, a community stretching from Florida to North Carolina that relies on traps with vertical lines to catch sea bass. In 2013, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) instituted a seasonal closure of this fishery from November to April, right in the middle of peak sea bass season, which slashed Cowdrey's income and forced him into debt.
Cowdrey was not alone in feeling the closures were unjustified. The Atlantic sea bass fishery, according to Kim Sawicki, a graduate student at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, has never recorded an entanglement with a North Atlantic right whale. Despite this, NOAA opted for caution, leaving Cowdrey and his peers to grapple with the fallout.
"I'd fished my whole life and never once seen a whale," says Cowdrey, who felt that the fishery's small size and lack of resources made it an easy target. "Everything that's happened has been driven by politics and special interests, at the cost of our families and livelihoods."
In 2018, Sawicki approached Cowdrey with a potential lifeline: a proposal to trial "ropeless" fishing gear in their fishery. As part of her doctoral research, Sawicki was investigating the adoption of this new technology, which eliminates the need for vertical ropes in the water. However, the gear had a mixed reputation. It was expensive, complicated, and slower to deploy than traditional equipment, leading many fishers to view it with suspicion.
Cowdrey was hesitant. After years of struggling through summer seasons, he and his colleagues worried that testing ropeless gear might lead to it being mandated year-round. But with limited options and a need to stay ahead of potential regulations, Cowdrey decided to give it a shot.
Sawicki, who understood the fishers' concerns, approached the project with sensitivity. She emphasized that her goal was to learn from the fishers and let them guide the project's direction. This collaborative approach, which involved adapting the gear to meet the fishers' needs, helped build trust.
In 2020, the pilot project began, with fishers and manufacturers working together to refine the technology. By combining elements from different companies, they developed a system that is now being tested in other fisheries as well. This hands-on involvement has been crucial in addressing the gear's challenges and moving closer to regulatory approval.
However, the introduction of ropeless gear has not been without controversy. Social media reactions have been harsh, with some fishers facing threats and even vandalism. Cowdrey understands the skepticism, given the financial strain that new regulations can impose.
"The whole thing is scary for us as fishermen," he admits. "If I were in a fishery that wasn't closed, I'd fight this too." Yet, Cowdrey sees potential in the technology. If it allows him to fish through the winter closures, it could be a game-changer.
Erica Fuller, senior counsel with the New England-based Conservation Law Foundation, which is testing ropeless gear for New England lobster fishers, believes that government support will be essential for widespread adoption. This support would not only cover the cost of the gear but also compensate fishers for their efforts in testing it.
"Fishery closures protect North Atlantic right whales," Fuller notes, "but they don't solve the problem for fishers. We're working hard to find a solution where both can coexist."
For Cowdrey and his peers, cautious optimism is slowly replacing mistrust. As fishers, scientists, and regulators work together, old divisions are beginning to heal. "It's just a group of people trying to get fishers back on the water," says Sawicki.
Source: Moira Donovan (August 21, 2024). The Long Road to Ropeless Fishing. Hakai Magazine | Coastal Science and Societies. https://hakaimagazine.com/news/the-long-road-to-ropeless-fishing/
