Tag Archives: retired scalloper Captain Jim Kendall
With Trump, New Bedford’s fishermen hope for better times
A cold wind cut across New Bedford harbor as Jim Kendall, a retired scallop boat captain, surveyed the city’s main fishing pier. Many of the boats sat idle, while a few crew members cleaned their decks and repaired equipment. Kendall remembers how busy these docks used to be years ago, when there were fewer regulations and closures, and fishermen could head out most days of the year. Now, “if you can fish, say, 60 days a year, you’re doing pretty damn good,” he said. New Bedford is the most valuable commercial fishing port in the country, landing hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of seafood every year. But Kendall said bringing in that haul is getting harder, and the margins tighter. He blames Washington, and specifically the Democratic party, for the change in fortunes. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:14
The Emerging American Offshore Wind Industry is Impacting the Community of New Bedford
The Port of New Bedford is home to the wealthiest commercial fishing industry in the country. As the dominant port on the east coast, New Bedford has one of the best industrial working waterfronts with services that completely support marine industrial businesses. Fisherman are concerned that these wind developments will harmfully impact the fishing economy. With commercial fishing at the core of New Bedford’s economy, there are concerns regarding management and maintenance of both industries cohabitating. “I was adamantly opposed to having them offshore, to be honest with you. I don’t feel it’s a good environment for them,” said Captain Jim Kendall, a retired scalloper. “I think it’s going to be real problematic for them, plus it’s parking these towers right where these boats fish.” >click to read< 08:06
