May 29, 2014 — Massachusetts will receive more than $14.5 million in federal disaster funds to address the dramatic downturn in the Northeast’s groundfish industry, Governor Deval Patrick’s office announced Wednesday.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration allocated the money after a federal disaster declaration for the region’s groundfishermen. The state will receive the funds as part of $75 million allocated by Congress to help with six declared fishery disasters across the country.
Local groundfish fisheries have “been impacted very negatively,” said Angela Sanfilippo, president of the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association. “It’s been tough,” she said.
Changes in fishery regulations, forced by changes in resource conditions, have “consolidated the industry,” said Mary Griffin, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game.
The consolidation leaves some larger fisheries more able to survive the downturn, while smaller fishing boats have seen their businesses affected more dramatically, Griffin said in a telephone interview Wednesday night.
NOAA will be distributing $32.8 million in federal disaster funds to the New England groundfish industry, divided between six states that have declared federal fisheries disasters, according to a statement from the Patrick administration and NOAA.
Read the full story at the Boston Globe