Boston Globe Sees Better News for New England's Fishermen
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Boston Globe] By The Editorial Board - April 20, 2015 -
While some New England species, including cod and yellowtail flounder, remain subject to severe catch limits, the report by NOAA provides hope that some of the world’s toughest management regulations are making a difference — and they might keep fishing a viable regional industry for decades to come.
Regardless, a battle continues between the fishing industry, environmentalists, and regulators as to the extent that some types of fishing affect the ocean floor’s ecosystem. In a new effort to study those impacts, the New England Fishery Management Council is expected to vote Thursday on creating a 55-square-nautical-mile reference research area. Most of it would be in the Stellwagen National Marine Sanctuary, where commercial fishing and other mobile bottom gear, such as scallop dredges, are already banned but recreational fishing is allowed.
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