When fishermen sued the federal government last month over the new catch share rules for groundfish, they charged that The Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen's Association had received preferential treatment. The 'hookers' as they call themselves test piloted the catch share system and became the model of what a fishing fleet should be in the eyes of the government and environmental activists.
The Hookers Association was founded a decade ago with the mission of saving the jobs of local fishermen by saving fish. Its leaders were later named "environmental heroes" by the fishing regulators of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. At the same time, the Hookers aroused suspicion in the fishing industry by allying themselves with the environmental groups that the rest of the New England fishery has been fighting.
Where traditional trade groups such as the Gloucester-based Northeast Seafood Coalition are primarily funded by membership, the Hook Association made two-thirds of its $2.1 million, 2008 operating budget from grants and donations, according to financial statements. The association's donors are an eclectic mix — including small local contributors on the Cape, the federal government, the Pew Charitable Trusts and Wal-Mart's Walton Family Foundation. While the number of fishermen still working commercially on the Cape is small — around 30 boats — the Hook Association itself has a working staff of 11, with five of them making more than $50,000 a year, according to 2008 filings.
The Hookers' media operation is formidable. When the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration launched the push for catch shares, Hook Association fishermen were quoted in most news reports on the issue, including the New York Times and Boston Globe. Earlier this month, when the New England Fishery Management Council was sending signals that NOAA was considering reversing its strict limits on the pollock catch, the Hookers put out a press release saying it was a done deal. Three hours later came the announcement from the Fishery Management Council of the pending action.
The chairman of the council, John Pappalardo, is a member of the Hookers' paid staff.
Read the complete story at The Gloucester Daily Times.