Massive cuts in days at sea are coming!

DOES the United States want a fishing industry? US government management of east coast fisheries has left fishermen asking this question.One thing that unites the diverse range of gear types – catching species from groundfish, squid and menhaden to scallops – is a total lack of faith in government stock research and a sense they arebeing put out of business as rule piles on top of rule.This viewpoint is particularly acute in the multi-species groundfish fishery off New England.Days at sea have been steadily reduced over the last few years and more closed areas have been put in, along with increasingly prohibitive mesh and gear limitations.The industry has been told that it is not reaching the targets on stock levels, and further reductions to already limited days at sea are looming, reports Tom Seaman.