10-6-09
The Herring Committee of the New England Fishery Management Council yesterday approved a motion aimed at delaying a radical cutback in the size of future herring catches, pending a benchmark assessment of the strength of the fishery which is considered strong and stable.
But the data on the fishery show a "retrospective pattern" — a term that means the presence of worrisome trends as ever-more current data is fed into the model.
Lobster fishing interests said a major cutback in herring catches could leave traps without bait, and do deep damage to the lobster industry.
"In the 20 years I’ve been involved in lobstering," said an official of the Corea Lobster Co., "I’ve never seen a greater threat to the fishery."
Read the complete story at The Gloucester Daily Times.