It is said that in the 18th century the fishing industry rapidly developed Gloucester Harbour without any interruption. It has been used as a base for harvesting the rich stocks of the North Atlantic and now it has given notice to keep fishing into the foreseeable future. Jackie Odell and Ann-Margaret Ferrante, two of the most visible advocates for the fishermen and their livelihood, came forward with a single vision for the future of the harbour.
According to Ferrante there will be lots of fish to be harvested in the future as Gloucester is a hub port that facilitates an industry. Paul Cohan, a longtime commercial fisherman who also smokes fish for sale, and Paul Rego, a scientist with the Northeast Fisheries Science Center at Woods Hole, said that he has confidence that the North Atlantic fishery is coming back and can be counted on for a sustainable supply of fish. Rego added that there is a very good prospect for the future.
The council has decided to defer decisions on even tighter fishing restrictions until a full assessment of the fishery is delivered in August. According to Rego the scientific community is still progressing up a long learning curve about the ocean and its inhabitants. He added if things go well the fishing industry will be different.
According to Ferrante and Odell there will be huge changes to be continued to alter the nature of the fishing industry based in Gloucester. Odell told that they will work with the city to transition to the new regime. Ferrante added that the consolidation of fishing industry is certain.
