February 20, 2015 — The fishing sector-based proposal to remove some of the most restrictive emergency cod measures in the Gulf of Maine, initially rejected by NOAA Fisheries, is back in play.
Responding to a Jan. 22 letter written by U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton and co-signed by four other members of the Bay State's congressional delegation, NOAA Fisheries now says the alternative cod management proposal developed by the Gloucester Fishing Community Preservation Fund and Northeast Fishing Sector 4 "warrants further consideration."
NOAA informed Moulton on Wednesday night that it will revisit the alternative cod management proposal put forth by the fishing sectors and other fishing advocates.
"Fishermen, environmentalists and others share a commitment to ensuring a sustainable fishery for future generations," Moulton said today in a statement. "I am grateful that NOAA will revisit how we go about accomplishing that goal."
In the Jan. 22 letter, the first-term congressman and his colleagues went to bat for the plan largely developed by GFCPF Executive Director Vito Giacalone and widely endorsed by sectors and other fishing advocates and stakeholders.
That plan proposed fishing sectors would surrender up to 60 metric tons of their annual cod catch entitlement if NOAA would relax or eliminate some of the emergency cod measures it instituted last November after a surprise and unscheduled stock assessment last summer showed the Gulf of Maine cod stock to be highly imperiled.
Read the full story from the Gloucester Daily Times