New Report Examines Catch Share Impacts on Fishing Communities

Weathered commercial fishing buoys hang against a wooden fence, displaying the colorful markings used to identify fishing gear at sea.

A new report from Vermont Law School’s Center for Agriculture and Food Systems takes a closer look at how catch share programs have affected America’s fishing communities, local economies, and access to fishing rights.

Some key takeaways from Fair Shares: An Analysis of Catch Share Programs in the U.S.:

  • Catch shares have led to fishing rights becoming concentrated in the hands of fewer and larger companies.
  • Small-scale and new fishermen have struggled to stay in business under catch share programs.
  • Fishing communities have lost local jobs, ownership, and economic stability as access has consolidated.

The report also raises concerns about transparency and public accountability in catch share management. Researchers examined four U.S. fisheries to show how these impacts play out in practice.

Read the full report below:

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