WASHINGTON – Cod, haddock and flounder have long been staples of the New England diet. Yet over the past decade, landings of these fish — which along with hake, halibut, pollock, and others are collectively referred to as "groundfish" — have declined as fishermen were forced to take deeper cuts to catch limits in an attempt to rebuild depleted fish stocks.
Recent indications in this fishery have been more promising as some fish populations have rebounded to near unprecedented levels, yet catch limits for other species remain low enough to threaten the viability of this historic industry.
The limitations imposed by the National Marine Fisheries Service, or NMFS, do not always paint an accurate picture of the abundance of the fish stocks in a given year, forcing the industry to work around federal restrictions which often seem arbitrary.
Delving into complex data to develop accurate, justifiable stock assessments is a time-consuming process, so when scientists announce their recommendations, their data are often years out of date and still contain a significant amount of ambiguity.
Read the Senator's opinion piece here.