U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is questioning NOAA's decision to spend $150,000 in "scarce fisheries research" funding to hold a "sweepstakes" under the guise of studying fishing economics.
"The Massachusetts fishing industry is on the brink of collapse due to federal mismanagement," Brown wrote to NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco. "NOAA's own data prove that this economic and jobs disaster has rapidly accelerated since the current administration's implementation of the 'catch shares' system.
"At this time of peril for our commercial fishermen," he said, "I question whether it is responsible to divert resources into a social science experiment about recreational fishing licenses."
Brown noted in his letter, sent on Friday, that the news of the $150,000 sweepstakes comes on the heels of details about abuses by agents of NOAA's $300,000 "luxury party boat" and reinforces the public's perception that NOAA is an agency with the wrong fiscal priorities.
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