The fish wars heated up on the East Coast of the U.S. yesterday as the New England Fisheries Management Council angered the fishing community by voting to tighten fishing restrictions intended to rebuild cod stocks in the Gulf of Maine. The National Marine Fisheries Service will make the final decision in two weeks on the proposed restrictions, which would close several fishing grounds in January for the first time. Enviros applauded the council’s vote. Meanwhile, all is not well on the West Coast either. Many fish stocks are faring poorly off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington, leading NMFS to restrict the commercial harvest of several bottom fish species. Pacific coast fishing communities estimate that the restrictions could cost them between $3 million and $15 million.
