02-25-2010, 12:19 PM
Commercial fisherman buoyed by trip to D.C.By [url "/apps/pbcs.dll/personalia?ID=j.wojtas"]Joe Wojtas[/url] Publication: The Day
Published 02/25/2010 12:00 AM
Updated 02/25/2010 02:02 AM
Stonington's Guzzo sees unity in ranks at rally
Stonington - A veteran of meetings about problems facing commercial fishermen, Town Dock captain Bob Guzzo usually comes away from them feeling pessimistic about the future of his industry.
But Guzzo was upbeat Wednesday afternoon after attending the United We Fish rally in Washington.
Guzzo was among several thousand commercial and recreational fishermen from across the country who stood on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and called on Congress to modify the law overseeing the fishing industry to make it more flexible and allow for more time to rebuild depleted fish stocks.
Many fishermen say the catch limits are too strict and based on flawed science. They say the increasingly strict regulations are putting boats out of business while endangering the future of traditional fishing communities.
"Today was a very positive first step. All of these guys were asking for the same thing instead of fighting each other," Guzzo said by phone Wednesday night as he rode home aboard an Amtrak train. "If everyone goes home and calls their congressman and senators and get their friends to call, I think we have a good chance of being successful."
Guzzo said that for the first time he saw solidarity among commercial and recreational fishermen from as far away as Alaska and Louisiana. Also in attendance were a group of fishermen from Point Judith, R.I., and Stonington scallop boat captain Mike Bomster.
"We all want the same thing. We can't have our small fishing communities destroyed," Guzzo said. "This is all about jobs."
Guzzo said U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, invited him to his office before the rally began to discuss the issue. According to Guzzo, Courtney was in a meeting about submarines when he arrived, but he immediately came out to talk to him about House Bill 1584 and Senate Bill 1255, the two proposed pieces of legislations designed to modify the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which oversees U.S. fisheries.
Guzzo said fishermen held up signs with slogans such as "I Fish. I Vote." He said it was especially encouraging to see a group of boys with signs that read, "I want to be a fisherman" punctuated with a question mark, a reference to the uncertain future of the industry.
"It was nice to see the young blood out there," Guzzo said.
After the rally, Eric Schwaab, the assistant administrator for fisheries for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said more than 20 percent of the nation's fish stocks are overfished and need to be rebuilt so they can produce their full economic potential for fishermen and their communities while benefiting ocean ecosystems.
Schwaab said he appreciates the sacrifices being made by fishermen and pointed to several successful rebuilding efforts that have already taken place.
"We estimate that once the nation rebuilds all fisheries, which we are on a track to do and required to do by law, the dockside value of our commercial fisheries would go from $4.1 billion to $6.3 billion annually, a 54 percent increase," he said.
Schwaab said he believes the Magnuson Act, which requires stocks to be rebuilt in 10 years, already contains the flexibility fishermen are discussing.
Guzzo had boarded a train to Washington Tuesday night after returning home from a fishing trip earlier in the day. He still had not slept as of early Wednesday night and guessed he would not until he got home. Still, he said the trip was worth it.
"I'm glad I went," he said.
[url "mailto:j.wojtas@theday.com"]j.wojtas@theday.com[/url]
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Published 02/25/2010 12:00 AM
Updated 02/25/2010 02:02 AM
Stonington's Guzzo sees unity in ranks at rally
Stonington - A veteran of meetings about problems facing commercial fishermen, Town Dock captain Bob Guzzo usually comes away from them feeling pessimistic about the future of his industry.
But Guzzo was upbeat Wednesday afternoon after attending the United We Fish rally in Washington.
Guzzo was among several thousand commercial and recreational fishermen from across the country who stood on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and called on Congress to modify the law overseeing the fishing industry to make it more flexible and allow for more time to rebuild depleted fish stocks.
Many fishermen say the catch limits are too strict and based on flawed science. They say the increasingly strict regulations are putting boats out of business while endangering the future of traditional fishing communities.
"Today was a very positive first step. All of these guys were asking for the same thing instead of fighting each other," Guzzo said by phone Wednesday night as he rode home aboard an Amtrak train. "If everyone goes home and calls their congressman and senators and get their friends to call, I think we have a good chance of being successful."
Guzzo said that for the first time he saw solidarity among commercial and recreational fishermen from as far away as Alaska and Louisiana. Also in attendance were a group of fishermen from Point Judith, R.I., and Stonington scallop boat captain Mike Bomster.
"We all want the same thing. We can't have our small fishing communities destroyed," Guzzo said. "This is all about jobs."
Guzzo said U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, invited him to his office before the rally began to discuss the issue. According to Guzzo, Courtney was in a meeting about submarines when he arrived, but he immediately came out to talk to him about House Bill 1584 and Senate Bill 1255, the two proposed pieces of legislations designed to modify the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which oversees U.S. fisheries.
Guzzo said fishermen held up signs with slogans such as "I Fish. I Vote." He said it was especially encouraging to see a group of boys with signs that read, "I want to be a fisherman" punctuated with a question mark, a reference to the uncertain future of the industry.
"It was nice to see the young blood out there," Guzzo said.
After the rally, Eric Schwaab, the assistant administrator for fisheries for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said more than 20 percent of the nation's fish stocks are overfished and need to be rebuilt so they can produce their full economic potential for fishermen and their communities while benefiting ocean ecosystems.
Schwaab said he appreciates the sacrifices being made by fishermen and pointed to several successful rebuilding efforts that have already taken place.
"We estimate that once the nation rebuilds all fisheries, which we are on a track to do and required to do by law, the dockside value of our commercial fisheries would go from $4.1 billion to $6.3 billion annually, a 54 percent increase," he said.
Schwaab said he believes the Magnuson Act, which requires stocks to be rebuilt in 10 years, already contains the flexibility fishermen are discussing.
Guzzo had boarded a train to Washington Tuesday night after returning home from a fishing trip earlier in the day. He still had not slept as of early Wednesday night and guessed he would not until he got home. Still, he said the trip was worth it.
"I'm glad I went," he said.
[url "mailto:j.wojtas@theday.com"]j.wojtas@theday.com[/url]
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