You're right… I'm thinking scallops. They closed at least 6 areas along the coast this year. I still don't see how any of the fishermen can afford the boats and gear they have to have to comply with guv regs and then, have a few pennies left at the end of the day. I suppose in a lot of ways it's like farming. Lots of equipment needed and always at the mercy of Mother Nature.
Probably the biggest reason the whole business has become corporatised. Instead of owner operators it's now just a couple of owners with huge fleets. Not unlike the clam industry with just a couple people who own tags.. Is slowly putting all the support businesses out of business as the corps just go in-house and supply themselves. The corps owners are hoars that just don't care about the people who treated them right for years helping them get to where they are today. The new thing now is cultivated scallops off Africa and China. I haven't seen too many "grown in china" tags yet... I hope we get labels down the road so we know what we are eating and have the right to choose sources. The lobster guys have had to contend with several rounds of trap cut-backs /retirements.
Way too many regulations in the fishing industry telling them what is best. I've known many fisher man, none of them live in fancy homes. They get by just as the rest of us do. Just like wood cutters, there are huge safety risks in the industry.
