March 19, 2019 — Representatives of 14 companies from the municipality of Gloucester, Massachusetts met with the state’s governor, Charlie Baker, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, U.S. Representative Seth Moulton, State Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, and Gloucester Mayor on Monday, 18 March at Seafood Expo North America.
The elected officials each took turns praising Gloucester and the quality of its seafood, and proclaimed their support for an industry that is estimated to employ about 100,000 workers and have an economic impact of around USD 2 billion (EUR 1.8 billion).
“As somebody who has spent time in New Bedford, in Gloucester, and in a whole bunch of places in between, I am more than aware of the fact that this particular industry doesn’t just feed families by having them purchase the product that’s associated with what they deliver…it also feeds families who bring it to shore and ultimately get it to market,” Baker said.
At the reception, Baker announced more than USD 116,000 (EUR 102,000) in grants for research projects intended to benefit the seafood industry in Massachusetts. The grants will study Massachusetts’ port infrastructure, consumer preferences for local seafood, and fishermen’s approach to traceability technology.