New Bedford Fishing Industry Could Benefit From Trump Order

Before the environmentalists and fearmongers in the press get their oil skins, jumpers and mesh undies in a bind over President Donald Trump's executive order concerning the fishing industry, they need to catch their collective breath and slowly exhale.

First of all, read the damn thing!

The Associated Press says, "The order represents a dramatic shift in federal policy on fishing in U.S. waters by prioritizing commercial fishing interests over efforts to allow the fish supply to increase."

That is fake news.

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The executive order calls for the Secretary of Commerce to immediately consider suspending, revising, or rescinding regulations that overburden America's commercial fishing, aquaculture, and fish processing industries.

The order also calls for a review of all geographic limits on fishing, including national monuments and other protected areas.

The order states:
"Most American fish stocks are healthy and have viable markets. Despite these opportunities, seafood is one of the most heavily regulated sectors in the United States. Federal over-regulation has restricted fishermen from productively harvesting American seafood, including through restrictive catch limits, selling our fishing grounds to foreign offshore wind companies, inaccurate and outdated fisheries data, and delayed adoption of modern technology."

The order continues, "Unfair trade practices have put our seafood markets at a competitive disadvantage." It says, "Nearly 90% of seafood on our shelves is now imported, and the seafood trade deficit stands at over $20 billion."

The Trump order seeks a review of all seafood and fishing regulations through discussions with representatives of the fishing industry, technology experts, marine scientists, and other relevant parties for "innovative ideas to improve fisheries management and science within the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and other applicable laws."

The administration seeks to "develop and implement an America First Seafood Strategy to promote production, marketing, sale, and export of United States fishery and aquaculture products and strengthen domestic processing capacity."

It sounds as though they plan to study the existing situation and make changes allowable under the law that could improve the fishing and processing industries, important to the New Bedford economy.

Let's see what they can come up with.