Public meetings are being held up and down the eastern seaboard to help develop a program for an industry-funded buyout of groundfish fishing capacity. This program is being developed through collaborative efforts by members of the fishing industry, with coordination provided by the State of Massachusetts, Division of Marine Fisheries.

This is an industry-led attempt to improve the financial future of the groundfish fishery while allowing those who would like to exit the fishery a legitimate, sensible way of doing so. The Northeast Multispecies Fishery Capacity Reduction Committee has developed a Fishing Capacity Buyout Prospectus, which details the components of the program and the alternatives developed thus far. You can access the Fishing Capacity Buyout Prospectus document in its entirety, and find additional information on the development of the program, at the program’s website: www.nebuyout.org.

The Committee has scheduled public meetings throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic in June and early July to give groundfish permit holders and any other interested parties an opportunity to learn about the program. More importantly, these meetings will allow the public to provide suggestions on how to improve the program.

Please note that this schedule will be updated and meeting times and locations may change. Please see
www.nebuyout.org for further information or call 508-495-2008.