September 21, 2012 — The fishing industry's ability to adapt to changing fish populations grows ever more complex, and weekly — sometimes daily — developments always seem like "one step forward, two steps back."
New Bedford fishermen landed about 1 percent of all the seafood in the country in 2011, and those $10-a-pound scallops added up again to help make it the highest dollar value port for the 12th year in a row. At the same time, the scallop fishery faces cuts of up to 30 percent in each of the next two years with the decision in the New England Fishery Management Council's hands for a November meeting.
John Bullard takes the reins as NOAA's regional administrator for Northeast fisheries, and finds the situation to be dire.
The Commerce Department declared a national fishery disaster in the New England groundfishery, but there's no guarantee that enough relief will find its way to Massachusetts, or that it would be spent well if it does.
On this front, there are current programs and future plans that offer promise of making good decisions with what relief can be delivered.
NOAA has begun a survey of 1,700 fishing boats in the Northeast, hoping to obtain data on actual operating costs. NOAA will also be talking with fishermen to obtain socio-economic data.
Read the full article at South Coast Today