August 12, 2014 — Charlie Baker, the Republican Party's presumptive nominee for governor, recently waded into the debate over lobster fishing regulations, opposing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's new rules for the industry while criticizing Attorney General Martha Coakley for refusing to weigh in on the topic.
But Coakley's campaign said Friday that the attorney general, a Democratic candidate for governor, has gone beyond just commenting on the NOAA plan, which she views as burdensome to fishermen.
“Charlie Baker's political attack is totally untrue and shows a complete lack of understanding of the issue,” campaign spokeswoman Bonnie McGilpin said in a statement emailed to the Times. “Martha has steadfastly fought on behalf of fishing communities across Massachusetts, suing the federal government over what she believes are unfair regulations against our fishing families. Her office has been actively engaged with the lobstermen on this issue and has already committed to help them work to reduce these burdensome regulations.”
Without specifically outlining the proposed regulations, Baker said NOAA's plan to prohibit lobster fishing in Cape Cod and Massachusetts bays from Jan. 1 to April 30 would “severely limit days on the water,” and the ban on single lines and traps “could result in more dangerous conditions for fishermen.”
Read the full story at The Cape Cod Times