Herring carrier, Eastport, Maine. These wood vessels once carried herring from shoreline weirs to canneries and bait dealers. They now more likely sail offshore at night to carry herring from midwater trawler nets. More dramatic fleet diversity reductions have been impacting the ground fish fleet. At the April NEFMC meeting, 15 college students from 5 New England universities made known their concerns about the failure of the fisheries council to address the number of small boat fishermen being driven out of business. Chessie Crowe Gartmayer photo
Diversity Failing
Regulators Promote Corporate Ownership
By Laurie Schreiber
MYSTIC, CT – Protection for inshore groundfishermen took a blow when the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) failed to impose a sufficient limit on the amount of quota individuals can accumulate.
That was the consensus among many fishermen and other community members after NEFMC voted on a 15 percent limit as a preferred alternative in draft Amendment 18 to the groundfish management plan, at their April 21 meeting.
Amendment 18 is still in process, with May 1, 2016 tentatively scheduled for implementation of measures.
If the NEFMC recommendation is finalized, the limit means one fisherman can buy 15 percent of fishing quota for the groundfish stocks.
Fishermen said they fear that could potentially leave the fishery in the hands of just seven fishermen, each with 15 percent of fishable quota.
