They say that fishing is the world's second oldest occupation, so it is likely there have been more ironic events in its long, storied history, but the recent letter from Massachusetts's Governor Deval Patrick to President Obama must rank near the top of the list. For those of you who missed it, Gov. Patrick expressed his "extraordinary frustration" with the lack of responsiveness the Commonwealth has experienced with the U.S. Department of Commerce and its agencies on the challenges facing commercial fishermen in Massachusetts. The Governor is upset with the severe regulations that have been placed on his hard-working commercial fishing community and the effect it is having on the state's economy. To back up his arguments, Gov. Patrick cited economic statistics to demonstrate commercial fishing's vital role in Massachusetts's history ...
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