By Julie Wormser, New England Regional Director – Environmental Defense Fund Oceans Program.
I want to share Dave Preble’s terrific op-ed that was just published in the New Bedford Standard-Times, Prosperity for New England Fishermen. He wrote it just as groundfish fishermen in New England are preparing to fish under “sectors,” a fishing cooperative based form of catch shares.
I first met Dave at a New England Fishery Management Council meeting last summer. He sits on the Council and is one of the most thoughtful voices on that body. Born into a fishing family, Dave has been involved in both commercial and recreational fishing and fishery management for over 45 years. He has taught me quite a lot about how public policy decisions affect both fish and the fishing communities that depend on them.