Bill would clear size limit for groundfish fleet
A new bill to allocate $3.5 million for Maine to purchase federal groundfish permits could open the Maine fishery to boats of all sizes.
The Portland Press Herald reported LD 939, which would add funds to the Maine Groundfish Permit Bank, faced no opposition during a public hearing Wednesday, drawing support from the state's ailing groundfish industry that took a blow earlier this year when regional regulators cut the total cod catch limit 77%.
The paper reported that the state funds would increase Maine's groundfish catch quota. Quota purchased with those state funds would, in turn, not be subject to federal regulations requiring those permits be allocated to ships over 45 feet in length.
During testimony on the bill, supporters said increasing the 1 million pounds of fish now in Maine's permit bank and opening those fishing permits to all sizes of ships could help to bring more fleets and increasing landings to Maine docks.
For Portland, the paper reported that while groundfish catch declined 50% between 2004 to 2007, landings in Gloucester, Mass., remained stable in part because of Maine boats dropping their landings there.
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