|
Boo Hoo Hoo...Here is some information to think about.
The reason the atlantic herring quota was reduced this year is that in the five years prior the atlantic herring fleet has failed to harvest the quota. Instead of berate the us government, national marine fisheries service and new england fisheries management council we might just send them all a thank you note for reducing a quota on a very important forage fish that it looks like might be in some trouble. See many op eds from last fall.
Another point we might want to understand is that the atlantic herring fleet that supplied this plant is our old friends the midwater trawl and pair trawl fleet. Yep...the industrial trawlers that catch and dump or mix and sell 1-3 million pounds of river herring by catch is the same poor industry being referred to in this article.
Now do not get me wrong, there is no debate that the closing of this plant is a tragedy to the workers...however...the traditional small boat herring fleet in maine might have considered this outcome when they on multiple occasions have stood in the corner of the mid water fleet that has now done real damage to their coastal community.
I also want to point out that the lack of herring for this plant is very confusing to me when I consider that over the last three years the "industry", including boats and dealers has been fined over 1.1 million for being caught mis reporting over 43million (with a m) pounds of unreported catch.
I further find it a bit suprising that Bumble Bee has not even menitioned the maine lobster industry at all. The maine lobster industry buys every last boat load of low qualtiy herring so why would the industrial fleet care about handling food quality herring. Yep...this plant is being lowballed by not by China, but by the lobster industry.
Just a few Things that make you go....hmmmm
|