PROVIDENCE — A bill imposing a one-year ban on the use of large, double-boat fishing trawlers cleared the House of Representatives on Feb. 28. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Teresa Tanzi, D-South Kingstown/Narragansett, moved quickly through the hearing process after large out-of-state trawlers nearly depleted the winter herring catch limit in a just a few weeks in February.
The Senate Committee on the Environment and Agriculture is expected to hold a hearing on its bill soon.
At a special Senate hearing Feb. 15, state officials noted that out-of-state pair-trawlers descended on local waters two years ago, but that a ban wasn't broadly supported by the fishing industry. This year, however, after 90 percent of the 22-metic-ton limit was reached, there was no opposition. The House passed the bill 66-0.
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