The history and future of New England fisheries will be discussed this Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 5:30 p.m., when Julie Wormer, New England Oceans Program Director for the Environmental Defense Fund will present a lecture, Catch Shares: Our Fishing Future? at the Chilmark Public Library. The lecture is sponsored by the Menemsha Fisheries Development Fund.

Beginning in May 2010, New England fishermen will begin to catch groundfish under sector management, which holds the promise of restoring this once-proud fishery to its former abundance. Under sectors, the state or federal government sets and enforces overall annual harvest limits, and groups of fishermen (or sectors) are free to find the most profitable way to catch up to their annual quotas. Sectors that go over their annual quota must purchase more from other sectors or face stiff fines and a decreased share of the following year’s harvest.

The lecture is free and open to all. For details, call 508-645-3360.