March 18 – The Broken System - The present politically based implementation of the Magnuson Act guarantees the death of commercial fishing on the east coast of the U.S. Allowing fishermen a major voice in the councils has led to the current scarcity of cod and haddock in New England.  Every single piece of stock assessment data indicates that stocks of these two species are in dire straits, yet fishermen complain that NMFS is destroying their living  by not letting them catch more of these fish.

March 22 – Fish Talk in the News – Friday, March 22 - In this week’s Fish Talk in the News, NOAA releases the proposed rule for Framework 48, right whales make a comeback, Maine lobstermen seek to unionize, minimum catch size limits may be forcing fish to mature at a smaller size, Senator Cowan raises concerns over use of Saltonstall-Kennedy funds; Maine legislators debate alewife bills.