Publication Name

Associated Press

Author(s)

Jay Lindsay

Barney Frank, a Massachusetts Democratic Congressman, has been a steady and uncommonly effective ally to fisherman has retired, according to an article published by the Associated Press on 3 December 2011.

In his work for fishermen, the legendarily liberal Frank has often sided with conservative Republicans and defied environmentalists. Even those on the opposite side of key fishing issues acknowledge Frank is an effective industry advocate, and they cite the same reasons as his allies: clout, knowledge and tenacity. “It’s a lot easier when he’s on your side,” said Peter Shelley of the Conservation Law Foundation, which has disagreed with Frank on management of the region’s scallopers and bottom-dwelling groundfish.

Frank’s advocacy for fishermen has pitted him at times against traditional allies in the environmental community. Shelley said he agrees with Frank on most environmental issues, but fisheries are “a blind spot.” Frank seems wrongly committed to a faulty view of fishermen as victims of a faceless bureaucracy and large environmental organizations out to crush them just “to have the fish out there dying of old age,” he said.

He said that keeps Frank focused on the past rather than tomorrow, including the possibilities of a new management system that Frank and some fishermen oppose, but which Shelley said actually offers the industry a better future. Frank’s replacement may not share his misconceptions, Shelley said. “It gives us a good opportunity to work with the delegation ... on how to move the fishery forward,” he said.

To read full article, Fishing Industry Feels Loss of Frank's Retirement visit the Yahoo News website.