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Director Paul Diodati enjoying
a day of saltwater fishing
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Today's demand on MarineFisheries to address fisheries policy,
fisheries science, and environmental protection has never been greater
than at any other time in the 70-year history of the agency. Management
of Northeast groundfish stocks, a $100 million (ex-vessel) industry
with half the landings occurring in Massachusetts, is in the world
spotlight as it faces the country's most complex fisheries management
test. New regionally-based regulations about to come online for
our $70 million American lobster fishery include controversial changes
that will reduce effort and limit fishermen's options as to what
waters they could fish. Mandates to comply with dozens of other
interstate fishery management plans, to provide habitat protection,
to manage our shellfish industry in compliance with strict national
and international public health guidelines, to restore our anadromous
fishery resources and manage local fisheries, and to conduct numerous
other agency tasks continue to grow and escalate in priority every
day.
Increased workloads coupled with shrinking state and federal budgets
create a high-level, fast paced work environment in MarineFisheries
offices. This is a contemporary situation that I fear is replicated
in every coastal fisheries agency along the Atlantic coast. MarineFisheries
is fortunate to have exceptional staff members capable of successfully
completing varied tasks diligently and professionally in a minimum
amount of time. There is no question that the current challenges
facing us will test the resolve of MarineFisheries during
the next 12-18 months as we work to find solutions that will aid
in successfully completing all our obligations and goals. I'm confident
in the abilities of MarineFisheries' staff to do their jobs,
to find innovative solutions to tough problems, and to implement
constructive cooperative programs with other agencies and members
of our fishing industry. At the end of this period it's doubtless
that MarineFisheries will emerge with more focus, structure,
and professionalism than ever before.
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