January 29, 2019 — Terry Alexander has fished for 40 of his 57 years, catching groundfish in the winter and squid during the summer months, off New York and Rhode Island.
Throughout the 35-day federal shutdown that ended — perhaps temporarily — on Friday, the Cundy’s Harbor man and his four employees continued to head out on the “Jocka” to haul in groundfish such as cod, haddock, flounders and pollock. Alexander said the shutdown may have long-term consequences for him and for other Mainers who make their living fishing for groundfish.
“If they have another shutdown, it could be catastrophic for New England groundfishing,” he said by phone from a meeting of the New England Fishery Management Council in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Alexander said a memo Monday from the NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region regional administrator Michael Pentony about the backlog of work for federal regulators only added to that worry.
Pentony wrote that staff would focus on a significant backlog of time-critical work accumulated during the 35-day shutdown.