NEW BEDFORD, Mass., — February 20, 2014 — Recreational and charter boat owners are up in arms over a NOAA proposal to establish a research "reference area" that includes a slice of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.
The Stellwagen Bank Charter Boat Association said in emails this week that the restrictions would cause sweeping losses to the regional fishing economy and are ill-considered.
The 55-square-mile area is a narrow strip north of Provincetown, which would be closed to groundfishing by the recreational and charter boats, but not other types of fish, according to Dr. Craig MacDonald, superintendent of the sanctuary.
The goal is to establish an area where the impacts of non-fishing events can be observed and measured.
Pat Fiorelli, spokeswoman for the NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (formerly the Northeast Regional Office) said that contrary to the fears of the fishermen, no vote is likely at next week's meeting of the New England Fisheries Management Council.
Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times