Just when they thought it couldn’t possibly get any worse, local fishermen were dealt yet another bad hand as a new set of fishing restrictions went into effect earlier this month. The new regulations limit the cod catch so dramatically that fishermen will be forced to stay away from the species all together, which will make all fishing near impossible given the multi-species nature of our local waters. After years of adhering to what some have called excessively strict fishing quotas, the government’s newest assessment suggests that cod stocks are at a near all-time low locally. Many fishermen disagree, and there is much discussion across all sectors questioning the reliability of the science behind recent stock assessments.
As the staple species in our local waters, cod has served as a fundamental part of our local economy for centuries. You can read more about this iconic fish in previous blog posts by clicking the links below:
Know your Seafood: North Atlantic Cod
Atlantic Cod: History & Tradition
This latest development of new dramatic cuts has popped up in the news. Last week WGBH hosted local fishing industry advocate and policy analyst Vito Giacalone on a news segment entitled “New Ban Threatens Cod Fishermen.” In the interview, Mr. Giacalone does an excellent job simplifying a very complex set of policy decisions to explain how we got to where we are today and what it means for the local economy. The segment is well worth a watch, you can check it out by clicking here.
Turner’s will be sure to follow this developing story as new details come forward. As always, we encourage all our patrons to support our local fishermen.
