FISHING FOR SOLUTIONS

When it comes to supporting the state’s fishermen, expectations are high for state government. The state, especially its Department of Marine Resources, is expected to stand up to the federal government and tell regulators that Maine will not follow court-mandated groundfish rules. It is expected to develop an aquaculture plan to satisfy both coastal landowners and fish farmers.

In short, it is expected to make fish and crustaceans more plentiful while minimizing regulations.

However, such high expectations must be revised if a new task force on groundfish is to be successful. The task force has the unenviable task of guiding the state and its fishermen through the treacherous waters of increasing federal regulation, declining fish stocks and economic hardship for the state’s fishermen. The task is made more difficult because decisions regarding how many days fishermen may spend at sea and how many fish can be caught and where are made at the federal and regional, not the state, level. Rulemaking is often driven by court order, not leaving much room for leeway.

To say that the task force has its work cut out for it is an understatement.

The biggest challenge will be to satisfy those – and there will be many of them – who want the task force to undo or disregard federal regulations, which are currently being made more stringent due in large part to a federal judge’s ruling that federal fisheries regulators haven’t done enough to stop overfishing and that new rules must be drafted to better protect and rebuild fish stocks. This is not negotiable.

Starting from this point, the committee can be useful in preparing Maine and its fishermen for the new rules, which will likely dramatically reduce days at sea. A key task for the committee will be to find ways to help support the industry short term, when less fishing can be done to allow fish stocks to rebuild, so that Maine fishermen will be positioned to reap the benefits when fish are more plentiful in the long term. Ideas, such as more flexible financing to help fishermen make it through the lean times and better coordination among fishermen’s groups, must be explored.

It is encouraging that the state recognizes the need to bring fishermen together and to support their work. Fishermen now must realize that the state cannot solve all their problems, especially their dislike for federal regulations. However, if they work together to prepare for what lies ahead, the industry is more likely to weather the latest regulatory storm.