Of course, fishermen would like a more stringent Amendment 13, the latest update to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, to go away. But wishing it so, does not make it so.

The plan was found faulty in 2001 by a federal judge when it comes to protecting New England’s groundfish stocks, such as cod and haddock. The judge ruled that federal regulators must come up with better rules to stop overfishing. If their rules were unsatisfactory, she would write her own, Judge Gladys Kessler warned.

The National Marine Fisheries Service and the New England Fisheries Management Agency are now in the process of rewriting Amendment 13 to conform to the judge’s orders. Not surprisingly, there is outcry from fishermen about the economic impact of the new rules. They are right to be concerned – whatever changes are made will dramatically reduce the catch.

But, that precisely is the point – if fishing can be temporarily curtailed, fish stocks will be increase in size and there will be more plentiful fishing in days ahead. The problem lies in the interim when fishermen will be able required to catch less fish and to travel farther to get them.

While fishermen are right to be concerned that the new rules could put them out of business, the outrage over Amendment 13 should be redirected to finding ways to help fishermen weather what will be a rough time rather than fighting for weakened regulations. Such a fight will surely fail because Judge Kessler made it very clear that she would accept nothing short of rules that will allow stocks to reach target levels set by NMFS.

The fact that a court order directs groundfish management must be kept in mind by those who plan to speak at public hearings on Amendment 13 alternatives this week. Asking for a whole new approach or more lax regulations at the meetings expected in Ellsworth today and Portland tomorrow is not realistic.

So, a request from Sen. Olympia Snowe, the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee on Oceans, Fisheries and Coast Guard, for a independent economic analysis of the four Amendment 13 options is helpful as long as there is no expectation that an examination that reveals harsh economic consequences will forestall implementation of one of those options. The examination will be helpful if it allows policy-makers to put systems in place to enable fishermen to get by with reduced catches. That is the aim of a recently formed state groundfish panel. This group, too, will be most useful in helping prepare fishermen for what is to come rather than re-fighting past losing battles.

Whether regulators reduce fishing days by as much as 65 percent, lower trips limits, develop quotas for specific species in specific areas or adopt total allowable catch quotas, Maine fishermen will be hurt. They, lawmaker and regulators know what is coming. Now is the time to prepare for it.