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Take action today to support Amendment 16 and hold all fishermen accountable for their catch.

Groundfish like cod, haddock and flounder have driven the region's economy and culture for centuries. But decades of overfishing and mismanagement have led to severe declines in these groundfish populations, continued restrictions on fishing efforts, decreases in revenue and the loss of our traditional fishing fleet.

With the support of forward-thinking commercial fishing organizations, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is finalizing a new management system proposed by the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) that could help turn things around. This system would give New England 17 new community-based, fishermen-run cooperatives, called sectors, which would harvest groundfish based on a total annual catch limit, the legal amount of fish that can be caught each year. A robust monitoring system would ensure that when the limit is reached, fishing will stop - giving fish populations a chance to rebuild.

In June, the NEFMC submitted its recommendations to NMFS for implementation of sector management and annual catch limits for the groundfish fishery starting in May 2010. NMFS took these recommendations and formulated a proposed management plan, called Amendment 16, which is currently open for public comment. In just two weeks, the comment period will end, and the new plan will take effect without further opportunity for comment.

Make sure the National Marine Fisheries Service knows that the public supports sector management and annual catch limits. Send a letter to NMFS today.

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