Six owners of federally-permitted Gloucester gillnet vessels have each adapted to today's groundfish laws, ebbing fish prices, flowing expenses, and year-round cod abundance off Gloucester by working two vessels in that fishery with just one crew, who often double-trip daily.
This May's sector management program will void that survival technique.
"I was one of the first (gillnet vessel owners) to get a second boat around 2001. The 120-day block was the original reason. Who can go unemployed four months out of the year?" questioned Phil Powell, captain and owner of approximately 43-foot-long and 45-foot-long gillnetters.
Groundfish regulations dictate every federally-licensed Gloucester gillnetter take an annual 120-day block (four month-long time out from fishing) which must be done "โฆ in no less than seven-day increments and include a 20-day block in the spring and also a 21-day one in the summer," explained Richard Burgess, one of the vessel owners who works two sets of gillnetters within the 30- to 50-foot range with two crews.