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New England fishing industry to get federal dollars

Print | Comments () Posted by Beth Daley April 8, 2009 04:35 PM

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By Beth Daley, Globe Staff

The federal office that oversees fishing said today it would give $16 million to help the New England fishing industry transition to a new management system, two days after a round of fishing restrictions were announced.

(Pat Greenhouse, Globe photo)

The money will not go to individual fishermen impacted by the new rules which are expected to slice the region’s fishing revenue by $17.4 million, or nine percent.

Rather, the money will help the region develop a new way of fishing: Giving groups of fishermen a total amount of fish they can catch each year, but letting them figuring out how much – and when – each can catch their allotted amount. There are already two “sector” program like it in New England and 17 more proposed.

“The resources announced today will help the region transition to a better future, a future characterized by healthy fisheries and healthy oceans,” said Patricia Kurkul, Northeast Regional Administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Of the money, $6 million will be given to projects that helps fishermen and scientists work together to improve surveys of fish stocks and test fishing gear to target healthy fish populations. The remaining $10 million will be used to develop systems to better monitor fishing and catches.

Monday’s decision by NOAA was gentler-than-expected for fishermen who pursue bottom dwelling fish such as cod and flounder but still, many said, strict. While many stocks of fish are bouncing back off New England’s coast, some are not doing it fast enough meet a federal timetable or are not being fished sustainably. Federal officials tightened rules around catching several species on Monday but also allowed fishermen to go more aggressively after a healthy haddock population.

NOAA also announced today there are grants and assistance program that may be available to communities and fishermen impacted by the economic downturn.

Jackie Odell, executive director of the Northeast Seafood Coalition, an industry group, said in an email the money is “definitely needed” to help ease into the new management scheme. Still, she said “It does nothing to solve the immediate economic situation” from Monday’s rule.