For more than two decades, Carlos “The Codfather” Rafael dominated the New England groundfishery. He made millions from his criminal activities before a sting operation shut him down and forced him into prison.
CLF’s latest publication offers guidance to improve the current management system and avoid another scandal like Rafael’s.
Atlantic cod is in crisis. For decades, our fishery managers have failed to take effective action to stem the problem. Now, a rapidly warming ocean is making cod’s precarious position even worse. Now, CLF is calling on the federal government to follow the law and rebuild Atlantic cod. If management doesn’t improve now, we could lose our founding fish forever.
Natural resources here in the Commonwealth face increasing development pressure, particularly in our coastal areas. While numerous state and local regulations are designed to protect our natural resources, one state law – known as the Dover Amendment – currently creates a potential loophole from local environmental protections when projects are proposed by nonprofit educational and… Continue reading Take Action: Support Legislation to Better Protect Environmental Resources from Development
New England’s storied cod population is on brink of collapse. Our regional and federal fishery managers are tasked with maintaining a healthy Atlantic cod population. Yet they have a long record of making management decisions that do more harm than good.
A federal judge ruled that the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument was created legally. The ruling confirms that the Antiquities Act can be used to protect the ocean, keeping these underwater spaces safe from oil drilling and commercial fishing.
If we’re not careful, Boston Harbor will be walled off to those of us who are not wealthy and powerful, even though we have laws and regulations put in place to protect us. Today, CLF is taking action to ensure that the city and state cannot get away with putting private developers’ interests ahead of the public when it comes to these precious public assets.
Right now, the United States has some of the best-managed fisheries in the world. But a bill that just passed the House of Representatives is putting that at risk. Many fishing communities in New England and across the country currently have the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) to thank for their economic health.… Continue reading Federal Fisheries Bill Undermines the Health of Our Oceans
After 14 years of development, a newly approved plan for managing New England’s fisheries should have prioritized protection of important ocean habitats and improved the long-term well-being of our fishing economy. Instead, in a short-sighted decision, fishery managers put fragile habitats and overfished species at even greater risk than they are today.
Last week, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit brought by fishing industry groups who have challenged President Obama’s designation of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument under the Antiquities Act of 1906. In partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Center for Biological Diversity, and… Continue reading Defending New England’s Only Marine Monument
