Progress Reported in Fishing Walkout

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Boat owners and striking fishermen traded proposals Thursday in bargaining that made “tremendous progress” toward ending the month-old walkout tying up this rich port, a federal mediator said.

“I can’t get into any of their particulars other than it is moving, moving very well,” said John Marks, who was mediating negotiations in the dispute between 30 boat owners and 800 fishermen over how the catch should be split.

Earlier, boat owners’ attorney David Barnet made what was described as a final contract offer, saying that if it were rejected by the union, owners would take it directly to fishermen. He declined to disclose details.

Seafarers International Union leaders could not be reached for comment.

Under the contract that expired last March but continued until the strike, fishermen earned 58% of the proceeds on large boats called draggers and 64% on scallop boats. Boat owners originally asked them to split proceeds 50-50 to cover their increasing costs and losses from poor catches, later upping that offer slightly.