The U.S. House of Representatives passed an amendment early Saturday that would prevent NOAA from spending money to promote and institute new limited-access fishing programs such as catch shares on the East Coast, a development that commercial fishing advocates have labeled as "very significant."
Bob Vanasse, head of the fisheries public relations campaign Saving Seafood, called the vote on the Jones Amendment "a major salvo" fired at federal fishing regulators.
"Basically, the message was, 'We've had it and we're going to use the power of the purse to have you reconsider your policies,' " Vanasse said.
Jim Kendall, president of New Bedford Seafood Consulting, said the amendment could prevent NOAA from spending "another $50 million to advocate and promote catch shares."
"A lot of the money is used to essentially disseminate propaganda," Kendall said. "They've been forcing catch shares down the throats of various fisheries."
Last May, federal regulators introduced the New England groundfishing industry to a new fishing management system, replacing a days-at-sea model with "catch shares" and "sector management."
The system requires boat owners to join cooperatives and manage
their share allocations, or "catch shares," as they best see fit within the law.
The new system has been met with opposition and controversy.
Read the complete story from The South Coast Today.