Commercial fishing is one of New England and America's oldest and most traditional industries. Additionally, commercial fishing provides an important food source to our nation. It is, however, under attack from all sides.
The commercial fishing industry in the US is regulated by NOAA, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and several regional Fishery Management Councils, as established by the Magnuson Stevens Act. That Act creates guidelines to assist these agencies in creating and implementing fishery management plans, through obtaining the "best scientific evidence available" and taking "into account the importance of fishery resources to fishing communities", and "to the extent practicable, minimize[ing] adverse economic impacts on such communities".
Despite such clear language, these government agencies continue to disregard and distort the guidelines in virtually every practical way, making commercial fishing in New England and the rest of the nation harder and harder for fishermen. Instead of consulting with fishermen themselves on fish stocks, populations and movements, NOAA and the NMFS have repeatedly and deliberately based their plans, restrictions, and national statements (capitalized upon by national media) on faulty 'science'.
For example, we have been told by NOAA and the NMFS for years that the New England groundfishery (i.e., fishing for such species as flounder, fluke, haddock, cod, monkfish, etc.) has been chronically "overfished". The truth is that the New England groundfishery has been chronically underfished, resulting in the decimation of the livelihoods of hard working fishermen in such ports as New Bedford and Gloucester. In 2008, NE fishermen could have caught up to 75% more fish than they actually caught, without damaging fish stocks. But because of purposefully unworkable regulations, they didn't catch 280 million dollars of fish that they were allowed to catch. (From http://www.fishnet-usa.com/chronic_underfishing.htm).
Most claims of "overfishing" are simply not true. Again- not to be repetitive- there are reports from New England fishermen themselves, who are actually on our waterways day after day and are more aware of real-life fish stocks and patterns than anyone else, that they have never seen "so many fish...in 34 years of fishing" (http://www.gloucestertimes.com/fishing/local_story_017215951.html?keyword=topstory), but they are simply not allowed to catch them. Not only is this true, but fishermen are increasingly being shunned from positions where they influence fishery management policy. Why is this going on? Why are our fishermen and their knowledge disregarded and fish stocks misrepresented?
Perhaps it can be explained as a huge conflict of interest. The fact is that most of the scientists and officials in positions of power within the National Marine Fisheries Service and NOAA (including NOAA chief Jane Lubchenko) have been involved with and funded by organizations such as Pew Charitable Trusts and other environmental organizations for years. (For an expose on what would be condemned as a gross conflict of interest in any other industry, see http://capeannsalon.yuku.com/topic/983). Such organizations gross millions of dollars every year, fund marine 'research' and have huge lobbying power and media ties.
Now, fishermen are fighting back. They are beginning to unite in an effort to turn the tide and return fishermen to the place they were originally intended to have- that of being a true consideration when fisheries management plans are developed. They are crying for an amendment to the existing fisheries legislation. The new legislation, called the Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act, has two bills in Congress- one in the House of Representatives (HR 1584), and one in the Senate (S. 1255). A united rally of both commercial and recreational fishermen are set to gather on the steps of the Capitol building in Washington, DC, on Feb. 24, 2010, under the banner of United We Fish to demonstrate support for the bill and gain Congressional attention. (See http://unitedwefish.blogspot.com/, Jan 2 entry.) It is the first time such a united front has ever been presented to Congress on these issues. You can help by signing a letter that will be distributed to Congressmen and women who have shown support for the Flexibility legislation by clicking here: http://fs16.formsite.com/FixMagnusonNow/form793561462/. As many signatures as possible are needed, so please consider signing and coming to the aid of these fishermen. Without the passage of this legislation, many men and women in New England and the greater United States stand to lose their jobs and way of life. Another pro-Flexibility legislation petition can be found at: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/241380953. Please take the time to sign both and give our fishermen a chance. You can also get involved by calling or emailing your Senators and Representatives and asking them to support the Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act. Thank you!
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