A major decision would be taken about ‘sector allocation’ which allows groups of fishermen a percentage of the annual fish quota and let them manage it for themselves. The New England Fisheries Management Council will likely embark on this historic reorganization of the fishing rules. It is told that 15 sectors representing fishermen from Maine to Rhode Island have asked for approval under the new plan, two are already in place on the Cape.
The Georges Bank Cod Hook Sector was approved in 2005 and the Fixed Gear Sector in 2007. Both were conceived by the Chatham-based Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association. John Pappalardo, a fishery analyst at the association, currently serves as chairman of the New England council, said that the traditional management style, used since the regional councils were formed by Congress in 1976, has been to cut back on fishing effort.
New rules decrease efficiency of nets and other gear to catch fish, and limiting the daily catch and number of fishing days. It was hoped that landings would decline and more fish stocks would survive to reproduce, rebuilding the population to healthy levels. The New England council, comprising fishermen, environmentalists, fishing industry representatives, and state and federal fishery officials, is expected to decide today whether to approve the sector approach or continue with the current practice of limiting catches and fishing days.
