Governor seeks federal aid for fishing industry

Governor Deval L. Patrick yesterday sought federal economic aid for the state's fishing industry, arguing that recent environmental regulations threaten the livelihood of local fishermen.

The Patrick administration asserted in a letter to US Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez that tighter limits on the number of days fishermen can spend at sea will severely erode their profits. Patrick wrote that environmental and economic concerns could be balanced.

"Conserving natural resources and preserving our fishing communities are, I believe, of universal concern," Patrick said in the letter.

Even if the Bush administration were to grant a "fisheries resource disaster" declaration, Congress would still have to approve an aid package in order for Massachusetts fishermen to benefit.

Five years ago the region's fishing industry got a $16 million aid package for similar reasons.

Fishermen and Patrick administration officials said the problem stems from a Nov. 22, 2006, federal regulation that cut in half the number of days fishermen can spend harvesting groundfish like flounder and cod in the waters near Gloucester and New Bedford. Fishermen can spend 24 days per year fishing off Gloucester, and about 40 near New Bedford.

State officials said crisis has not hit the area yet because fishermen have been making tidy sums in the winter, when fish prices soar.

But they are quickly using up their allotted days and will feel the pinch in spring, said state officials.

State legislators from coastal towns and fishing industry representatives pressed their case last week with the Patrick administration.

State Senator Bruce Tarr , a Gloucester Republican, called Patrick's letter "the kind of decisive action we need to take now in order to have a commercial fishing industry for tomorrow."

State Attorney General Martha Coakley has also sued the government in federal court, arguing the Nov. 22 regulation was unfair because it did not cover Maine waters, which share many fish stocks with Massachusetts waters.

"Everyone agrees that the stocks of groundfish in the waters off the coast of Massachusetts need to be replenished," said Patrick in a statement.

"But recent regulatory actions have come down unfairly hard on our fishing fleet."

Roger Fleming , an attorney with the Conservation Law Foundation, said the larger problem was not federal regulations but too much fishing.

"We have a real resource crisis going on in New England. There aren't enough fish for the fisherman to catch," he said.

"We need to reduce fishing pressure to replenish the groundfish stock."

Patrick said he would compile data documenting the administration's case and present it to federal regulators by April 9.