Panel: Fishing plan can rebuild long lost cod stock by 2033

By PATRICK WHITTLE
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Federal ocean regulators say a new fishing plan has a chance to rebuild the New England cod stock, which is a goal even many commercial fishermen have long regarded as far fetched. Atlantic cod were once a cornerstone of the New England economy, but the catch has plummeted after years of overfishing, environmental changes and restrictive quotas. The majority of cod sold in the U.S. come from overseas because American fishermen mostly avoid them altogether. But the regulatory New England Fishery Management Council has approved a new strategy that it says has a 70% chance of rebuilding the stock by 2033.