Comment by Midcoast Fishermen's Association on XM12

February 27, 2009 Mark Grant, Sector Policy Analyst NMFS Northeast Region 55 Great Republic Drive Gloucester, MA 01930 RE: Midcoast Fishermen’s Association (MFA) and Island Institute’s Comments on the Proposed FY2009 Fixed Gear Sector Operations Plan (RIN 0648-XM12) Dear Mark, We, the MFA and the Island Institute are writing to urge the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to approve the proposed 2009 Fixed Gear Sector Operations Plan. The Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association (CCCHFA) vision and commitment to this fishery mirrors our own, they continue to promote well-monitored, community allocations (Sectors) as a solution to the problems that plague our fisheries. Their work on sectors has led the way and served as a model for other sectors to be formed and will help us transition to a system based on catch and not effort leaving behind the failing Days-At-Sea (DAS) system. Like our own small-boat traditional community based fishermen, the CCCHFA continues to work closely with their traditional, day-boat community and have the success of developing the only two groundfish sectors that exist in New England – the Georges Bank (GB) Cod Hook Sector and Fixed Gear Sector. Both Sectors have provided valuable models and demonstrated the great benefits of community-based fisheries management. Working under annual hard total allowable catches (TACs) as mandated by MSRA and with expanded accountability and reporting, Sectors members will be able to harvest healthy fish stocks while reducing mortality of those stocks that are at-risk. For these reasons we strongly encourage the Agency to approve the Fixed Gear Sector Operations Plan. This will be another step to strengthen community-based fisheries management, which we believe is critical to solving the problems currently facing our fish stocks and fishing businesses. Sincerely, Glen Libby Jennifer Litteral Chairman, MFA Director of Marine Programs, Island Institute