NOAA and the special interests in the environmental community are trying to avoid at all costs any public scrutiny of their relationship. That can only mean they have something to hide.
Environmental groups love to portray themselves as on the side of the angels — guardians of the planet against evildoers who would despoil it with pollution or suck it dry of resources.
If they are that confident in their righteousness, they should be happy to open themselves to the same kind of scrutiny they would demand of those they consider enemies of the environment — and for some of them, fishermen fall into that category.
Real credibility does not come from hiding activities, communication and relationships. It comes from transparency.
Read the complete opinion piece from Newburyport News.