N.E. Fishermen Gain Small Change In New Cod Fishing Rules

New England fishermen can claim a small victory over new regulations on cod fishing in the Gulf of Maine.

The New England Fishery Management Council has rejected a motion that would have effectively closed all waters from Cape Cod to Portland, Maine. Instead, it has opted for smaller, targeted closures.

But Gloucester fisherman Vito Giacalone says he still faces a cod quota of 386 metric tons for next year, like most of his colleagues.

"Right now, we haven't ensured their survival yet, because they still need quota. You're gonna have fishermen really constrained by that 386 tons," he said.

The council's new rules now go to federal regulators, who will approve them if they are deemed legal.