May 31, 2013 — State Attorney General Martha Coakley on Thursday filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court challenging the legality of drastic new quota cutbacks in the Northeast fishery, which she called the "death penalty" for the industry. Coakley appeared at a press conference at the Boston Fish Pier with several lawmakers and officials including U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., state Sen. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan.
Those present were mainly from Gloucester, which has been hit hardest by cutbacks in groundfish quotas.
There were no New Bedford representatives at the press conference; Mayor Jon Mitchell had a scheduling conflict.
Tarr praised Coakley for keeping a promise she made a month ago during a fish rally at the same spot. Coakley said then she would do everything in her power to help the fishing industry.
At the press conference, Coakley and others repeatedly referred to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in harsh terms such as "relentless," "vindictive" and "overzealous."
Also Thursday, Northeast fishermen and industry members petitioned NOAA to close the Northeast Regional Office and redirect the funds to help the fishing industry which has been declared in a state of "economic disaster."