NEW BEDFORD — NOAA has announced it will spend $10 million to help the New England fishing industry transition from a "days at sea" system to one based on cooperatives called "sectors," but the news is being met with sharp skepticism from regional fishermen.
Rodney Avila, New Bedford's representative on the New England Fishery Management Council, said, "It seems like they're throwing all kinds of money at this to make sure catch shares fly."
Starting in May, the sectors — groups of similar boats — will self-administer catch shares permitted by NOAA, shares that fishermen say are too small for them to survive economically.
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