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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 34 Number 3
November 2006
MA urges bluefin factions to compromise
PLYMOUTH, MA – About 35 bluefin tuna fishermen attended the Oct. 5 meeting of the Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Commission to press their case on whether bluefin tuna seiners should be allowed in Cape Cod Bay.
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) Director Paul Diodati began the discussion by saying once again that DMF would make no change to the prohibition on seiners in the bay that went into effect earlier this year for the 2006 bluefin season.
However, the commission specifically authorized only a one-year ban to provide some incentive for general and harpoon category fishermen to work out a compromise agreement with the seiners that the commission could endorse.
If no compromise is reached and if the commission takes no action to extend the ban, purse seining for bluefin tuna will once again be allowed in Cape Cod Bay as of Sept. 1, 2007.
Diodati had floated a proposal to start the purse seine season in the bay on Oct. 1, pointing out that it would allow handgear fishermen to have the bay to themselves for several months.
But that idea pleased no one. Outspoken handgear people made it clear they wanted no purse seine activity in the bay, period, and the seiners indicated that the bay fishery was over for them by Oct. 1.
“I have heard this is not going to work,” Diodati said of his proposal.
Commission Chairman Vito Calomo reiterated his disappointment that the industry factions did not work together to reach some kind of agreement.
He pointed to the marine fisheries commission as an example of a group of individuals from diverse backgrounds representing different interests who work out their differences for the greater good of the commonwealth.
“We disagree but we resolve things,” Calomo said.
Starting points
Noting that the commission meeting was not a public hearing, Calomo warned the audience that he would allow only limited public comment.
East Coast Tuna Association Executive Director Rich Ruais went first. He said the purse seiners did offer to delay any entry into the bay until Sept. 8 and to limit seine activity to no more than two vessels in the bay at any one time, but that offer was rejected.
Ruais added that the seiners had fished in the bay for 44 years and had made many sacrifices in recent years, including the gentlemen’s agreement to fish in the bay late in the season only as a last resort when bluefin were unavailable anywhere else.
Peter Weiss, president of the General Category Tuna Association, said there hadn’t been a lot of discussion regarding any compromise but that he would make an effort to begin talks.
“Things change”
However, Weiss rejected Ruais’ point that the seiners had a traditional right to fish in the bay.
“Regarding the 44 years, fisheries change, regulations change, everything changes,” he said. “The seiners have no fish? Neither have the general category or harpoon fishermen. We’re not asking for the elimination of seining, just for them to be kept out of an area so Massachusetts boats can fish.”
Sonny Avila, owner of the seiner Ruth and Pat, pointed out that most of his crewmen and their families are Massachusetts residents who depend on the fishery. He also said the broad-brush approach to banning all the seiners has hurt fishermen who didn’t deserve it.
“I feel that the gear conflict situation has been handled unfairly,” Avila said. “I never had a violation, yet I was punished. Cape Cod Bay is vital to our operation.”
Michael Packard, a general category fisherman, echoed Weiss’ statement about times changing.
“I’ve fished in a lot of fisheries and I’ve been kicked out of a lot of fisheries,” he said. “It’s amazing to me that in 2006 a fishery of five boats and 30 fishermen is allowed at the expense of thousands. I feel bad for the seiners but that’s how the world works.”
Quota concerns
Russ Cleary, acting executive director of the Commercial Anglers Association, said his group supported the seiners.
“They have demonstrated exemplary conduct and are size- and species-selective,” he said.
Cleary pointed to concerns that the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas is on the verge of reallocating uncaught US bluefin tuna quota to other nations.
“I urge this commission to help save this fishery, which is at risk of being handed over to a country other than the USA,” he said.
Work it out
Commission member Patsy Frontierro was clearly frustrated by the situation – both the way the seiners were ousted from the bay this year and the inability of the two groups to come to some kind of agreement.
To the commission and DMF, he said, “I think you’ve hurt this industry. You’ve made Sonny Avila and all the rest of (the seiners) second class citizens,” he said.
Frontierro added that if no agreement is reached, he will support a closure of the bay to all gear types.
“If the bay is in that desperate a shape, if they’re all so concerned about it, let’s close it to everyone,” he said. “In 2007, we should close it to all user groups until the tuna groups reach an agreement.”
Commission member John Pappalardo indicated that he would make himself available to Ruais and Weiss to help broker a compromise.
“I’ll do what I can to put this to bed,” he said. “I don’t want to see it coming up year after year.”
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