Could the decision announced Thursday by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke calling for a temporary easing of this round of controversial, intensely restrictive federal government regulations, imposed on the New England fishing industry last spring, be the first welcome sign that the bitter storm this community's fishermen have been forced to ride out may soon be coming to an end?
Hopefully, that will be the case. And, if so, it would only make perfect sense.
But, if Locke's decision does represent the first real break in the deplorable, unacceptable schism and dysfunctional relationship that has developed between the region's commercial fishing interests and the industry's principle administrative and regulative agencies in Washington and its satellite branches — one here, in Gloucester — then it is largely because so many here on the industry's side of the increasingly divisive battle lines have stood up and fought hard to keep our local and regional fishing industry from falling into the hands of outside interests.
These heroes are too numerous to mention. But they certainly include our fishermen, their families, our industry leaders and spokespersons, and of course our outstanding local state legislative leaders, who have taken the struggle through all the necessary channels all the way to Congress and the White House, often with little or no notice by the big city and national press.
Read the complete story from the Gloucester Daily Times.