GLOUCESTER, Mass. — November 17, 2014 — Governor-elect Charlie Baker vowed Saturday to do his part to save the state’s struggling fishing industry, saying Massachusetts has not done enough to support fishermen and calling into question research used to impose restrictions to boost the cod population.
“I’ve been struck by the dynamic in which the federal government says there are no fish and then fishermen go out and fish for a few hours and catch 10,000 pounds or 5,000 pounds,” Baker said.
Scientists say cod often congregate around their spawning areas as their numbers decline, making it easier for fishermen to catch them.
Baker spoke after meeting with fishermen behind closed doors at the Gloucester House Restaurant. Lieutenant Governor-elect Karyn Polito and state Senator Bruce Tarr, a Republican from Gloucester, also attended.
Fishermen have been sounding the alarm since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced emergency measures Monday that effectively ban cod fishing in the Gulf of Maine for six months to protect the species from further decline.
The new rules, which went into effect Thursday, restrict what areas can be fished, lower the allowed accidental catch of cod to just 200 pounds per boat, tighten reporting requirements, and reduce the size of nets fishermen may use.
The regulations were implemented after NOAA announced that an assessment of the cod fishery over the summer found the population had plummeted more steeply than previously thought.
The federal government also found few young fish, reflecting paltry spawning rates.
Read the full story and watch the video from The Boston Globe