Under duress from intensifying fishing restrictions, and facing a new national policy that would essentially privatize the historically public ocean fisheries, commercial and recreational fishermen from ports on three coasts are preparing to braid themselves together later this month in a mass appeal for congressional relief.
What is billed as the United We Fish March on Washington is expected to draw 2,000 to 3,000 fishermen, primarily from Atlantic ports, as well as a contingent from Gulf ports and a sprinkling from the West Coast, organizers say.
They will travel by train, plane, many buses and private vehicles and meet at noon Wednesday, Feb. 24, on the steps of the U.S. Capitol for three hours of speeches about a cause that has never before been pushed in such numbers at the heart of the federal government.
Before and afterward, as an integral part of a carefully planned event, the visitor-advocates are also scheduling meetings with senators and congressmen to lobby for action on the primary vehicles for addressing their grievances — bills to substitute some flexibility for the hard deadlines for the rebuilding of weakened stocks.
Gloucester, Massachusetts Mayor Carolyn Kirk has been invited to speak.