GLOUCESTER, MA (February 4, 2009) – The National Marine Fisheries Service has urged a judge to stay his suspension of federal fishing regulations for the North Atlantic to prevent what the agency says would be a "substantial setback" in rebuilding stocks and "irreparable harm" suffered by the industry.
The states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, which sued NMFS hoping to overturn the fishing regulations, did not respond immediately yesterday to NMFS’ appeal of last week’s ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Edward Harrington. The action added further tension to a disintegrating relationship among the regulators, the regulated fishermen and the states of their home ports.
Co-plaintiff New Hampshire yesterday celebrated the announcement that its U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg, a Republican, had been nominated by President Barack Obama to become the Secretary of Commerce, the parent agency of NMFS.
Read the Gloucester Daily Times story in full