October 2, 2014 — But to the dismay of Maine fishermen, the specifics of a plan to boost declining stocks are months away.
Maine fishermen are going to have to wait until next month to find out how new cod-fishing regulations will affect them.
In light of reports of sharply diminished cod stocks, the New England Fishery Management Council, an 18-member group of scientists, conservationists, regulators and fishing industry representatives, recommended Wednesday that federal fishing regulators take emergency measures to help slow further declines.
But after hearing from fishermen concerned about the effects of stricter regulations, council members could not agree on exactly what those emergency measures should be. Instead, the council voted simply to “request that (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Fisheries take emergency action to help minimize the further decline of this stock this year and in 2015.”
Next, month, NOAA officials will meet to discuss and propose new regulations, and to hold public hearings on them.
Ben Martens, executive director of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, said his group was disappointed to come out of the meetings without any specifics on what will change.
Read the full story from the Portland Press Herald