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Feature Articles
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IFISH pledges to promote 'continued access' to resources
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This article is reprinted with permission of Commercial Fisheries News, the Northeast's fishing newspaper for over 30 years, ©2003 Compass Publications Inc. Commercial Fisheries News is published monthly; annual subscriptions are $21.95. To subscribe or request a sample issue: call (877) 263-4496; fax (207) 367-2490; e-mail (cfoster@fish-news.com); or click on the hot link.
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Proctor Wells
(Peter K. Prybot, photo)
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PHIPPSBURG, ME - A new Maine industry organization called Independent Fishermen Investing in Sustainable Harvesting (IFISH) is promising to be an active player in ongoing groundfish deliberations.
Formed in late April, the group's goals include:
- Providing a voice for all fishermen and harvesters;
- Promoting good fisheries stewardship so that future generations can fish;
- Ensuring continued access to marine resources; and
- Enhancing communications for better management decisions.
According to IFISH President Proctor Wells, the new organization intends to advance a "positive image" of fishing communities throughout the state, especially in areas that stretch far beyond Portland, the state's largest fishing port.
"Maine has 3,000 miles of coastline, some 200 fishing communities, 34,000 licenses, and 200 groundfish permits," said Wells. "We felt there was a huge need for representation at all management levels for the inshore fleet east of Portland. It's been a long time since any organization east of Portland has had an effective voice at the management level."
IFISH was launched following the recent annual meeting of the Maine Fishermen's Cooperative Association, where many of IFISH's founding members felt "forced out" of leadership roles within the cooperative association by parties with different interests (see related story, "Maine Fishermen's Cooperative Association elects new officers").
Inclusive vision
According to Wells, IFISH will attempt to unite people who want a say in their future.
"Our new organization will be open to all fishermen who have a long-term vision for Maine's coastal communities and who are willing to commit to working cooperatively over the long haul in the best interest of the resource," he said.
IFISH immediately became a member group of the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance (NAMA), which also works with the Stonington Fisheries Alliance and the Saco Bay Alliance as member groups.
"It's very important for us to be connected to NAMA," said Wells. "NAMA provided the necessary resources and leadership so that Maine's coastal communities could have a voice in the recent federal lawsuit. Without NAMA's involvement, the hard times we are facing now could have been much worse."
More than 25 fishermen from towns throughout Maine, including Cundy's Harbor, Stonington, and Monhegan Island to Portland and Saco, attended IFISH's first organizational meeting.
The group elected Charles Saunders as vice president and Chilloa Young as secretary/treasurer.
For more information, visit IFISH's web site at http://www.ifishmaine.org.
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