Governor Patrick visited the New Bedford Whaling Museum on March 8th for the Northeast Fisheries Summit with dozens of Massachusetts fishing families who proudly carry on the tradition of living and working at sea. The Governor encourages our political leaders and fishing communities to continue to work together toward the shared objectives of sustainability and economic vitality.
The Governor's release on the visit appears below.
* Governor Patrick has called for a high-level review of the nation's fisheries management process for efficiency and consistency. The principles of equity, fairness, conservation, preservation of jobs, and flexibility in management are the way forward.
* Governor Patrick has worked with leaders in Washington to secure millions of dollars in federal aid for our fishing families — $13.4 million for groundfish disaster emergency relief, $2 million for Massachusetts shellfishermen after the Red Tide outbreak, and $3.2 million now pending for a survey of groundfish and study of new fishing techniques are just a few examples.
* The Governor worked with Chairman John Pappalardo to demand that the New England Fisheries Management Council reconsider their proposed scallop catch limits. The result was $40 million in direct benefits to the New Bedford scallop industry.
* The challenge for our state's fishing communities is to maintain harmony between tough economic realities and delicate environmental conditions. Governor Patrick is working hard to ensure that our fishing families thrive not just today, but for generations to come.