BANGOR, Maine (February 18, 2009) — Sen. Olympia Snowe said Tuesday that an interim rule proposed by the National Marine Fisheries Service would push the New England fishing industries “off a cliff.”
“We can only speculate on the drastic economic impacts that would befall coastal infrastructure, shore support, and seafood-dependent industries,” she wrote in a letter sent to James Balsiger, the acting administrator of the fisheries service.
The senator is joining Maine fishermen, industry experts and state officials in urging the fisheries service to modify its intended interim regulations, which are planned to take effect in May and likely would last until 2010.
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