May 29, 2014 — NOAA honcho John Bullard wasn't kidding when he said that a month ago he wasn't even sure they would ever find a plan amenable to all. So, kudos to all the parties for hanging in there and keeping in front of them the one thing that really matters: help the people who have been kicked around by the fishing disaster that continues to this day.
A couple of overnight thoughts as I've had a chance to digest and ruminate on the plan approved by NOAA and the state fishery directors of six states:
– This really was a compromise, not only among a host of varied interests, from industry stakeholders to regulators and government/politicians, but within those disparate groups, as well.
NOAA honcho John Bullard wasn't kidding when he said that a month ago he wasn't even sure they would ever find a plan amenable to all. So, kudos to all the parties for hanging in there and keeping in front of them the one thing that really matters: help the people who have been kicked around by the fishing disaster that continues to this day.
– It made sense to divide the plan into three elements – the direct aid to permit holders, state-specific grants that can be used to help other fishing-related businesses and interests not covered in the direct assistance (such as vessel crew members and shoreside businesses) and the vessel buyout/buyback plan – and even more sense to put the machinery in motion to deliver about $22 million in assistance from the first two elements while trying to figure out how to accomplish the vessel buyback/buyout portion of the plan.
But I just don't understand why it's going to take four or five months to begin getting the checks for $32,463 into the hands of eligible fishermen. I know the funds have to flow from NOAA to the states, but that's just a matter of accounting. Billions of dollars fly around the world every day at the push of five buttons, so why will this take so long?
Read the full opinion piece at the Gloucester Daily Times