Pingree Statement on Ground Fish Rule

Statement

Pingree Statement on Ground Fish Rule

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree today issued the following statement on the final interim rule issued by NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco governing the ground fishing industry for 2009:

"The proposed interim rule that was released earlier this year was not going to solve the problems facing the New England fishery and was going to put fishing families in Maine and elsewhere out of business. I am glad to see that Dr. Lubchenco heard our concerns and modified the rule to something much closer to what the New England Fishery Management Council proposed."

Last month Pingree wrote a letter to Administrator Lubchenco, urging her to modify a proposed rule that would have severely limited the days at sea for ground fishermen in the Gulf of Maine. Pingree wrote:

"The rule does not align with the realities of our fisheries in Maine and the interim rule threatens the very existence of Maine's ground fishing industry. I hope and encourage you adopt a final rule as close to the Council's recommendation as possible."

The final interim rule announced by Administrator Lubchenco today follows much more closely what the New England Fishery Management Council proposed last fall.

Source