Comments

In 2001, Scott Miller, wrote a report entitled "The Economic Assessment of the Domestic Fisheries Developmental Potential of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands." In this report, which was written for the National Marine Fisheries Service, he stated that commercial fishing was not a viable option for the CNMI. In addition, he recommended that the CNMI government should assist the local small pelagic fishermen, who take their small boats out to 15 to 20 miles out to catch skipjack tuna and currently have little opportunity to sell their catch because of existing fisheries import agreements with Guam. Commercial fishing (foreign or domestic)has never succeeded in the CNMI. He states that foreign commercial fisheries would compete to the detriment of the local fisherman. The CNMI government should assist the local fisherman in marketing their catch. Currently, the only fishing in the waters around the top three northern islands is by foreign fishing fleets illegally fishing for sharks, and finning them for sale in Asia.