Gov. Patrick Aims at Assisting Hingham Fishermen

Governor Deval Patrick sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce John E. Bryson Tuesday renewing the Commonwealth’s request for $21 million in federal fisheries disaster assistance for Massachusetts fishing communities impacted by the federal “catch shares” program.

The Governor’s request is accompanied by two new economic reports that document significant financial losses and dramatic consolidation in the Massachusetts-based groundfish fleet. 

“Massachusetts fishermen have suffered severe economic hardship due to the implementation of the catch shares program,” said Governor Patrick in a written statement. “Under the federal program, we have seen a loss of jobs, vessels and businesses. I am requesting federal disaster assistance to mitigate these losses, and protect the economic viability of our historic fishing industry.”

In November 2010, Governor Patrick made a request to the Department of Commerce asking for $21 million in direct economic relief to the Massachusetts groundfish fleet for the impact caused by the transition to the catch shares system. The Administration’s request was accompanied by a comprehensive Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Institute Report (MFI Report), which detailed the economic challenges Massachusetts fishermen have faced under catch shares.

The MFI Report estimated that fishermen, including may around the Hingham Harbor and South Shore would suffer $21 million in lost revenue considering the difference between the value of groundfish allocated to fishermen in 2010 and the annual landings produced by the same fishermen in 2009. The Department of Commerce denied the Governor’s request last January, but suggested that economic disaster aid could be available in the future, pending additional economic analysis.

In response to the Department of Commerce’s request, the Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) issued Comparative Economic Survey and Analysis of Northeast Fishery Sector 10 (Sector 10 Analysis), a new report that details losses in specific fishery sectors along the state’s coastline. The in-depth analysis of Sector 10, comprised mostly of small boats fishing from the South Shore, documented a significant 61 percent decline in groundfish landings between 2009 (under the previous Days at Sea regulatory program), and 2010 under catch shares. This decline in landings has resulted in a 52 percent drop in groundfish revenue by 27 small business owners – equal to more than $1.5 million. Furthermore, the Sector 10 Analysis shows 30 percent of permit holders have lost at least 80 percent of their groundfish revenue – worth $301,000, while 52 percent lost at least half their revenue, worth $667,000.

Additionally, DMF also compared the aggregate information for all sectors and common pool fishermen remaining in the Days at Sea management program, which shows that total revenues were down approximately $11 million for 12 of the 17 sectors and the common pool. 

A second just-completed report, the Break-Even Analysis of the New England Groundfish Fishery for FY2009 and FY2010 (Break-Even Analysis), confirms that the Massachusetts groundfish fleet has experienced a significant 24 percent decline between 2009 and 2010. The Break-Even Analysis was the result of a collaborative effort between DMF, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s School of Marine Science and Technology to further define economic impacts previously documented in the MFI Report to the Department of Commerce. 

The above release was submitted by the office of Governor Deval Patrick.