New Bedford Fishing Industry has High Hopes for Trump Presidency

In an industry that has been bogged down with federal regulations, fishing representatives are hoping for a big silver lining with President-Elect Donald Trump.

While many across the country have expressed concern with Trump's stance on social issues, Jim Kendall of New Bedford Seafood Consulting is more concerned with Trump's knowledge and understanding of business to put the fishing industry on the upswing. Kendall tells WBSM News he hopes the Trump administration will be open to hearing from Massachusetts fishermen. "Of course, we have a republican governor who basically disavowed the president[elect], so I'm hoping that won't be an impediment. But, we just want to take it one step at a time and see if we can get to the administration and let them hear our cries on this," said Kendall.

Kendall says he has more faith in Trump than he would have had if Hillary Clinton had been elected instead. He cited his view that the Obama administration let the industry down, considering many, if not most fishermen and industry workers vote democrat. "The trouble is is that this time they took advantage of that, I believe. I'm really sorry it broke up the party line, but looking at it from a business perspective I'm hoping that this makes more sense than Hillary Clinton being elected as President."

Kendall says aside from relaxing catch limits, he hopes President-Elect Trump will reverse President Obama's executive order that established a national marine monument off the coast of Massachusetts, effectively closing nearly 5,000 square miles of ocean to commercial fishing.