Wednesday, February 26, 2014
New England Commercial Fisheries to Receive Federal Aid
Today I released the
following statement regarding the announcement that the New England commercial
fisheries will receive almost $33 million in fisheries disaster relief aid:
“Our
commercial fishing industry is facing a prolonged crisis that threatens its
very survival, and these funds represent a critical lifeline for fishing
families and ports. Although the amount
is modest in the context of the threat, it does represent recognition by the
federal government of its obligation to provide resources in the face of this
dilemma. Now, the funds need to get to
the people who need them without delay, without being sacrificed to the costs
of overhead and bureaucracy, and without a mistaken belief that they will solve
the problems the industry faces.
Hopefully, with these funds at work to prevent immediate extinction of
commercial fishing in Massachusetts and New England, we can use the time they
buy to chart a course for better management, and a groundfishery that can
survive now and prosper in the days ahead.”
Please click here to
read New Bedford Stand Times Reporter Steve Urbon’s latest report on the
fisheries disaster relief money.
Labels:
Fishing Industry