May 30, 2013 — As the executive director of the Gloucester Fishing Community Preservation Fund, I see first-hand the financial and personal devastation of these reductions on fishing families and dependent shore side businesses. My own family’s financial future is now threatened.
I have three adult sons who own and operate a fish offloading business that they started in 2008 with a dream of participating in an industry that federal statistics promised would be enjoying huge increased yields. These huge yields were to be the result of the years the fishery has been operating well within the strict limits set forth by what was said to be precautionary management. Many fishermen and shore side businesses trusted those projections and did their part to prepare to deliver the much needed protein to US seafood consumers.
Now, literally millions of dollars and families lives are at great risk. This Boston Fish Pier houses many long standing businesses who have endured decades of strict regulation now to be told that local supply of fish will be abruptly halted.
By not implementing interim measures and other mitigating measures proposed that were rejected, we are accepting known and permanent damages in return for speculated long term stock growth. Had the agency implemented interim measures, facilitated promised access to mortality closures and other proposed mitigating measures, fishing families and shore-side infrastructure would have a far greater chance of adjusting while the stocks still increase. That’s right, interim catch levels in 2013 would still result in the GOM cod stock increasing in size. This is the type of balance contemplated in the law that has not been adequately utilized, in our opinion.
I want to thank Attorney General Martha Coakley for sending this message today that fishing is still very important to the state of Massachusetts. We’re grateful to the Commonwealth (Gov Patrick, Secretary Sullivan, state legislators and the many members of Congress) for their continued support of our historic industry.