Local Fishermen Thank Senators For Aid

Fishermen from the Northeast are thanking two key U.S. Senators for including $150 million in fishery disaster assistance in a recent appropriations bill.

The letter from 230 fishermen dated Tuesday was addressed to appropriations committee chair Barbara Mikulski, a Democrat of Maryland, and the committee's top Republican, Richard Shelby of Alabama. It thanked them for their "extraordinary work" to include the aid, which is needed after massive cuts in catch limits this year.

The letter said prosperity and stability has vanished from fishing communities, and the aid is critical to preserve the industry until fish health improves.The House must still approve the allocation, would be split between the Northeast, Alaska and Gulf Coast fisheries.

Last year, the House stripped an identical funding amount out of a different bill.