New England’s fishing activists, including a large contingent from Gloucester, headed to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday to participate in the United We Fish rally.
Mayor Carolyn Kirk, state Sen. Bruce Tarr, state Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante and local fishermen met with legislators hoping to convince lawmakers to modify the Magnuson Stevens Act (MSA).
Armed with their reasons why the regulations placed on the fishing industry should be re-examined, the Gloucester activists packed their day with meetings, and delivered their message to the open ears of Washington lawmakers.
Despite the cold temps and constant threat of rain and snow, a crowd estimated at 5,000 people attended the protest. “I was impressed with the rally,” said Jack Flaherty, a Gloucester fisherman who drove to D.C. with friends. “The biggest crowd was probably from Florida but I met people from as far away as Alaska and also ran into several Gloucester folks. It was a good turnout.”