Fleet Diversity is About Food Security

By Emily Becker

Membership Coordinator & Conference Planner

Community Food Security Coalition 



Note: This letter was addressed to New England fisheries decision-makers regarding Amendment 18 to the groundfish plan. We encourage everyone to join Emily by submitting your own comments in support of fleet diversity. Click here to learn how.


To the New England Fisheries Management Council,

I oppose the no-action alternative option under A18 because the loss of fleet diversity is a major problem facing the New England fleet. Loss of fleet diversity affects me because my family lives on Cape Cod. I see consolidation as a problem because we care about where our food comes from and prefer to buy fish from owner-operators. We also want to preserve jobs and supporting our local fishermen.

A range of actions can be implemented that can address alternatives B-F. I recommend that Amendment 18 include measures to achieve the following goals related to fleet diversity:

• Prevent heavy concentration of fishing effort around inshore areas.
• Foster an affordable fishery through incentive programs and leasing policies that do not disproportionately impact portions of the fleet including owner-operators, independently owned businesses, and potential new entrants.
• Limit the concentration of quota for any one entity.

Thank you.

NOTE FROM NAMA:
Thank you Emily for sharing your comments. We encourage everyone who, like Emily believes fleet diversity matters, to submit your own comments as part of a public comment period. Click HERE for help on e-mail comments. Every comment counts!