NEW BEDFORD, Mass., — January 24, 2014 — An NOAA Fisheries analysis of fishing year 2012 in the Northeast groundfish fleet concludes that landings and revenues were at their lowest point in four years.
In that period landings dropped by 24 percent and revenue by 22.9 percent, NOAA reported. It was "as expected," said the report. Sector management and cutbacks in quota have long been blamed for lower landings by the industry, although in the past two years NOAA has been able to show slight increases in revenue.
The report notes another phenomenon predicted by those in the fishing industry four years ago: consolidation of the fleet.
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