A new commission established to improve support for the seafood sector in the U.S. Massachusetts met for the first time 8 April.
The Massachusetts state legislature created the Massachusetts Commercial Fisheries Commission in 2022 to develop strategies and tools for promoting the sustainability of the state’s commercial fishing industry – from harvesting and processing to sales and distribution.
“While our historic commercial fisheries set an example for sustainability and innovation every day, they also face difficulties on a number of fronts that present challenges to their survival,” State Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) said in a statement. “I authored and sponsored the legislation to create this commission to give the hardworking people in the industry a vehicle to engage state government more directly in the development, implementation, and coordination of policies and strategies and to give them a stronger voice across the range of state government.”
The commission – which is set to meet quarterly – includes both government officials and representatives from the seafood sector.
The commission comprises the directors of the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and the Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM), the secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), and representatives from the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, Massachusetts Fishermen’s Partnership, Massachusetts Seafood Collaborative, Stellwagen Bank Charter Boat Association, New Bedford Port Authority, Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association, Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance, Gloucester Fisheries Commission, Gloucester Fishing Community Preservation Fund, Fisheries Survival Fund, Center for Sustainable Fisheries, Northeast Seafood Coalition, Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association, and the University of Massachusetts School for Marine Science and Technology.
“Commercial fishing is the oldest of industries in Massachusetts and critically important to the culture, economy, and identity of our coastal communities,” Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Tom O’Shea said in a statement. “We need to work collaboratively with the industry to ensure that we achieve conservation of our marine resources, long-term sustainable harvest, and a bright future for the people who depend on the incredible abundance and diversity of Massachusetts fisheries.”
At its first meeting, the commission discussed its role and direction for improving coordination and communication within the seafood sector.
According to the government, the commission has set three priorities: assisting on an update of a project summarizing commercial fishing activity and infrastructure at the state’s ports, strategizing on how to interact with the Fisheries Working Group on Offshore Wind, and to “consider how best to address fishery science challenges particularly given the likelihood that federal survey efforts may be constrained and less timely.”
“An important aspect of our mission is to promote and support the Commonwealth’s fisheries and seafood industry. The commission will provide a valuable venue for interests from various ports and sectors of the seafood industry to come together and address the challenges and opportunities facing the industry state-wide,” DMF Director and Co-Chair Daniel McKiernan said in a statement.
