The 20% phase-in rate has incentives/disincentives built in.

1) First is the disincentive for over exploitation. If they go over in one year, the following year impact WILL be proportionately REDUCED.

2) Then there's the incentive for selective gear in each of the 4 years. A certain amount of the 20% is held back, to be used only by partipants who want to make the change toward more selective gear. The "selective" benchmark will be a release mortality rate of no greater than 35%

Year 1 will only see 19% max impact allocated to std gillnet gear.... with a 1% holdback for selective gear.
Year 2 will see only 18% max impact allocation for std gear... 2% holdback for selective gear.
Year 3 and 4 will see a 14% max impact allocation for std gear... 6% holdback for selective gear

Without significant "selective gear" adoption by the fleet, we're effectively at 14% after the first 2 years.

If they eventually do come along, then congratulations to them for finally stepping into the 21st century.
_________________________
"Let every angler who loves to fish think what it would mean to him to find the fish were gone." (Zane Grey)

"If you don't kill them, they will spawn." (Carcassman)


The Keen Eye MD
Long Live the Kings!