A decision by the New England Fishery Management Council this autumn demonstrates how important it is to have political leadership at the national level that is responsible and informed on environmental issues. The council suddenly removed restrictions on the dredging of waters off the coast of New Jersey. Scallop dredges in the region routinely injure and kill loggerhead turtles, an species whose numbers are dropping dangerously.
The restrictions were by no means unreasonable, only withholding access to the area by scallop dredges during the months of September and October, when large numbers of sea turtles are present. The short closure of the area during these months was supported by the Fishery Management Council’s Scallop Advisory Panel. Apparently, the council at large chose not to pay attention to the panel’s work.
Now that the New England Fishery Management Council has failed to act responsibly, it’s up to the federal government to do its part, and reinstate the seasonal restrictions so that fishermen and the marine life that they depend upon can both be sustained. Unfortunately, the Republicans in the Bush Administration have shown no inclination to take action. A return to responsible management of the area’s scallop dredges therefore depends on the election of a progressive President in 2008.
There is something else that you can do on this issue, of course. Don’t buy scallops – not from your supermarket and not when you go out to eat a restaurant. Until this decision is reversed, and you know that you’re eating scallops that were responsibly harvested, they may leave a bad taste in your mouth.
(Source: Environmental News Network, October 26, 2007)
