Fishermen protest federal catch limits
Dare County fishermen – both recreational and commercial – gathered in the still-dark hours of the morning on Feb. 25 to board a bus heading to Washington, DC, where they joined approximately 5,000 other fishermen, seafood dealers and tackle shop owners from all parts of the country, including Alaska.
They met in the nation's capital to form a protest in hopes of catching the attention of Congress to demand relief from a federal law they feel will doom the fishing industry and end North Carolina's commercial fishing heritage.
Setting strict timeframes for rebuilding fish stocks that have been deemed overfished, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, re-authorized in 2007, has several provisions that if enacted, according to protesters, will reduce the number and types of fish allowed for both recreational and commercial use, and fishermen contend will result in significant harm to both the recreational and commercial fishing industries.
Observers and participants at the rally said this was an historic event with the presence of both commercial and recreational fishermen, usually competitors for fish stocks, standing side by side to protest the act.