The mayor of the state's other leading commercial hub said Wednesday, January 6, it was time to "open up the hood" and expose the way decisions are made at the New England Fishery Management Council, which this week kept off the January meeting agenda a move to reconsider tight — and disputed — scallop restrictions.
New Bedford Mayor Scott Lang said the decision of the council at its November meeting to cut the fishing days allowed scallopers from 37 to 29 and reduce special area trips from 5 to 4 was inexplicable and without scientific justification.
The more restrictive catch limit by government estimate is expected to cost the economy $40 million.
An allegation similar to Lang's was also made in writing yesterday by Ian Bowles, the state secretary of energy and environmental affairs, in a letter to council Chairman John Pappalardo.
In a broad Freedom of Information request filed a week ago, Lang sought documents including e-mails, telephone records and all internal correspondence between federal officials ranging from Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Jane Lubchenco, who heads the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, down to the council level.
Read the complete story at The Gloucester Daily Times.