GLOUCESTER, Mass. – July 15, 2010 – According to documents obtained by the Gloucester Times, a carefully screened and selected corps of 25 advisors provided taped interviews of recommendations on how to proceed to the public policy mediator hired to organize the conference, planned for Aug. 3 in Washington, D.C.
But the inner circle was heavy with past and present associates of NOAA's high command and representatives of environmental groups — the core constituency of NOAA chief administrator Jane Lubchenco, who came to the government as former board vice chairwoman with the Environmental Defense Fund, and built her organization with people who traveled in the same circles.
Government law enforcement officials are also a well-represented sector in the advisory group.
But missing are any representatives of the Gloucester or New Bedford groundfishing fleet, where the protest emanated against the capricious actions launched from NOAA regional headquarters here.
Not only were active fishermen from the two hub ports left off the advisory panel, but only one industry lawyer, Eldon Greenberg, was named.
Although he is a respected figure, Greenberg has practiced in Washington since leaving NOAA where he had been general counsel, and has not been involved in the bitter legal combat that centered around the Gloucester Seafood Display Auction, sparking calls for the inspector general's intervention early last year.
Neither Stephen Ouellette, Paul Muniz, nor Pamela Lafreniere — attorneys who together represent the bulk of fishermen and industry businesses that have long chafed under the legal battering of NOAA's police force and litigators — were asked to advise the agency how to fix its law enforcement system.
Read this story in the Gloucester Times
The following is one of the e-mails referenced in this story:
—–Original Message—–
From: Susan Podziba [mailto:susan@podziba.com]
Sent: Monday, June 07, 2010 2:15 PM
To: kurt.blanchard@dem.ri.gov; philip.anderson@dfw.wa.gov;
daniel.e.schaeffer@uscg.mil; john.webb@usdoj.gov;
Dwight.Holton@usdoj.gov; mccabe.catherine@epa.gov;
Eileen_Sobeck@ios.doi.gov; mgosliner@mmc.gov; sal_amato@fws.gov;
maggieraymond@comcast.net; Eldon Greenberg; sean@pop-hawaii.com;
jschratwieser@igfa.org; jtmartin@purefishing.com; ripc@comcast.net;
abednarek@pewtrusts.org; sroady@earthjustice.org; jsimon@oceana.org;
voshea@asmfc.org; lsimpson@gsmfc.org; rlydecker@boatus.com;
Craig.R.O'Connor@noaa.gov; sean.morton@noaa.gov; Paul.Raymond@noaa.gov
Cc: LHolzer@oceana.org; Zubin Bamji; Andrew Cohen; Suzanne Orenstein;
Susan Podziba
Subject: NOAA Enforcement Summit: Scheduling Interview
Dear NOAA Summit Interviewees,
Recently, you received an email from Andrew Winer, Director of External
Affairs at NOAA, regarding the National Enforcement Summit. NOAA is
convening the Summit to elicit ideas and recommendations to advance its
enforcement programs to protect and sustain the nation's marine
resources.
As explained in the email, I am contacting you to arrange an interview
to discuss your ideas, interests, and concerns relative to the Summit.
I am planning to conduct telephone/skype-video interviews on June 9, 10,
14, 17, and 18, and for those located in the Washington, DC area,
in-person interviews on June 21 and 22.
Please send me three possible times for us to speak, and I will confirm
one.
In addition, please send me the phone number or skype name I should use
to contact you or the address of our meeting location. If none of the
above dates works for you, please offer some alternatives. I expect each
interview to last approximately 60 minutes.
If you have any questions prior to the interview, please email or call
me at 617-738-5320. Thank you in advance for your willingness to make
time to speak with me.
Sincerely,
Susan Podziba
—
Susan Podziba
Public Policy Mediator
Susan Podziba & Associates
Brookline, MA 02445
tel:617-738-5320
fax:617-738-6911
http://www.podziba.com