As the Beacon Hill political crowd munched on ceviches and chowders in the Great Hall on Wednesday, they heard a message from the seafood industry aimed more at Washington, D.C., than the halls of the State House.
Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante, the daughter of a fisherman and a 30-year advocate for the fishing industry, spoke at the annual Seafood Day in the state capitol about “what the federal government does to us.” The Gloucester Democrat found fault with how the feds survey fishery resources and shrink local fishing quotas, saying that the industry will perish unless a new course is charted.
The event, hosted by the Massachusetts Fishermen’s Partnership, Massachusetts Seafood Collaborative, and Fishing Partnership Support Services, featured a “Finest Kind Award” presentation honoring Ferrante for her three decades of advocacy for the industry.