A frenetic week in Washington, D.C. brought Congressional leaders together with fishermen.
Early mornings, full days and late nights were the norm as fishermen spread the message that catch shares are important for their future. Funding for the national catch shares program is included in the Fiscal Year 2011 budget.
As fishermen face closures for the fisheries they depend on, they told lawmakers how catch shares avoid closures and allow fishing to continue even as stocks recover. Catch shares avoid the blow dealt by closures to communities and fishing jobs.