Fishing managers will tackle a host of groundfishing regulatory issues when the New England Fishery Management Council meets today in Portsmouth, N.H.
Industry members anticipate a lively debate over proposed changes in fishing policy, which have left fishermen scratching their heads.
Topping the agenda is a discussion of strict groundfishing measures proposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service as a temporary fix designed to meet federal requirements to end overfishing and rebuild depleted stocks of yellowtail flounder and other groundfish. Both fishermen and environmentalists oppose the rules, saying they will cripple the already beleaguered groundfishing industry while failing to rebuild fish stocks to sustainable levels.
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