Local fishermen in Gloucesters were not very much impressed by the fishing petition that states the government should not blame the fishermen for declining fisheries instead consider and compensate fishermen for the effects of global warming. The petition also declares a vote of ‘no confidence’ in the National Marine Fisheries Service. It demands congressional oversight hearings on the body that maintain and regulates the fishing industry in the United Kingdom.
The petition got support in Virginia, Oregon, Maine, New Brunswick and even Alaska. But there are industry advocates and legislators who exclaimed that they didn’t heard of this petition. Vito Calomo, executive director of the Massachusetts Fisheries Recovery Commission and a third-generation Gloucester fisherman, expressed that he and other fishermen of Gloucester had not heard of any such petition.
Gloucester fisherman Russell Sherman said that the petition got extensive coverage in fishing trade publications that surely had made local fishermen aware of it, but they did not bother to create a buzz over it. According to him the petition was a political step that might impact the fishing industry by targeting federal regulators.
Gene Soccolich of the Port of New Bedford Business Alliance has authored the petition that calls the fisheries service, “grossly deficient, causing severe economic harm.” The petition also demands a full-stop to the mandated discard of bycatch, small fishermen. He said that the movement is grassroots and the signatures have collected but the exact numbers are not known. Commenting on petition’s failure in Gloucester Soccolich blamed lack of media coverage.
However, fisheries service did not comment on the petition’s allegations. Its spokesman Teri Frady said, “If the is any specific allegation, we will certainly look into it.”
