The council has shown incredible arrogance in ignoring not only the cries of elected leaders but, it seems, the very science it claims to uphold.
Never mind the scientific data. Never mind the protests of some 17 members of Congress and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or the anticipated loss of up to $300,000 per scallop boat in 2010.
The New England Fishery Management Council is forging ahead with its new rules anyway, affirming in a written statement Tuesday that it refuses to revisit the decision.
The Standard-Times sought the opinion of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service, but Maggie Mooney-Seus, a spokeswoman in the Gloucester office, said the agency is in the process of reviewing the rules and declined to comment.
Certainly the SouthCoast community does not want to see scallop stocks depleted. The council, though, seems to be acting more in the interest of exerting authority and less in the interest of all concerned.
It would be different if they had better science on their side. That does not appear to be the case.