SEABROOK — U.S. Rep. Frank Guinta, R-N.H., sat down with members of the troubled fishing industry late Tuesday afternoon at Yankee Fishermen's Cooperative, hearing firsthand the issues fishermen said stem from overly aggressive federal regulations.
In a small office overlooking Seabrook Harbor, about a dozen people affected by the regulations imposed by the National Marine Fisheries Service spent close to 90 minutes telling the congressman about problems they described as hurting their livelihood.
Fishermen said the new rules force them to choose between being part of groups, or sectors, or to refuse that option and be penalized by restrictions on the amount of groundfish taken.
Sectors share the catch with other sector fishermen but do not share many of the limitations facing the non-sector fishermen, they said. Neal Pike, president of Yankee Fishermen's Coop, said he has three boats, but can only afford to use one of them now. He said years ago they were asked not to work strictly on groundfish. Pike said instead, he concentrated on scallops and shrimp. From doing as he was told, Pike said, he now feels he has been penalized by avoiding groundfishing. Pike said the fishermen are constantly being hammered by regulations.
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