Court Rules Against Local Fishermen, Upholds Job-Killing Government Mandate

Today, the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire dismissed the lawsuit filed by Plaintiffs David Goethel and Northeast Fishery Sector 13 against the U.S. Department of Commerce. In December 2015, the Department of Commerce ordered that fishermen who fish for cod, flounder and certain other fish in the Northeast United States not only must carry National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (“NOAA”) enforcement contractors known as “at-sea monitors” on their vessels during fishing trips, but must pay out-of-pocket for the cost of those monitors.  This “industry funding” requirement would devastate the Northeast fishing industry, at the price of many jobs and livelihoods.  The District Court’s order allows that requirement to remain in place. The Court found that the fishermen’s suit was untimely and that the requirement that monitors be funded by the fishermen was authorized by law. “I am very disappointed by this decision,” said Goethel.  “I’ve made a living fishing in New England for more than 30 years, but I can’t afford to fish if I have to pay for at-sea monitors.  I’m grateful to Cause of Action Institute for joining the fight, and I hope that the rule of law will win in the end.” “The fishermen in my sector can’t sustain this industry funding requirement,” said Northeast Fishery Sector 13 Manager John Haran. “They’ll have to try other fisheries, if they can keep fishing at all.” “While we respect the District Court and its decision, it appears that decision is contrary to the law and facts,” said Alfred J. Lechner, Jr., President and CEO of Cause of Action Institute and a former federal judge.  “In the end, the federal government is overextending its regulatory power and is destroying an industry. We intend to study the decision and consider further action.” link 18:55

5 Responses to Court Rules Against Local Fishermen, Upholds Job-Killing Government Mandate

  1. Joel Hovanesian says:

    Time for fishermen to draw a line in the sand and refuse access to these freeloaders who just pad the bank accounts of their well connected observer company’s boss’s.
    Together we stand, divided we fall….Who’s in?

  2. Stephen Welch says:

    Say what you want about Donald Trump but he is against big government and corrupt politicians. Why are both the Republican and Democrats against him?
    The fudal lords in both the house and Senate are not for the middle class, if they were this B S would not be happening to hard working family men and women.

    Remember keep the lower and middle class fighting against each other so we can steal THE NATION’S resources away from them !

  3. Borehead says:

    This comment is submitted by Jim Kendall.

    Once again this type of decision is announced on a Friday in order to minimize the press coverage that it would receive on an average workday! I would like to know how many times these decisions are released for a weekend’s news release & oblivion? Jim Kendall – NBSC July 29, 2016

  4. Rocky Novello says:

    USE S.K. MONIES TO PAY FOR AT-SEA MONITORS !
    WOULD LOVE TO SEE BREAKDOWN OF ALL S.K. MONIES AND WHERE IT IS USED ?????

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.