In 1976 the Magnuson Stevens Act was passed with the intention of replenishing and protecting fish stocks. Over time, some fish stocks did rebound but more government regulations kept coming, telling fishermen where, when and how much to fish. In the documentary “Truth: Fishing Crisis or Government Mismanagement", fishermen state that while the regulations have resulted in replenishment of certain fish, it is past time, 34 years later, to adjust the regulations so they reflect the replenishment.
As an example of how the regulations may make sense to some, but are not realistic for the fishermen, Captain Joel Hovanesian said that if a boat is allowed only 1,000 pounds of cod a day at sea, sometimes it can haul in 10,000 pounds of cod on the first day. In order not to get fined, the fishermen then have to spend 10 days at sea to meet the artificial quota of 1,000 pounds a day before hauling the cod back to shore. This results in wasted time, more fuel and labor costs, and a lower quality product.
Read the complete story from Wicked Local.