May 31, 2015 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — I’ve been a commercial fishermen for more than 35 years, and one thing I have learned in three decades on the water is that not everyone in this industry thinks alike. That’s why I feel it is so important to point out, as the House of Representatives prepares to vote on an amended reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) next week, that there are differing opinions on it, and that there are thousands of small-boat fishermen here in New England and across the country who do not want to see Rep. Young’s bill (H.R. 1335) passed into law.
I’ve had good years and bad years as a ground fisherman in New England, and I know my success depends on healthy fish populations. There are a lot of ways to manage our fisheries better, but they all involve a strong MSA. There are points in the proposed reauthorization that make sense — and a whole bunch that do not.
The fishermen I know agree that we are never going to rebuild fish stocks without better science and comprehensive monitoring. Reauthorizing the MSA now gives our industry a great opportunity to update a law that has worked pretty well, and can do even more if we take the time to look at all the possible amendments and work together to come up with the best plan for everyone.
Read the full opinion piece at the New Bedford Standard – Times