I am writing in response to the latest column and olive branch offered by acting national fisheries administrator Jim Balsiger (The Times, Friday, May 8).
What a warm and fuzzy piece. But if all of what he wrote is true about alternative nets and gear, then why aren’t the day boats using those nets now to target abundant haddock, which finally moved inshore, where they are accessible to the inshore fleet, four days before the three-month closure went into effect? The fish will be back offshore when it re-opens.
Why aren’t hook boats fishing now? Very selective gear type. The party boats are all allowed in there right now with unlimited retention of haddock and 10 cod per man, and doing quite well by all accounts.