I congratulate members of the New England Fishery Management Council and all those who worked to expand the current groundfish sector management program to help continue a positive transformation of fishing in the Northeast.
I appreciate that this took a great deal of hard work and that it was not easy. After several years of discussion, the council approved Amendment 16 this week, which includes an expansion of catch shares that will be given to sectors.
Under Amendment 16, sector participation will remain voluntary, allowing fishermen to choose to join a sector or remain under the older system of limiting fishing through a range of controls including reducing days at sea.