New England Overfishing troubles

[mrbrklyn]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/01/us/for-maine-shrimpers-a-frightening-calculus.html?ref=science

PORT CLYDE, Me. — Shrimping in the Gulf of Maine was so bad last season that Randy Cushman, a longtime fisherman, wondered if there was any point in going out at all. ....

[bluefish69]

I believe Shrimp season was announced closed in early November. Cod season in the Gulf of Maine from November till early April. You can catch Pollack, Haddock & Yellow Tail Flounder. That's about it. I know a few dragger Captains up North, I fished up there at least once a month for 2-3 days at a time over 5 Yrs.

Mike

[floating doc]

It's really sad to see the fishermen losing their livelihoods.

[bluefish69]

Yes the Draggers destroy some bottom. I can't say all bottom. The fish feed on the Shrimp & Herring & everything that is smaller then they are. I have heard stories from years age of big Cod caught off L.I. with a Coke Bottle in them, Lobsters, Crabs etc.

If you were fishing back in the 90's you could have watched the Roller Draggers Destroy some great Black Fish grounds off the N.J. shore.

Mike

[floating doc]

No question that many of the commercial fishing practices are not sustainable, and can be terribly destructive to the environment. Unfortunately, as the stocks declined the catches increased due to increased efficiency. Ultimately, the fisheries collapse. The codfish have been wiped out in the western Atlantic. I heard that the only fish that are left in sufficient numbers for commercial fishing off Cape Cod are dogfish.

what we had to do in Florida was pass a constitutional amendment banning inshore netting. The fisheries eventually recovered to some degree. 

[Tightlines667]

For those that are interested...check out the following link on the most recent NOAA Status of the stocks report

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/2013/05/docs/2012_sos_rtc.pdf

It is a good summary on how our nation's fish stocks are doing.  Management stuff FMP, proposals, actions, regs and stuff are also available through each of NMFS's regional sites for those so inclined.

John