A bill introduced by Sen. Mike McGuire to help reduce the record number of whales being entangled in lost commercial fishing gear has the full support of the local commercial fishing fleet.
Crescent City Commercial Fisherman’s Association President Rich Shepard said, “We endorse it 100 percent. I endorsed it through Senator McGuire as the president of our (Commercial Fisherman’s) association.”
Shepard said the retrieval program is something the commercial fishermen have always supported.
“We always wanted a gear retrieval incentive program,” Shepard said. And, “this will keep people from leaving their gear in the water.”
