Congressional hearings regarding the fourth 10-year review of commercial fishing's landmark Magnuson-Stevens Act begins in the nation's capital today.

And it obviously comes at a critical time for the industry — especially in Gloucester and across New England, where the groundfishery is in a state of federally recognized "economic disaster" and facing an even more dire crisis May 1, when limits on Gulf of Maine cod and other stocks are being cut by up to 77 percent.

So, you'd like to think that New England will be well represented at these hearings, right?

Wrong. The only scheduled New England witness scheduled to speak before the House Natural Resources Committee, where Malden Congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Ed Markey is the ranking Democrat, is John Pappalardo of the Cape Cod Hook Fishermen's Association. And that's a shameful affront not only to rank-and-file fishermen in Gloucester and beyond, but at slap at our fishing communities, as well.

Read the full story at Gloucester Times>>