WASHINGTON, DC (February 19, 2009) – A coalition of nine New England congressmen is opposing an interim groundfishing rule proposed by federal regulators and criticized by fishermen who say the rule is too restrictive and will devastate the industry if it takes effect May 1 as expected.
The coalition has written a letter to the head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service asking him to scrap the proposed rule in exchange for alternative measures recommended by the New England Fishery Management Council. Read the Standard-Times story in full
In a related news story, George Lapointe, Maine fisheries commissioner, observed that “The proposed regulations do not balance the need to rebuild the stocks with the current and very pressing need to preserve what remains of New England’s groundfish fishery and associated infrastructure,” he wrote. “There is little hope that there will be any semblance of a viable commercial fishing industry left to benefit from Amendment 16.” Read more on this in the Bangor Daily News
UPDATE: Read the congressional coalition’s letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service [PDF]
UPDATE 2: New England senators protest proposed fishing rules – Read the Associated Press story in full