October 6, 2020 — We here at FishOn have a couple of parting thoughts on the New England Fishery Management Council passage last week of Amendment 23 that will mandate observer coverage aboard 100% of Northeast groundfish vessel trips when it goes into effect in 2022. And then, we promise, we’ll shut up about it.
In the heel of the hunt, no one seemed all that satisfied with the measure except the council, which found enough common ground to obtain its preferred alternative for 100% monitoring coverage and still provide some financial breathing room for fishermen.
Conservation groups were happy with the 100% coverage, but also tres miffed with the minimum coverage rate of 40% that would kick in if federal funds can’t carry the freight at 100%.
“Forty percent just won’t do it,” Gib Brogan of Oceana stated flatly.
The industry was relieved that affordability became a driving force finally, but many fishing stakeholders remain wholly unconvinced that the council made its case for the need of the far-reaching amendment in the first place. And they hated on the proposal’s draft environmental impact study the way we hate on eggs.
And saving the best for last, the plan depends hugely on the sustained munificence of — gulp — the federal government to succeed. Are we the only ones that think that leaves us a couple of legislative Crazy Ivans away from reigniting the whole issue?
OK, we’re zipping it on monitoring. For a spell.