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Managing Our Nation's Fisheries
―Past, Present, and Future
Washington, D.C.
November 13-15, 2003
Since 1996, the Massachusetts Fishermen's Partnership (MFP) has been
promoting and protecting community interests throughout the state and region.
Representing 17 commercial fishing associations from all gear and geographic
sectors of the Massachusetts fishing industry, the MFP was created to promote
the common interests and economic viability of commercial fishermen and
fishing families. To do so, the MFP offers access to sliding-scale health
care for fishermen and their families, promotes collaborative research
between fishermen and scientists to address some of the most pressing issues
facing the fishing industry today, and maintains a vigorous presence in
fishing policy advocacy.
MFP’s programs include:
- MFP is sponsor of the Fishing Partnership Health Plan, which provides
comprehensive healthcare coverage for approximately 2,000 members of the
fishing community.
- MFP, in conjunction with MIT Sea Grant, is undertaking an
innovative socio-economic study to establish a community-based project for
gathering and assessing data to enable communities to regularly comment on
and describe potential real-time impacts of proposed regulations.
- MFP is working with Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS)
staff to develop a strategic plan to determine collaborative research
priorities in the SBNMS and to coordinate an interdisciplinary, ecosystem
approach to fisheries research that will support future management
initiatives.
- MFP is also working with SBNMS to ensure that fishing interests are
represented in the development of a five-year management plan for this
prolific area.
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