Since1888, the Gloucester Daily Times has contributed to the working town of Gloucester,Ma., doing their civic duty, to deliver news of the region,to the region. Gloucester is the oldest fishing port in America. The fishing port existed way before the Declaration of Independence, and is dieing a slow, agonizing death. The City was born of fish. The product that brought Europeans to America. The world developed a taste for Cod. That rugged yet, succulent fish that was the staple of many diets. Civilization has consumed Cod for over six centuries. It is my fish of choice. I love those big flakes of flesh, cooked along with potatoe, and peas. Absolutly elegant dining fare.
After almost fishing Cod to extinction in the early eighties, the industry has seen many changes. Including cutting down the fishing fleet, and removing excess pressure on the resource. The Cod was not the only victim. There were multiple species being worked overly hard, and finally, after a boat buy back program, and old fashioned business failure, and some realizing it was time for an occupational change, because of the lack of fish, the fleet found a level that fit.Still, some came, some went, and it was a reasonable balance. No one was getting rich, but they were making an honest living. It was not lucretive, but, everyone believed that after twenty years of essentially,investing in tomorrow,by conserving, They would be rewarded with a vibrant fish population,and prosperity would be achieved.
On May 1st, 2010, Catch Shares was launched. This event was followed by drastic reductions of allocation, including all species under regulation. The destruction of the industry had begun, in earnest, by the EDF/Pew ENGO owned, Dept. Of Commerce, NMFS, and NOAA. That's the short and sweet of the situation.
Please read these letters to the Editor. They all contain information, every working American should read. What the real issue is, Job's, and small family businesses. The Obama administration is killing them, and telling the American people they are creating them. Well. Which is it?
January 10, 2011
Frank: Commerce chief lacks 'courage' to make fishing call
By Richard Gaines Staff Writer The Gloucester Daily Times
Staff Writer The Gloucester Daily Times Tue Jan 11, 2011, 01:00 AM EST
Congressman Barney Frank Monday described U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke as a weakling without the "courage" to stand up to his own subordinates.
In a radio interview, Frank said he felt "betrayed" by the decision conveyed in the letter Locke sent Friday — to him and Gov. Deval Patrick — that rejected a scientific and economic finding that the federal government's catch share regulatory regimen, in combination with ultra conservative catch limits, had delivered a body blow to the groundfishing industry based in Gloucester and New Bedford.
Frank, whose district includes New Bedford, described Locke as having been "recaptured" by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration administrator Jane Lubchenco and Eric Schwaab, her choice to head NOAA's Fisheries Service.
http://savingseafood.org/WBSM/WBSM_2011-01-10.html Radio interview with Congressman Frank .
Letter: Shameful federal fishing stand sits right at Obama's doorstep
My View Jim Munn The Gloucester Daily Times Mon Jan 10, 2011, 11:03 PM EST
Like millions of Americans, I was willing to give the relatively young and politically experienced Barack Hussein Obama a chance.
More and more, it looks like I was wrong.
This now appears to be a man who speaks from both sides of his mouth, a man who glad-hands you when face-to-face, then stabs you in the back as soon as you've turned away.
But then I guess that's how politics and politicians work in this country nowadays.
President Obama talks about jobs, then works with his shock troops at the Commerce Department, NOAA and NOAA Fisheries to destroy the livelihood of hundreds of Gloucester commercial fishermen and their families, along with many hundreds more throughout New England.
Forget, for a moment, the nation's insanely bloated military budget, its two staggering costly wars, its bailout of Wall Street and so many of the nation's corruptly run banks and corporations.
Letter: Administration's double-talk on jobs
The Gloucester Daily Times Tue Jan 11, 2011, 01:04 AM EST
To the editor:
I was watching the news on Friday when I saw President Obama say he was going to focus on growing the economy and creating jobs to get America moving in the right direction.
Later, I picked up the Gloucester Daily Times and started reading the article about all the cod amassing in Triton, Newfoundland (The Times, Friday, Jabn. 7). I wanted to view the video, but the story made it seem like I needed a smart phone to view the video so I called the Times office to find out why.
Editor Ray Lamont set me straight and told me there was also a link on their website that could take me to the video as well. Then he asked if I heard the news about Commerce Secretary Locke's decision not to raise catch limits. Mr. Lamont transfered my call over to Mr. Gaines who filled me in on the details
January 10, 2011
Letter: It's time to take back fishermen's right to work
The Gloucester Daily Times Mon Jan 10, 2011, 11:02 PM EST
To the editor:
I have been writing about this fiasco for years now, and just keeps going on and on — going to meetings, and seeing the fishermen's voices falling on deaf ears.
I'm going to call out our representatives as not being able to get things done.
Our own Bruce Tarr, and Ann Margaret Ferrante have been our advocates along with Tiernay, Frank, Brown, and supposedly Gov. Patrick, who has an in with the president.
The governor just said again in his inaugaral speech how he's going to make a priority of making jobs — but again, never mentioned the fishing industry, which creates more jobs in our area than any other industry around. Yet it is put on a shelf and
January 10, 2011
Letter: Fishernen's lives in your hands, Mr. President
The Gloucester Daily Times Mon Jan 10, 2011, 11:02 PM EST
To the editor:
This dispute between fishermen and our federal regulators is clearly a numbers game.
An excellent article was written in the most recent edition of "Commercial Fisheries News" by Dr David Pierce, a Massachusetts representative on the New England Fishery Management Council.
Risk averse factors have been layered on top of one another in the computer model that generated the numbers with which we are burdened. Stock assessment tows threw out large tows of fish as "anomalies," while retaining information from tows which produced fewer fish.
When you cut through the ambiguity of the "science," it becomes apparent that Secretary Locke had the information which was provided him by Gov. Patrick's delegation, to provide relief for fishermen unduly and unjustifiably impacted by artificially deflated quotas.
Please pull up the letters and finish reading them. I hope you see things our way. Thank You, bore-head007
