Fishing Failure and Success in the Gulf of Maine: Lobster and Groundfish Management

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April 17, 2023
A Tale of Two Fisheries –
My Reflections on the Management of Lobster and Groundfish in the Gulf of Maine
Reading the article Fishing Failure and Success in the Gulf of Maine: Lobster and Groundfish Management by James Acheson and Roy Gardner offered me valuable insights into the factors contributing to the contrasting outcomes of lobster and groundfish fisheries in the Gulf of Maine. Acheson and Gardner skillfully built their argument by introducing key concepts, actors, and examples that elucidated the complexities of fisheries management. In this essay, I will share my reflections on the article's structure, main argument, and important points while addressing the specific questions outlined in the attached guidelines.
In their article, Acheson and Gardner made a convincing argument that the differences in the management approaches and social systems surrounding lobster and groundfish fisheries led to the success of the former and the decline of the latter. They began by providing a brief overview of the fisheries in the Gulf of Maine, emphasizing the importance of lobster and groundfish as iconic species that shaped the region's culture and economy. They then delved into the management systems, regulatory measures, and social factors that contributed to the contrasting outcomes of these two fisheries.
Additionally, the article was well-structured, with an abstract and subheadings that made it easy for me to follow the author's line of argument. They first introduced the concept of common-pool resources, highlighting the unique challenges of managing them and establishing the theoretical framework for their analysis. They then provided a historical overview of the lobster and groundfish fisheries, identifying key events and policy changes that shaped their development.
One of the critical factors that Acheson and Gardner attributed to the success of the lobster fishery was the implementation of a co-management system, which involved collaboration between the fishers, managers, and scientists. This system allowed for adaptive management practices, such as establishing territorial use rights in fisheries (TURFs) and enforcing size limits and gear restrictions. The authors also emphasized the role of social norms and informal rules in promoting conservation practices among lobster fishers.
In contrast, the groundfish fishery was plagued by a top-down, centralized management approach that failed to adequately address the complexities of managing multiple species with different biological characteristics and ecological interactions. They argued that the lack of local input and cooperation, coupled with the inherent difficulties in enforcing regulations in the groundfish fishery, contributed to its decline.
Acheson and Gardner identified several actors that played significant roles in shaping the management systems of the lobster and groundfish fisheries. For the lobster fishery, these actors included the Maine Department of Marine Resources, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the fishers themselves. In the case of the groundfish fishery, the New England Fis...