What are fishing sectors all about?
It's about the government trying to give another management option to New England's groundfish fishermen. This new management plan, taking effect in May, will allow commercial fishermen in defined "sectors" to decide on their own how to manage their catch which will be capped by a limit.
The sector concept is a grouping, not a geographical location. It could lay out a new course for fishermen to work together for their mutual benefit, accepting catch limits but designing their own management plan and choosing when and where to fish.
So far, there are 18 New England sectors, including the Port Clyde Community Groundfish Sector made up of members from the Midcoast Fishermen's Association. Officials say joining a sector isn't mandatory but those who continue to fish in the Days at Sea management system would be subject to more stringent rules such as 50 percent cut in Days at Sea (24 days for most fishermen) a 24 hour clock and trip limits on Gulf of Maine cod and Pollock.
The allocation of fish for those wishing to join a sector will be based on past total catches and a time period between 1996-2006 a rule that could rankle fishermen if those were poor fishing years. Groundfish fishermen, cooperatives and fishermen's associations may modify poor allocation by trading, leasing or buying up fishing permits themselves. The state of Maine will be receiving $1 million from the National Marine Fishery Service to start a Maine State Permit Bank to buy groundfish permits or allocation to preserve access to the fishery and help the remaining groundfish fishermen to be viable according to state officials.