Sam Parisi, The Headline – Lawmakers to Trump: Keep Marine Monument protections – My response.

10/15/2018

The Headline – Lawmakers to Trump: Keep Marine Monument protections – My response.

Lawmakers to Trump: Keep Marine Monument protections >click to read<

First, and foremost, I would like to thank, and publicly recognize the local politicians that didn’t sign onto this letter, and as they always do, support the remnants of the storied Gloucester fishing fleet, Bruce Tarr, and Anne Margaret Farrante, and Brad Hill. I applaud your courage.

With that said, Just how much of our fishing grounds, and economic opportunity can we continue to lose?

Do these lawmakers know anything about these grounds, other than the partisan talking points, and perceived conservation benefits presented by the supporters of the take over of, and creation of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument?

I fished there in the 1960’s before the 200 mile limit along with other fishermen from Maine, Rhode Island, and other East Coast ports. Offshore lobstering was in its infancy, with industry pioneers like Marblehead lobsterman Bob Brown of Perfect Storm fame.

Millions of pounds of lobster, whiting, mackerel, and squid, and other species were caught there.

In all that time there were never any concerns of damage to the area; or to corals that suddenly were used as talking points to exclude commercial fishermen from the area, causing lost opportunity for the industry.

I doubt if any of these lawmaker’s ever fished out there, nor did any research.

I disagree with them saying it will not help remedy the nation’s seafood deficit.

Closing the area to the fishing operations that have relied on access to that area certainly has caused a deficit to their bottom lines in business.

Perhaps these lawmakers should contact the Massachusetts Lobsterman’s Association and ask just how many millions of pounds of lobster was harvested from the now known area called the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.

Perhaps these lawmakers should contact Bonnie Brady of the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association, and ask how much squid and other fish were harvested from the area.

Our fisherman are struggling to stay in business, and shutting them out of traditional fishing grounds helps no one.

I urge those lawmaker’s to some research and give some consideration to our fisherman.

Lets ask them to support fishing in this monument now.

Thank You,

Sam Parisi

Gloucester,Mass.