Report: Fishing Revenue In The Northeast Going To Fewer Fisherman

A new federal report finds fishing revenue in the Northeast is being concentrated in the hands of fewer and fewer fishermen. The report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) covers the period since a controversial new system for regulating fishing went into place last year.

Teri Frady, with NOAA Fisheries Service, said it's clear that fishing revenue has become concentrated among fewer vessels over the past several years, but it's too early to tell whether the new system is adding to that trend.

"We need to know more about the costs, the profits, how that's distributed, and how some kinds of things might be getting concentrated into fewer hands," Frady said.

Critics of the new "catch-share" system say it is putting smaller operations out of business.