June 7, 2013 — The lawsuit filed last week by Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley against the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to block new regulations that threaten the fishing industry may benefit local fishermen in the long run, but probably would help them now.
“We just don’t have the luxury of time,” said Scituate fisherman Frank Mirarchi. “This will take years and those of us struggling now won’t be around to reap whatever benefits there might be.”
Mirarchi called the suit “an unfortunate and desperate last move,” but added that it was necessary to bring the plight of fishermen to light.
“They just don’t get it,” he said of those setting the regulations. “We can’t survive like this.”
State Rep. Jim Cantwell, D-Marshfield, called it “a sad day for our storied fishing industry and its proud tradition.
“Though I greatly appreciate the suit taken by Attorney General Coakley, I am concerned that this justified legal challenge will not be able to bring change in federal fisheries management in time to better manage our fish population while saving thousands of jobs in New England,” Cantwell said.
Read the full story at the Scituate Mariner