October 25, 2013 — The appropriation to fund a state Division of Marine Fisheries plan to halt further collapse of the Bay State commercial fishing industry remains in the supplemental budget bill on its way to Gov. Deval Patrick for his approval.
Following the lead of the state Senate, the Massachusetts House on Thursday retained the $50,000 appropriation and Patrick now has 10 calendar days to act on the budget.
The appropriation, while modest, represents what’s seen as an important step in the long-awaited action by the state to develop a systematic approach for halting the escalating erosion of the state’s commercial fishing industry.