A three-day summit is going to held in Portland where a new management system that aims to rebuild stocks and make fishing profitable again will be considered. In order to learn more of it five Islanders plan to attend the summit. It is said that the New England Fishery Management Council is expected to vote on establishing a new sector system for catching groundfish, including cod, haddock and the many flounders that were once abundant in New England waters. It is told that the new sector system would help a lot, the Vineyard is expected to be a key player with its own sector, one of 17 in New England.
There is every chance that the sector system would replace the current system which places limits on days at sea and numbers of trips for fishermen. Tom Osmers, the West Tisbury shellfish constable and former commercial fisherman, said that they are hoping to be included in Amendment 16 a provision that recognizes community fisheries associations, so that communities like here on Martha’s Vineyard will be able to have access rights to the fishery.
It is observed that the sector system creates ways where there are rewards for those who are conservative in their harvesting. The sector model gives fishermen on Martha’s Vineyard an opportunity to preserve the resource and maintain their own viable business. The proposed Vineyard sector is now backed by a partnership with the Penobscot East Resource Center.
