Letter to the Honorable Gary Locke, Secretary, U.S. Deptartment of Commerce

Letter

Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, along with Congressmen John Tierney, Barney Frank, and Bill Delahunt, today called on the Obama Administration to provide emergency economic assistance to struggling Massachusetts fishermen.

The letter echoes Governor Deval Patrick's call for emergency aid in a letter sent to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke earlier this month.

"We support Governor Patrick's request that you use your authority to act swiftly to issue emergency regulations revising catch limits to higher levels that remain consistent with conservation requirements," members of the Massachusetts Delegation wrote in a letter to Secretary Locke. "We are committed to preserving and promoting our fishing industry and to alleviating the pressures currently facing our fishermen and their families and look forward to working with you to quickly address these pressing concerns."

The full text of the letter is below:

The Honorable Gary Locke
Secretary
U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20230

Dear Secretary Locke,

Thank you again for your attention and commitment to improving conditions for the fishermen throughout the state of Massachusetts. We are committed to preserving and promoting our fishing industry and to alleviating the pressures currently facing our fishermen and their families and look forward to working with you to quickly address these pressing concerns.

Accordingly, we write to you in support of Governor Patrick's letter and its corresponding Report on Economic and Scientific Conditions in the Massachusetts Multispecies Groundfishery dated November 5, 2010. The findings of this thorough report reveal the existence of an economic emergency requiring immediate action.

We support Governor Patrick's request that you use your authority to act swiftly to issue emergency regulations revising catch limits to higher levels that remain consistent with conservation requirements. Additionally, as the report demonstrates, in order to survive the current economic crisis and the regulatory and management changes taking place in the fishery, immediate direct economic assistance is needed. The requested economic assistance will aid in assuaging the direct, unforeseen, negative impact caused by the transition to catch shares.

Thank you for your continued attention and commitment to rapidly implementing reforms to address this emergency. We look forward to working together in a fiscally responsible manner to restore the vitality of our fishing communities at this critical time.

Sincerely,

John Kerry Scott Brown

U.S. Senator U.S. Senator

John Tierney Barney Frank

U.S. Congressman U.S. Congressman

Bill Delahunt

U.S. Congressman