December 18, 2017 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The City Council took aim at former Mayor John Bullard and his decision to prevent Sector IX, the fishing division populated by Carlos Rafael vessels, from landing groundfish.
“It’s important that we get turn this around,” [Ward 4 Councilor Dana] Rebeiro said. “He’s a very reasonable man. He loves New Bedford. I know he’s very concerned about Carlos Rafael, as we all are, and the fact that he was able to do what he did for so long. But I think there has to be a way that we can make sure that justice is served but not at the expense of these families.”
The council agreed to send a letter to Bullard, the Northeast Regional Administrator for NOAA and the federal delegation asking for immediate reversal of the ban.
The ban took effect Nov. 20 as a result of Bullard believing the division still hadn’t addressed issues resulting from Rafael’s illegal behavior.