Senator Olympia Snowe's office has issued the following release: WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmospheres, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) on May 26 announced the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded the Maine Department of Marine Resources $1 million in federal funding to establish a permit banking program for Maine’s groundfishing industry.
“The establishment of a new permit banking program in Maine is vital to helping to stem the flow of fishing vessels out-of-state that has left Maine with just 70 active groundfish boats, and bolster fishery access and production for Maine’s smaller fishing communities, which have been hit hard by the economic downturn,” Senator Snowe said. “This funding is extremely welcome news that will go a long way in helping to ensure a strong, diverse future for Maine’s fishing industry.”
The funding will establish a pilot permit banking program to buy permits that will help retain access for Maine’s small boat fleets that hail from small coastal communities. Specifically, the funds will be used to acquire multispecies limited access permits to encourage fishing opportunities throughout the state and prevent additional migration of fishing jobs to ports to the south.