It's good to know that Department of Commerce's "economic assessment team" promised by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke will be coming to Gloucester next week for a series of workshops exploring the toll the government's fishing regulations and enforcement have taken on the city's economy.
Indeed, the timing of the visit by those with the Economic Development Administration just a day into the start of the second New England commercial fishing season under NOAA's beleaguered catch share management system shows that Commerce officials are finally giving priority to issues that should have been addressed long before now.
And Mayor Carolyn Kirk's move to keep some of the sessions open to the public, as noted in today's Page 1 news story, represents a good sign of recognition that Gloucester's economic hardship is not limited to its fishing boats.
Read the complete editorial from The Gloucester Times.