Article on letter Kerry and others sent to Obama wanting help for fishermen

[karynnj]

Seven Northeast U.S. senators including John Kerry are asking President Obama for a $150 million financial rescue package for the region's fishermen, $100 million of which would pay for a buyout plan to reduce the size and capacity of the fishing fleet.

Under the proposal, the government would use the money to buy Northeast groundfish permits from fishermen without enough equity or a large enough share of the catch under the new sector management system to stay solvent.

In exchange, anyone selling to the plan would have their boat destroyed and surrender all permits connected to it so they cannot return or start fishing for other species.

"A buyback program would provide our fishermen a humane, fair, controlled, and permanent exit from the fishery by ensuring they receive fair value for their fishing permits and their vessels," a letter sent to Obama written by Kerry and Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe said. "Removing capacity will also reduce the pressure on our fish stocks and enable them to rebuild more rapidly."

http://www.gloucestertimes.com/local/x1243790585/Senators-seek-150M-to-help-fishermen

The article hoes on to explain that this has been done in the past. The letter was signed by Kerry, Snowe and Collins, Reed and Whitehouse, Dodd, Shaheen, and Schumer.

[MBS]

1. given the state of the NE fisheries (especially cod)

it's the most ecologically sensible, and humane , solution. (though still difficult: destruction of the boat has a pretty emotionally wrenching finality to it. ).Of course, with the job situation as it is, it's not like there are an abundance of alternatives for prospective ex-fishermen right now.

[karynnj]

2. I agree with you

I too stopped at the "destroying the boats", but I assume that they are in essence "selling" the boats for a presumably fair price. I assume that the concern is that there is no way to justify buying just the licenses and allowing them to keep the boats. I wonder if the boats (and their captain) could be used for non-fishing purposes. (say - taking tourists around the waterways telling stories of fishing days.)

But it may be the very finality that is needed.

I agree with you on job prospects - that is a major difference from when this was done in 2005.