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NEW BEDFORD — The biggest player in the New England groundfishing industry says he is cashing out of the business, selling off his scallopers and later his groundfish draggers, which count among the last in the country's top-grossing fishing port.

 

Rafael refused to name the company but said his decision is in response to the state's cutting in half the amount of federal groundfish disaster relief aid he would get. The policy applies to all Massachusetts permit holders but will affect only Rafael because he's the only one with more qualifying permits than the 10.9 permit cap.

 

"The deal is they have to go out of state; I do not want them in Massachusetts," Rafael said in his raspy voice, calm one minute and yelling the next. "That is the deal: They cannot bring any revenue to this state ever again.

 

"I'm gonna cash in and screw."

 

Read the full story at the Standard-Times>>

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