October 1, 2019 — Fatter trophy fish, and a healthier ecosystem overall, are in the offing if the public supports recently approved regulations.
“After 10 years of debate, the New England Fishery Management Council has finally accepted the proposals favored by Cape communities and what would keep midwater trawls off our coast year round. It will have benefits for all our commercial and recreational fisheries and the nearshore ecosystem,” said John Pappalardo, chief executive officer of the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance, in a press release.
The protections were vetted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and were recently published on the Federal Register for final comment.
“This is it,” said Pappalardo. “We need people to speak out for herring one more time to make sure these important rules become a reality.”