Browsing by Subject "United States of America (USA)"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    A Comparison of Groundfish Management on the East and West Coasts of the United States
    (2004) Strader, Rachel
    The groundfish fisheries of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the US are valuable economically and ecologically. The industries in the two locations have faced depleted stocks and increased regulations by the New England and Pacific Fishery Management Councils over the years. Both fisheries contain a varied array of demersal fish in separate ecosystem contexts, and similar gear types are used in both locations. However, the community and geographical structures, composition and interactions of the Fishery Management Councils, industry organization, and activism create a different historical perspective with which to view management failures and successes. In New England, factors such as a greater value of independence, a lack of cooperation and coordination between stakeholders and scientists, and a longer history of fishery decline have contributed to the current management climate. The Pacific groundfishery has experienced a more recent illumination of overexploitation, but there is a longer history of cooperation between states, fishermen, and scientists. In addition, differences in the Pacific Fishery Management Council structure and process have created a distinct management picture. The management measures enacted by the two councils since the implementation of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act have differed, but neither has been successful—as evidenced by overexploited stocks. Recently, both fisheries management plans have undergone changes in response to the declines and subsequent lawsuits by stakeholder groups. From comparing the characteristics of the two council systems, their methods, and their participants, important lessons can be learned as fisheries management on both sides of the US continues, out of necessity, to evolve.
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    A Comprehensive National Ocean Policy: America's Next Step?
    (2005) Gove, Matt
    Historically, ocean governance has been sectoral in nature: different levels and sectors of government divide responsibility for ocean issues among them. In 1998, Australia released Australia’s Oceans Policy, the first comprehensive national ocean policy statement in the world. This policy framework addresses every level and sector of Australian ocean governance. Since then, other nations have joined Australia in unifying and clarifying their ocean governance. The U.S. may be next. Two reports, the Pew Oceans Commission and the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, recommend sweeping overhauls to U.S. oceans governance, including the creation of a comprehensive national ocean policy. Released within the last two years, these reports have caught the attention of legislators. I examined and compared the creation and implementation of other nation’s comprehensive national ocean policies, gaining insights into the composition of a successful policy. I recommend, among other things, that the U.S. pass an integrated, fully encompassing, authoritative, and binding National Ocean Policy Act.
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    AN ANALYSIS OF A CARBON OFFSET PROGRAM FOR THE UNITED STATES
    (2007-05) Uchida, Ryoto
    In the current absence of the federal government’s strong leadership to address climate change in the United States, mandatory regional tradable permit programs for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions are being planned by several state governments. A carbon offset program, combined with a tradable permit program, induces a wider range of entities to implement offset projects that reduce GHG emissions within a wider range of industries than the industries regulated by the tradable permit program. An offset project has to be additional, meaning that it generates emission reductions as compared to the baseline emissions. Therefore, the additionality assessment is the most important element of a carbon offset program, but it is complicated because it requires estimating a counterfactual baseline scenario. For a carbon offset program in the United States, energy efficiency projects to reduce GHG emissions on the demand-side of energy are important. However, energy efficiency projects are prevented from being undertaken due to the high transaction costs of the project-specific additionality assessment method adopted by the Clean Development Mechanism. In this paper, a policy analysis is conducted to produce recommendations to solve this problem. First, along the rationally selected evaluative criteria, a qualitative comparative assessment is made on the policy alternatives implementing different additionality assessment methods as a definitive test. Then, based on the assessment, this paper discusses how to more flexibly implement and combine the different methods to address the problem. Finally, the recommendation is made for a comprehensive, simple and practical policy to assess additionality for a carbon offset program in the United States.
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    DISTRIBUTION OF HIGHLY MIGRATORY MARINE MAMMALS AND SEABIRDS IN THE EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC: ARE EXISITNG MARINE PROTECTED AREAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE?
    (2003) Freeman, Kate
    To date, only five marine protected areas (MPAs) have been established along the West Coast of the United States, none of which extend more than 30 nautical miles from shore. These areas do not afford habitat protection for a number of highly migratory and often endangered pelagic seabird and cetacean species found in the Northeastern Pacific Ocean. Using sightings data for fourteen species from a Minerals Management Service Computer Database Analysis System, I analyzed species distribution based on oceanographic season (countercurrent, upwelling, oceanic), year (El Nino, La Nina, neutral), patchiness, bathymetry (shelf, shelf-break, slope, pelagic), and index of dispersion (Gx). The species density data were also compared to areas of existing MPAs to determine how well current MPAs protect these species. The results indicate that current MPAs do not protect the habitats of highly migratory species. I therefore compared existing MPA coverage to suggested MPA locations and found much stronger protection in the suggested areas. Recommendations include not only general areas for improved protection, such as the North Bend, Oregon region, but also specific season and bathymetric features to protect as hotspots within the larger regions.
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    The Cost of U.S. Cetacean Bycatch Reduction Measures as a Reason for Supporting International Action
    (2003) Griffin, Elizabeth
    Due to requirements under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)and the Endangered Species Act (ESA),U.S. fishermen are required to take measures to reduce cetacean bycatch. However, the U.S. imports fisheries products from countries that have significant cetacean bycatch problems which fisherman are not required to mitigate. I examined case studies of the California/Oregon drift gillnet, American lobster and Atlantic cod fisheries to demonstrate the costs of U.S. cetacean bycatch reductions and their economic affect. The cost of cetacean bycatch reduction in the California/Oregon drift gillnet fishery represents 1.9 - 4.5% of the fishery's total ex-vessel value. The annual cost to the lobster fishery is 0.7 - 6.3% of the industry's value and 3.3% - 13.3% of the ex-vessel landings value of an Atlantic cod vessel using sink gillnets is going to cetacean bycatch mitigation. U.S. fishermen face a competitive disadvantage because they have to bear the costs for mitigating cetacean bycatch while their foreign competitors do not. The U.S. is importing products from foreign fisheries with serious bycatch problems. Foreign products are in direct competition with U.S. domestic in which U.S. fishermen have borne substantial costs to mitigate cetacean bycatch. The only way to protect marine mammals and maintain a competitive global fisheries market is to take action on an international level to reduce cetacean bycatch. To do this, influential countries like the U.S. need to support international negotiations and cooperation.
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    United States Small Cetacean Rehabilitation Policy: Driving forces behind a socially motivated policy
    (2004) Gluch, Nora
    Within the Untied States the policy reflects the importance society as a whole places on an issue. Cetaceans hold a special status in American society as a cultural icon due to their intelligence, social interaction, and extensive ability to communicate. Cetacean rehabilitation policy exemplifies the construction of a socially driven policy. The rehabilitation of cetaceans is a high cost endeavor with a low success rate, but is still a formal component of marine mammal protection. The structure of the stranding and rehabilitation network illustrates the socially motivated nature of rehabilitation policy. In an examination of major newspapers over the last five years in the U.S., three major themes driving the development of cetacean rehabilitation policy emerge. Responsibility/moral obligation, emotional connection between humans and cetaceans, and anthropomorphizing of cetaceans all play an essential role in the construction of cetacean rehabilitation policy. Understanding the social function that cetacean rehabilitation policy plays within U.S. society is crucial to tailoring it in order to adequately meet the needs of the public and society. It is essential to describe and legitimize rehabilitation policy for its inherent worth within the social and political framework of the United States.