The Island Institute and the Midcoast Fishermen’s Association praised a new jobs bill for fishermen.

The bill, “The Coastal Jobs Creation Act of 2010 (H.R.4914) was drafted and introduced by U.S. Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-1st District) with two co-sponsors, according to a press release from the two groups.

This bill is designed to aid economic development in coastal Maine in a few distinct ways:

*Boost projects that provide employment opportunities in coastal communities by increasing support for cooperative research and monitoring;

* Create employment opportunities in coastal communities that benefit commercial fisherman and utilize idled fishing-vessel capacity;

*Revitalize coastal infrastructure and increase support for marine-debris removal and coastal-resource restoration;

*Build on existing, successful programs, and fund projects that are specifically targeted toward fishing communities.

Island Institute Policy Director Jennifer Litteral welcomed the introduction of the bill, stating that the timing could not be better to provide much-needed economic assistance of jobs to fishermen through collaborative research, at-sea monitoring and ghost-gear clean-up while sustaining other valuable shore-side infrastructure such as working waterfront infrastructure and ocean observing systems. “Maine is in a great position,” said Litteral, “with existing successful programs in all these areas to inject funding into our fishing economy immediately.”

Glen Libby, lifelong fisherman, president of the Midcoast Fishermen’s Association and a member of the Northeast Fishery Management Council, echoed Litteral’s hope that the Coastal Jobs Creation Act would bring help to fishing communities along the Maine coast. “This jobs bill can provide a much-needed bridge to allow our fishermen to stay in business as we take a new direction with fisheries management in New England. It makes sense,” said Libby, “that, by investing in infrastructure, we will build a long-term strategy to providing sustainability for the fish and fishing communities.”

For more information about the bill, please go to:

http://www.seafoodsustainability.us/uploads/Pallone_Coastal_Jobs_legislation.pdf