It is good that Schwaab has promised changes as a result of Pate's report, but we will wait until they are implemented before popping the champagne.
After years of debate, it appears federal regulators are prepared to fix several systemic problems. An independent review released earlier this week called for a number of reforms to the fishing management process, including a better focus on what the regulations are actually supposed to accomplish.
Eric Schwaab, head of the National Marine Fisheries Services, recommended that regulators have more direct contact with fishermen and improve the data used to make decisions about what restrictions should be implemented. The recommendations came after Schwaab reviewed an independent report by Preston Pate, former chairman of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which found the network of fishing regulators are duplicating effort and do not have a clear vision on the definition of success.
Read the complete editorial from The Cape Cod Times.