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.....but you don't spend the money in MA that you earn from catching fish in MA. Makes no economic sense at all for the state to let out of state commercials fish or sell here, unless they feel the MA commercial fleet by itself could not fill the state's quota. Gives away a significant part of the financial benefit from the state's commercial quota to neighboring states. Hard to see why they allow it.
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I think what everybody fails to understand is that there is a reciprocity system in place between MA and RI commercial licensing; it has been in effect for as long as I can remember. Both states fishermen have been fishing/offloading/selling in each others states for years...draggers, ground gear, etc. Before the license moratorium in RI (several years ago, for ALL in state/out of state), MA guys could get a RI license (I know a number of MA guys who hold RI licenses). Back in the 70's, early 80's, everybody in RI sold their catch in MA...better prices than the Pt. Jude Co-op then....we pay the price now because of the way the catch history was used to set up state bass quotas after the commercial moratorium was set aside.
Also, look at the menhaden seining problem in Narragansett Bay....2 boats, both registered and docked in MA (but with RI seine licenses), seine approximately 100,000 lbs a day, each, till the RI biomass is below 50% (like someone is monitoring it)...calculate the dollars earned by both these boats, then tell me about a resource grab....