NY fishing families are getting squeezed out by outdated license rules

The Horseshoe crab fishery closure hit New York's fishing communities hard, cutting off a vital bait source and income stream. Now families who've fished for generations are struggling to make ends meet, but there's another problem making things worse.

Commercial fishing licenses can only be transferred within direct family lines. So if you're not born into a fishing family, or if family members can't take over the business, you're basically locked out. Meanwhile, experienced fishermen who lost their livelihoods from the closure can't even buy into other fishing opportunities.

I started a petition asking New York's Department of Environmental Conservation to allow license transfers beyond just family members. Other states already do this successfully – it strengthens their fishing communities while keeping traditions alive.

Has anyone else seen how these rigid rules are hurting working families in coastal communities? If this matters to you too, consider signing and sharing.

https://www.change.org/p/allow-transfer-of-commercial-fishing-licenses-beyond-family-in-new-york?utm_campaign=starter_dashboard&utm_medium=reddit_post&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=starter_dashboard&recruiter=1400893109