NOAA says it recognizes that catch shares are not a panacea or one-size-fits-all solution, but are a proven way to promote sustainable fishing when designed properly at the fishing community level.

Catch-share programs, which include limited access privilege programs and individual fishing quotas, have been used in the United States since 1990 and are now used in 13 different commercial fisheries. Four new programs will begin over the next year.

NOAA estimates that rebuilding U.S. fish stocks would increase annual commercial dockside values by an estimated $2.2 billion, a 54-percent increase over current dockside values of $4.1 billion, and help support jobs in the seafood industry and across the broader economy.

NOAA is seeking public comments on the draft policy. Among its components:

* Development of a catch-share program is voluntary. NOAA will not mandate the use of catch shares in any commercial, recreational or subsistence fishery.

* The individual fishery management councils will consult fishing communities to evaluate the data, effects and enforceability of any potential catch-share program before moving forward. In some cases, councils may find catch shares not to be the most appropriate management option.

* NOAA will provide leadership and resources, and work in partnership with fishery management councils, states and the public to help with the implementation of catch shares. This includes assisting fishing communities as they make the transition and conducting regional workshops, online seminars and other educational and outreach programs.

* Well thought-out and developed catch-share programs will promote sustainable fishing communities by supporting good jobs and promoting preservation of wharfs, processing facilities and fuel and ice suppliers.

* Catch-share programs can be designed to set aside shares to allow new participants into the fishery, including new generations of fishermen, small businesses or others.

NOAA Director Jane Lubchenco said stakeholders involved in each fishery will be responsible for helping set up the programs.

"Although this is a national policy, the emphasis of catch shares is very much on local design and local implementation," she said.

She said NOAA is instructing each of the regional fishery management councils that will eventually implement the programs to do six things: identify specific management goals for each catch-share program, such as eliminating over-fishing or a race for fish, or creating socioeconomic stability for coastal communities; after careful analysis and engagement with the fishing community and larger community, choose whether, when and to whom to allow transfers of catch shares; place conditions on transfers, such as vessel size that might address other community goals; use catch-share design options to promote sustainable fishing communities; evaluate catch-share designs that would set aside catch shares that would allow new generations of fishermen or small businesses into the fishery; consider a royalty system to support science, research and enforcement as fisheries become successful; and periodically review all catch shares and other fishery programs to see if they are meeting the objectives.

The environmental arm of the Pew Charitable Trust recently released a paper urging NOAA to back away from catch shares as a universal solution to over-fishing. Instead, it suggested permits issued for no more than 10 years, ownership caps and identification of explicit conservation, social and economic goals for the programs.

The public comment period is open until April 10. The draft program and instructions for submitting comments can be found at www.fakr.noaa.gov/, or call NOAA Sustainable Fisheries Division at (800) 304-8486, ext. 3.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has issued a gigantic preliminary guideline harvest for the 2010 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery of 18,866 tons, more than 30 percent over last year's record quota of 14,504 tons. Actual harvest was 14,775 tons.

In 2009, Sitka Sound herring fishermen fetched $720 per ton for an ex-vessel value of $10.6 million.

The Sitka Tribe of Alaska has petitioned the federal subsistence board and the Alaska Board of Fisheries to reduce the commercial herring harvest to improve subsistence roe harvest, which has been down substantially in recent years. The tribe submitted a proposal to the board in February to reduce the biomass exploitation rate to 10 percent from the current 20 percent, and cap the commercial harvest at 10,000 tons, among others. The motion failed.

The Board of Fisheries failed to pass two proposals related to permit stacking in the Bristol Bay salmon fishery at its December meeting. The board voted to not allow one person to own two permits and to not allow 300 fathoms of net on a boat fishing two permits.

Cristy Fry has commercial fished in Homer since 1978. She can be reached at realist468@gmail.com.