As I traveled around the United States and Canada last month, toting our February issue, somehow the upcoming "Wicked Tuna" story (NF March p. 20) kept bobbing to the surface, not unlike a bluefin struggling against a hook and line.

The day I arrived in town for the Maryland Watermen's Association show, the cast of "Wicked Tuna" was leaving after a brief appearance in Ocean City on their way south for a spinoff show that will take place in North Carolina.

I am always thrilled when something in the magazine creates a good buzz. But it also puts a smile on my face to see people in this industry excited about something positive, especially people in New England.

The "Wicked Tuna" guys are doing well, and kudos to them. But we can't get lost in their glory and forget that the rest of Gloucester (and many other ports in the Northeast and around the country) are not only struggling but suffocating under draconian and outdated management measures.

Next week begins a series of public listening sessions sponsored by National Fisherman and the Center for Sustainable Fisheries. We will be in Seattle on Tuesday, Feb. 11, for the end of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting and to hold a half-day session at the Renaissance Hotel.

Our goal is to propose some changes to the Magnuson-Stevens Act that will give the regional councils some flexibility and a stronger mandate to manage fisheries holistically.

Our standard for best-available science is simply inadequate in many fisheries, and the rebuilding timeline is arbitrary. It's time to focus our collective energy to create a strong and united national fishing industry that can rely on sound data to sustain the fish, the fishermen and the backbone of all fisheries — coastal communities.

I welcome you to join us and help us make a change to ensure a fishing future. For more information, visit www.nationalfisherman.com/magnuson.