March 22, 2014 — Decreased recreational fishing means less bait and tackle sales, fewer fishermen visiting our hotels and shopping districts, and fewer boats in our marinas. Any impacts will be felt widely, not just by fishermen, but by all those connected to this far-reaching industry.
For centuries, fishermen have worked the waters of Stellwagen Bank in eastern Massachusetts Bay, earning their livelihoods, feeding their communities, and helping to sustain a regional economy deeply connected to fishing. The tradition continues today with charter boat captains and recreational anglers who visit the waters daily during the season to fish for various species, including haddock and cod. Their offshore efforts to bring home the day’s catch generate sales onshore for the many businesses intertwined with fishing and tourism. Now this activity is being threatened by a proposal from the New England Fisheries Management Council to close a 55-square-mile area of Stellwagen Bank to all recreational and charter boat ground fishing.
Pushing fishing further offshore, the proposal will increase costs and safety risks for crews and passengers. Some estimates from our local charter captains suggest this proposal will increase travel times to fishing areas up to two hours, raising fuel and overhead costs an estimated 20 to 40 percent. Forcing charter boat captains to endure a whole lot more to make trips with fewer customers, the proposal will devastate the charter boat industry.
Decreased recreational fishing means less bait and tackle sales, fewer fishermen visiting our hotels and shopping districts, and fewer boats in our marinas. Any impacts will be felt widely, not just by fishermen, but by all those connected to this far-reaching industry.
Significant concerns have been raised over a NOAA analysis used to support the closure. The analysis of Vessel Trip Reports (VTRs) shows charter boat fishing has been low in the proposed research area over the last decade. But, by design, VTRs capture only one location per fishing trip, regardless of how many locations fishermen actually fish on a given day. Failing to capture the movement of captains in and out of this fishing area, it cannot adequately tally fishing activity.
Read the full opinion piece at The Enterprise