July 5, 2013 — BOSTON (AP) — Fishermen desperate for revenue are learning to love the ornery dogfish, and they’re hoping the government can help them persuade seafood eaters to do the same.
Industry groups have asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to buy more dogfish fillets to increase industry earnings and build market demand for the abundant but low-value fish.
Last week, 19 New England lawmakers, including the U.S. senators from Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, followed the fishermen’s request with a letter saying such purchases could ‘‘bring much needed relief to an ailing industry.’’
The desire to promote dogfish is a change for fishermen who have long despised the small shark, a relentless predator they say clogs nets, devours bait and drives out more valuable species, such as cod. But with new catch limits cutting New England operations to the bone, fishermen say there’s opportunity in the plentiful dogfish.
‘‘When life gives you lemons, you drink lemonade, right?’’ said Rhode Island fisherman Chris Brown.
This year, fishermen in the coastal New England states have about 24 million pounds of dogfish quota. By comparison, their Gulf of Maine cod quota is about 3.24 million pounds, after being cut 78 percent from last year.
With such a massive dogfish allotment, fishermen are looking for ways to increase demand and drive up profits and infrastructure investment along the way.
The limp market for dogfish exists largely in Europe, where it’s sold with fish and chips. Dogfish prices in New England are floating around 22 cents a pound or lower, and the price is often barely enough to cover the cost to go catch it.
Read the full story by Jay Lindsay of the Associated Press at the Boston Globe