SR#2

Yumin Wang
EAP2 A Writer’s Workshop
Summary Response #2

To Ban sell Small Swordfish

According to the author’s (1999) article “Commerce Department Makes Final Import Ban on Small Swordfish,” the swordfish imports must be managed. In NOAA’s “National Marine Fisheries Service,” they made a decision to announce a ban. In this ban, importer and fishermen were asked to stop selling undersized swordfish. The new rules can protect swordfish less than 33 pounds. Through effective management, we can control the number of Atlantic swordfish. There are already 22 countries that join this plan.

We should work hard to save the swordfish because it is a very important marine resource and has a role in the food chain. This plan can help us to save swordfish. However there are still some problems in it, such as diet favorite, fishing equipment and rules.

First, not everyone likes to eat adult fish. Many people believe young fish are more tender than adult fish. They like to eat small swordfish rather than eating adult swordfish. If there are many people who like to eat young swordfish, it is hard to ban fisherman supplying this kind of swordfish. Demand and supply always combine together. So, trying to change their thoughts is the first step.

Second, the traditional way of fishing the swordfish is using lances or fishing rods to catch them. However, these kinds of ways are too slow. Consequently, fishermen like to use long lines to catch the swordfish. There is a harmful disadvantage of using this new way, can catch all swordfish whether they are big or small. All countries should ban this kind of fishing way to protect small swordfish.

Third, NOAA’s rules only affect in the United States and some members of this group. Most other countries didn’t join this plan. Of course, they have their own reasons, that they depend on marine resources a lot, or their people like to eat small swordfish. For instance, Japanese like to eat raw fish, especially the tender meat of fish. So, Japan didn’t join this plan. If we want to solve this problem, we must work on this plan in the United Nations. Then, these countries will join this plan by the UN’s rules.

In conclusion, saving the swordfish is not an easy job that can be done by a few countries. We should invite as many countries as possible to join the plan. Saving the swordfish should not stop catching the swordfish. Just skip the smaller swordfish, so that they can reproduce later. In this way, we will have continuity marine resources.

Reference

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . (1999). Commerce Department makes final import ban on small swordfish. NOAA NEWS. Retrieved on Oct. 29, 2008 from http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/s137.htm