Over the Bar

Taking a moment to express what too often gets taken for granted: Gratitude.

Bear with me – forgive me might be the better way to put it – as I invoke yet one more acronym that has become increasingly important as we try to work our way through the maze known as United States fisheries management, keep our fleet on the water, and respond to big changes like global warming: EBFM.

We’re kicking off a new initiative here at the Alliance, and at first glance the focus might surprise you but the longer you ponder, the more sense it makes.

We’re throwing an early summer outdoor bash, July 1 on the grounds of our old captain’s house in Chatham, and I’m tempted to say the reason why is simply because – finally — we can!

We were on our way to my first New England Fishery Management Council meeting, so must have been 1996, maybe 1997. Portland, Maine.

So many of us put in so much hard work to enact protections for herring in our waters, understanding that these small forage fish are crucial to a healthy ecosystem but have been nearly wiped out by one style of fishery working in devastating, massive ways.

Fishermen are always at it, as a great winter photo spread in last month’s issue proves, but the rhythms of work and weather are always in play as well. So now comes a recurring moment that in many ways, year in and year out, is pivotal.

“Ropeless” fishing is the hot new rallying cry when it comes to efforts to save the North Atlantic Right Whale from extinction.

As the pandemic descended on us all, here at the Alliance we kept racking our brains to come up with ways we could respond, ways we could help local fishermen stay on the water and stay in business.