Framework 55 slashes groundfish quotas, halves at-sea monitors, enviros pissed
It seems the proposed rule, also known as Framework 55, has a little bit of something for everyone to hate. They have until close of business on April 5 to submit their comments to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Environmental groups, such as Oceana, are bitterly criticizing the projected reduction in ASM for groundfish boats to about 14 percent from about 24 percent, saying the rule will “weaken the chances of recovery for this historic fishery.” Fishermen point to the further reductions in what they already consider minuscule catch quotas and say those reductions — combined with the absorption of the costs for ASM — could finally be the management initiative that shutters the Northeast multispecies groundfish fishery for good. Read the rest here 20:10
As long as the ‘Bigelow’ is doing the stock surveys, there is no hope for New England fisheries – this boats slowest speed is at least 1-1.5 kts faster than what it takes to catch flatfish-and that is just one of their many flaws- no wonder so many people are pissed off – NMFS survey credibility is a big goose egg at this point in time and same with the Clowns down in woods hole