Straus Supports Fish Council Vote Against Leasing
On 9/27 the Federal New England Fishery Management Council voted 15 to 1 to reject what I and the rest of my local House colleagues felt would have been a detrimental business ownership change affecting the New Bedford scallop industry.
Over 80% of the commentators, including myself, had urged Council rejection of the so-called “Leasing” proposal. The scallop fishery today is a successful one, and is the reason the Port of New Bedford is the number one port in the country. This vote allows the Council to focus on its main job which is protection of the fishery itself and the communities that support it through the local employment and economy.
I applaud the Council members, including our own local member Eric Hansen, and the many owners, crew and support industry members who organized at the early public meetings last spring and on 9/27, to voice their opposition to the leasing proposal.
I had testified in May during one of the New England Council’s public meetings held in New Bedford and provided written opposition in a letter joined by all five New Bedford area State Representatives including Reps. Cabral, Markey, Hendricks and Schmid.
Rep. Bill Straus, 10th Bristol
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Click here to download the entire 10/6/22 issue: 10-06-22 BridgeMtg
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