Fishermen turn to dogfish after cod catch cuts
New England fishermen are pushing for the federal government to buy more dogfish fillets, a fish the industry previously viewed as a nuisance that clogs nets and eats bait for more valuable fish, like cod.
The Associated Press reported the shift comes because fishermen have a 24-million-pound quota for dogfish, compared with a cod quota that has dwindled to 3.24 million pounds this year, a 78% reduction from 2012.
The news service reported that the price for dogfish is now around 22 cents a pound, which fishermen say is barely enough to make up the cost of catching the fish. Industry officials and a group of 19 New England lawmakers are now asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to buy some of the surplus dogfish catch to avoid greater saturation of the market that would drive prices down further.
Ben Martens, head of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association based in Topsham, told the AP he thinks dogfish won’t save the fishing industry, but it could help fishermen through a tough time.
Most Recent
Most Recent
Comments