Comments on: Here’s a better response to the Cod question http://bostonlocalvores.org/archives/518 Mon, 21 May 2012 17:06:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Adam http://bostonlocalvores.org/archives/518/comment-page-1#comment-125509 Adam Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:01:40 +0000 http://bostonlocalvores.org/blog/?p=518#comment-125509 I can only contribute a brief response at the moment, so while I have my own thoughts on the Cape Ann CSF and Atlantic Cod problem, first I'd like to broaden the topic a bit. Food and environmental issues were some of the first to engage my political consciousness, if you will. They involve a lot of seemingly personal choices within a complex system, but over time I've come to believe personal change is not social or institutional change, and that requires organization. I think CSAs or CSFs, while they may not go far enough, are a start to an organized approach. So, I'll pass along the following article for now which, while not about food per se, speaks to this: http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/4801 I can only contribute a brief response at the moment, so while I have my own thoughts on the Cape Ann CSF and Atlantic Cod problem, first I’d like to broaden the topic a bit. Food and environmental issues were some of the first to engage my political consciousness, if you will. They involve a lot of seemingly personal choices within a complex system, but over time I’ve come to believe personal change is not social or institutional change, and that requires organization. I think CSAs or CSFs, while they may not go far enough, are a start to an organized approach.

So, I’ll pass along the following article for now which, while not about food per se, speaks to this:

http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/4801

]]> By: Jacqueline Church http://bostonlocalvores.org/archives/518/comment-page-1#comment-125507 Jacqueline Church Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:22:34 +0000 http://bostonlocalvores.org/blog/?p=518#comment-125507 I am really uncomfortable with the fishermen wanting us to adopt a "trust us" attitude. Do we sit back and simply "hope" that other suppliers and purveyors will choose methods that humane and environmentally sound? No. Why do they want our support without ANY promises whatsoever of their phasing out damaging gear/methods? They could tell us by the end 2010 none in the CSF will use it or something like that. I sympathize with their plight and having chosen to follow, in many cases, multigenerational choices to become fishermen. Those choices carry responsibilities. The decision to rape the oceans coupled with the expectation that they are owed our support and with NO promises about amending harmful fishing methods or pressure on nearly extinct stock is getting old fast. In the early days I kept hearing that this is a step in the right direction and "the hope is that..." and "building the community" "building the relationships" would address these issues of ocean damage and fishery pressure. I keep waiting for an adequate response. I keep waiting to hear the fisheries' plan for phasing out harmful gear. Meanwhile friends tell me they keep getting Cod, Cod, Cod in their CSF. So how does that show they are easing pressure on the stock of Cod? "...creating an atmosphere where fishermen can choose whatever gear or reduce the impact of any gear they believe will meet their goal of leaving the oceans for future generations possible..." doesn't cut it. We are in the position we are in now partly because fishermen big and small did NOT choose to protect the ocean environment over their own economic self-interest. If this is simply a request we vote with out pocketbooks for smaller harm than bigger, family fishermen than industrial fishermen then let's put the cards on the table and admit it. I'm still waiting for some clear commitment from the CSF fishermen about reducing harmful methods of fishing and reducing pressure on the beloved and dwindling Cod. On the West Coast the parallel is the family tuna operations. They are fishing an endangered stock, to be sure, but they are at least doing it in ways that don't damage the ocean environment. They have made that commitment. Can we get a similar commitment here? I am really uncomfortable with the fishermen wanting us to adopt a “trust us” attitude. Do we sit back and simply “hope” that other suppliers and purveyors will choose methods that humane and environmentally sound? No. Why do they want our support without ANY promises whatsoever of their phasing out damaging gear/methods? They could tell us by the end 2010 none in the CSF will use it or something like that.

I sympathize with their plight and having chosen to follow, in many cases, multigenerational choices to become fishermen. Those choices carry responsibilities. The decision to rape the oceans coupled with the expectation that they are owed our support and with NO promises about amending harmful fishing methods or pressure on nearly extinct stock is getting old fast.

In the early days I kept hearing that this is a step in the right direction and “the hope is that…” and “building the community” “building the relationships” would address these issues of ocean damage and fishery pressure. I keep waiting for an adequate response. I keep waiting to hear the fisheries’ plan for phasing out harmful gear. Meanwhile friends tell me they keep getting Cod, Cod, Cod in their CSF. So how does that show they are easing pressure on the stock of Cod?

“…creating an atmosphere where fishermen can choose whatever gear or reduce the impact of any gear they believe will meet their goal of leaving the oceans for future generations possible…” doesn’t cut it. We are in the position we are in now partly because fishermen big and small did NOT choose to protect the ocean environment over their own economic self-interest. If this is simply a request we vote with out pocketbooks for smaller harm than bigger, family fishermen than industrial fishermen then let’s put the cards on the table and admit it.

I’m still waiting for some clear commitment from the CSF fishermen about reducing harmful methods of fishing and reducing pressure on the beloved and dwindling Cod.

On the West Coast the parallel is the family tuna operations. They are fishing an endangered stock, to be sure, but they are at least doing it in ways that don’t damage the ocean environment. They have made that commitment. Can we get a similar commitment here?

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