Frank is known nationally as Congress’ first openly gay lawmaker, co-author of a massive bill to regulate Wall Street or bane of conservatives. But to the region’s battered fishing fleet, the Massachusetts Democrat has been a steady and uncommonly effective ally who can’t be quickly replaced.

“We’re very, very disheartened,” said Pamela Lafreniere, a New Bedford fisheries attorney. “He’s been a tireless advocate.”

In his work for fishermen, the legendarily liberal Frank has often sided with conservative Republicans and defied environmentalists. This year, after a series of Obama administration decisions that Frank called an assault on fishermen, he warned the president in an editorial that their working relationship was in jeopardy.

Read the complete story by Jay Lindsay of The AP at The Bangor Daily News.