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December 6, 2007

Senators push for fisheries disaster aid

United States Senators are urging the national government to reconsider denying emergency assistance to New England fisherman.

The Senate on Tuesday passed a resolution asking the Department of Commerce to reverse a decision made two months ago and declare a fisheries resource disaster in three New England states, the Associated Press reported. In October, the governors of Rhode Island, Maine and Massachusetts requested the agency declare the disaster in their states, contending that the fishing economy is suffering from strict federal fishing regulations and high fuel costs.

"This industry has been hit hard and needs some relief," said Sen. Susan Collins, according to the AP.

But the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has reported the situation is not a fishery failure, despite a drop in groundfish revenue in Massachusetts and Maine from 2005 to 2006.

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