Gov. Deval Patrick Friday nominated six Massachusetts participants in the New England fishing industry for four seats opening on the federal regional fishery management council, a body that has made itself a lightning rod by converting the fishery into a seafood commodities market.
On Patrick's behalf, Lt. Gov. Tim Murray announced the nominations. They feature the recommendation of another representative of the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen's Association to replace the association's CEO, John Pappalardo, who was chairman of the council during development of region's first catch share system.
Tom Dempsey, nominated as the governor's first choice of three for Pappalardo's seat on the council, is policy director of the hook fishermen's group and assistant director of the Cape Cod Fisheries Trust.
The trust is a commodity market division of the association, which has received about $4 million from philanthropies to advance the catch share agenda written largely by the Environmental Defense Fund.
Read the complete story from The Gloucester Times.