fishing industry

Last year, big fleets in the Bering Sea caught more halibut, by accident, than local fishermen caught on purpose. The big ships throw out that halibut; the local fishermen make their living from it.

The Greek fisherman casting a net from his small wooden boat is a postcard image of the Mediterranean. But fish stocks are so low now that many fishermen say they can't make a living anymore.

A decade ago, fishermen trying to catch North Sea cod were coming up empty. Now, thanks to strict fishing rules put in place to halt the decline, this fish tale looks headed for a happy ending.

The federal government is shutting down cod fishing in the Gulf of Maine for the next six months. But fishermen, who now face an uncertain future, dispute the government's cod counts.

Prosecutors say that when undersized fish disappeared off of captain John Yates' boat, it constituted destruction of evidence. Business and civil liberties groups say the law only applies to papers.