Thursday, January 31, 2013
Statement on NEFMC’s Vote to Drastically Reduce the Catching of Cod Fish
Today I released the following statement regarding yesterday’s
vote made by the New England Fisheries Management Council to reduce the available
catch of Gulf of Maine Cod by77% to 1,506 metric tons and George’s Bank Cod by
61% to 2,506 metric tons:
“Yesterday’s vote by the New
England Fisheries Management Council is devastating news for fishing ports and
fishing families throughout Massachusetts and our region. The impending socio-economic devastation
demands that public officials and industry stakeholders work together as never
before to bring innovation, flexibility and leadership to the table, and to find
ways to keep the fishing industry alive through these perilous times.
We cannot allow New England’s
domestic fish harvesting capacity to disappear, and I am calling on my
colleagues in government and those in the industry to rise to the challenge
before us of ensuring the survival of an industry that feeds our country with a
precious catch every day.”
