Fishermen sue to end industry-funded monitoring program

By PATRICK WHITTLE
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A group of fishing companies in New England is bringing its bid to try to end industry-funded monitoring programs to federal appeals court. The companies are part of the industry that harvests Atlantic herring, which are heavily fished off the East Coast. The federal government requires herring fishing boats to participate in, and pay for, at-sea monitoring programs. The government and some environmental groups have said the industry-funded monitoring programs are vitally important to collect data that help craft fishing rules. But members of the industry have argued the monitors cost hundreds of dollars a day.