The New England commercial fishing fleet has been waiting for more than a month to learn whether the U.S. Secretary of Commerce will honor a gubernatorial request for loosened groundfish limits to help quell a government-induced industry collapse.
Now, a second economic emergency request — challenging limits on the humble skate — is coming from Congressman Barney Frank.
Garth Patterson, Frank's fisheries advisor, told the Times the emergency request for skate will be issued perhaps as soon as this week.
Like the first request — for a broad loosening of catch limits across the 19 stock groundfish complex, sought by Gov. Deval Patrick before the mid-term congressional elections — Frank's will cite authority in the Magnuson-Stevens Act allowing Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to obviate an economic crisis with emergency adjustments in catch limits so long as stock recovery plans are not jeopardized.
Read the complete story from The Gloucester Times.