State and Local

Maine’s new governor, Paul LePage, announced his nominees for several key administration posts last month. Some were politically divisive, like the appointment of a developer with a legislative record of opposing environmental regulations to head the Department of Environmental Protection or the selection of a former Bangor Hydro vice-president as commissioner of the Department of Conservation. But his nominee to head the Department of Marine Resources was an exception: Norman H. Olsen appears a candidate likely to get support not just from the political parties, but from fishermen and conservationists as well.

Should he be confirmed by the Republican-controlled senate, Mr. Olsen’s life will have gone full circle from Maine fishing to high-ranking, globe-trotting foreign diplomat and back again. In the process he’s accumulated an intriguing combination of job experiences: lobsterman, newspaper reporter, shellfish company executive, fisheries management representative, war zone peacekeeper, counter terrorism official, and a diplomat with a ranking equivalent to that of a Brigadier General.

The son of a multi-generational fishing family from Cape Elizabeth, Olsen started fishing at age 12 in the early 1970s, a time when fishermen could still be generalists, switching species and gear types in response to the seasons or the vagaries of the resource. His father was a master mariner and founding member of the Maine Fishermen’s Cooperative Association, a group Norman was later executive director of. His uncle trapped mackerel in weirs, the stationary fish traps now extinct west of Eastport.

Read the complete story at The Working Waterfront.

 

 

 

 

 

BOSTON – January 27, 2011 – Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary (EEA) Richard K. Sullivan Jr. today announced the appointment of David Cash of Newton as Undersecretary for Policy. Cash, who served as Assistant Secretary for Policy for the last four years, will focus on developing policies that advance the Patrick-Murray administration’s goals to create jobs in the clean energy sector, conserve and steward open space and parks, and enhance air and water resources.

“Working with EEA’s six agencies and officials in other Secretariats, David was a key problem-solver and thought leader during Governor Patrick’s first term, providing expertise and counsel and helping to set policy on issues ranging from energy and climate change to land, water and fisheries management,” Secretary Sullivan said. “I am happy to announce that he will continue to enhance EEA’s senior staff through his expanded role as Undersecretary.”

“It is an honor to be able to continue to pursue Governor Patrick’s agenda of growing a clean energy economy, conserving our cherished natural resources, and assuring clean air and water in the Commonwealth,” Undersecretary Cash said. “I thank Secretary Sullivan for giving me this elevated role in advancing the Commonwealth’s national energy and environment leadership.”

As Undersecretary for Policy, Cash will build on his previous work developing and analyzing policy options to further EEA’s mission in areas such as energy; land, water, and ocean management; wildlife and fisheries; air and water quality; climate change; transportation; and waste management. Chair of Governor Patrick’s Sustainable Water Management Initiative and the Congressionally-established Boston Harbor Islands Partnership, Cash’s achievements during the first Patrick-Murray administration include helping to develop a package of landmark legislation signed into law in 2008 – the Green Communities Act, Clean Energy Biofuels Act, Green Jobs Act, Massachusetts Ocean Act, and Global Warming Solutions Act (GSWA).

Recently, he led the Secretariat’s effort to comply with an integral mandate of the GWSA – advising the EEA Secretary on his determination to limit greenhouse gas emissions to 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and developing the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020, which lays out a portfolio of policies and programs that will lower energy costs, create clean energy jobs, reduce greenhouse gases and keep Massachusetts leading toward the clean energy future.

Before joining EEA six years ago, Cash was a research associate and lecturer in environmental science and public policy at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and taught science in the Amherst public schools.

Cash, 45, earned a Bachelor’s degree in biology from Yale University and a Ph.D. in public policy from the Kennedy School of Government. He, his wife, and two daughters reside in a 140-year-old house that is fully insulated and features solar panels and a super-efficient combined heat and power furnace.

 

 

 

 

 

RICHMOND, VA – Jan 24, 2011  (Saving Seafood)  Last week, Virginia legislators announced that they would withdraw bills targeting the menhaden industry that is economically vital to the northern neck peninsula. Delegates Barry Knight (R-Virginia Beach) , Harry R. Purkey  (R-Virginia Beach), Watkins M. Abbitt, Jr., (I- Appomattox), and Jackson Miller (R-Manassas) all decided they would withdraw the bills they filed this year in the General Assembly aimed at the industry. Another bill, sponsored by Delegate John Cosgrove’s (Chesapeake –R), was rejected by unanimous vote in committee.

“I was pleased to work with the more than 50 Northern Neckers and industry representatives who banded together to defeat the only anti-menhaden bill that had a chance of passage,” said Delegate Albert Pollard (D – Lively). “Now,” says Pollard, “the same crowd who was pushing these bills, wanting to shut us down says they want reasonable legislation.”

Pollard wanted reasonable legislation to begin with, having expressed initial concern over the bills on his website: “These bills are particularly frustrating to me because I sat through several meetings over the break where scientists presented to us their facts. These facts show that menhaden are not overfished and that overfishing is not occurring. The facts also conclude that menhaden are not filter feeders for the Chesapeake Bay. While we do want to keep a close eye on the health of the fishery – and studies are continuing to do so – these menhaden related bills are unnecessary.”

Others came to the same conclusion. Delegate Knight indicated that, after significant discussions with State Senator Richard Stuart and extensive conversations with leaders from other Virginia fisheries, such as the oyster fishery,  regarding the economic importance of the menhaden industry, he and the other Delegates had decided to withdraw their Bills.

Senator Stuart, who has just been appointed to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), said he would request that ASMFC conduct a study on the ecological value of the menhaden in the Bay region.  A recent stock assessment by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) concluded that overfishing has occurred during one season, by less than a half of a single percent above ideal target estimates. However, the population is not considered to be overfished, meaning that the population can produce enough eggs to replace itself, and no regulatory action has been deemed necessary by the ASMFC.

 

 

 

 

 

NEW BEDFORD — The clash between federal regulators and the fishing industry in the Northeast has perhaps never been as serious or as high-profile as it is today.

A year has been spent battling over sharply restricted catch shares and sector management, which is deliberately shrinking the fleet, driving boats out of business. And fisheries law enforcement officials are on the griddle for vindictive and selective conduct along with misuse of seized assets. Fishermen have organized and their representatives in Congress have done likewise.

The friction has become so serious that U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., declared that he was publicly at odds with the leader of his own party, President Barack Obama.

This story is far from over. The question is, what comes next?

    * Will harsh fishing regulation catch fire as a national story?
    * Will Commerce Seccretary Gary Locke, who brushed off an appeal from Gov. Deval Patrick, be forced back to the table by William Daley, the former Commerce Secretary and friend of scallopers who is now White House chief of staff?
    * Will the federal courts side with the fishing community and its lawsuit against NOAA and Locke?
    * Will the fishing community stay organized and stay energized, or will it be worn down into final acceptance of a new reality?

In the spring of 2009, perhaps it was naive of Gov. Deval Patrick to ask Dr. Jane Lubchenco, the new head of NOAA, for $3.2 million to conduct an independent assessment of the groundfish stocks off New England. He wanted the scientific evidence to support an appeal to NOAA for easing painful catch restrictions that fishermen believed to be unnecessary.

She had other plans for her department's money: priming the pump of catch shares and sector management. There would be no independent study by the UMass School for Marine Science and Technology of groundfish stocks off New England. Government science, as flawed as it might be, would continue to steer fisheries policy.

That year ended with the first skirmish in what has today become a full-blown legal, scientific and political confrontation between the fishing industry, primarily in the Northeast, and a federal agency that its own overseers discovered was running out of control. Now, anything might happen.

The UMass/SMAST dean emeritus, Dr. Brian Rothschild, who chairs the mayor's fishery advisory council, said on Friday, "This is egregious. If you take a step back, like you were arriving from Mars, and you came down and looked at this you wouldn't believe the dysfunction. Here you have a major government entity acting like the (Massachusetts) Parole Department. The obvious corruption in the enforcement part and the seeming total disconnect from Congress and people in the industry is a huge story."

Read the complete story from The Standard-Times.

 

 

 

 

 

The Standard-Times has put together a timeline of events from the fishing industry from the past year.

May 1: A new and controversial fishery management system, known as catch shares, is introduced to regulate the New England groundfishery. Fishermen form cooperatives, known as sectors, with each sector allotted a percentage of the total allowable catch. Many in the industry predict ruin, particularly for smaller vessels.

May 8: New Bedford joins Gloucester in a federal lawsuit to block the implementation of catch shares on both legal and constitutional grounds. Industry representatives from Rhode Island, North Carolina, New York, New Hampshire and several Massachusetts ports are listed as plaintiffs.

May 12: Political pressure on the federal government builds. US Secretary of Commerce Gary F. Locke meets on Capitol Hill with two-dozen congressmen and senators from coastal states who are seeking an increase in restrictive catch limits.

Aug. 27: As the economic effects of catch shares become apparent, a fleet of New Bedford fishing vessels gains national attention by steaming to Vineyard Haven to protest catch shares while President Obama is vacationing on the island with his family.

Aug. 29: In a special report, the Standard-Times reveals that catch shares are exacting a heavy toll on local fishermen and waterfront businesses. Only 31 of the 99 boats in New Bedford enrolled in sectors have gone fishing since May 1.

Sept. 23: Inspector General Todd J. Zinser publishes the results of his review of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Enforcement Programs. Fishermen have complained bitterly for years about heavy-handed treatment from the agency. The damning report substantiates much of their claims and finds evidence of abusive practices, excessive fines and overzealous enforcement directed against the fishing industry by the Office of Law Enforcement.

Sept. 27: Secretary Locke comes to Massachusetts, where he meets with lawmakers and fishermen on Beacon Hill to hear first hand of abuses by the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement.

Oct. 1: Gov. Patrick sides with the industry and requests Locke to revise the annual catch limits.

Oct. 14: Locke indicates a willingness to comply if there is "sufficient economic and sound scientific data available."

See the entire timeline from the Standard-Times.

 

 

 

 

 

By Jim Sutton

If you'd like a front-row seat for what may be the last gasp of the First Coast's historic marine community, mark Jan. 31 on you calendar.

That's when the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council meets in Jacksonville to discuss a few new "management tools" for Atlantic waters.

Fresh off major closures of 90 percent of the bottom fishery, they're taking aim at pelagic fish. But this time, to save us all a lot of argument and research, the council isn't pretending that populations of wahoo, dolphin and cobia are being overfished or are even in the process of being overfished. It's a lot cheaper that way, eliminating pesky research (although repackaging decade-old data from the Gulf of Mexico waters for the red snapper closure was a very cost-effective way of doing things).

The council is going to discuss setting Annual Catch Limits for striking-fish species. Council members will try to set ACLs on nomadic fish populations that every lucid scientific mind agrees can't be counted, studied or measured in any meaningful way. What the council intends to do is conjure up a number of total pounds caught and assign stricter limits based on that guess. Rock-paper-scissors might be as good a method as any data-starved assumption. Remember that the council has no data to indicate these populations are in decline.

Read the complete opinion piece from The Florida Times-Union.

 

 

 

 

 

Delegate Barry Knight's office has released the following statement:

Friday, January 21, 2011 — Delegate Barry Knight (R-Virginia Beach) , Delegate Harry R. Purkey  (R-Virginia Beach), Delegate Watkins M. Abbitt, Jr., (I- Appomattox), and Delegate Jackson Miller (R-Manassas),  announced today that they would withdraw their bills they filed this year in the General Assembly aimed at Omega Protein and the menhaden industry of the Northern Neck.  Delegate Knight indicated that, after significant discussions with State Senator Richard Stuart and extensive conversations with Margaret Ransone of Bevans Oyster Company, Kinsale, Virginia, regarding the economic importance of the menhaden industry,  he and the other Delegates had decided to withdraw their Bills.  Knight indicated that, after these discussions, they are hopeful that studies to properly manage the menhaden industry are forth coming. Senator Stuart, who has just been appointed to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, said he would request the ASMFC to do a study on the ecological value of the menhaden in the Bay region.  Senator Stuart said that, while he cannot assure the Delegates that the ASMFC will conduct such study, he will request it.  Stuart, who is an ardent supporter of the menhaden industry in Northumberland County, said that he thought it was prudent and reasonable to request such a study on the ecological value of the menhaden to the Bay region.  "While I strongly support the menhaden fishery and its industry, I also love the Chesapeake Bay and these discussions with Delegates Knight, Abbott, Miller and Purkey I believe go a long way to resolving this long standing conflict that we have had," said Senator Stuart.
 
Knight also indicated that he was very impressed with Margaret Ransone of Kinsale, who, after two days of discussions, shed a lot of light on the subject with the Delegates.  Stuart also indicated that he is working with Congressman Rob Wittman to bring the National Fisheries Commission to the region for a meeting this spring together with the government scientist for an informational fact finding session for all the Delegates in hopes to answer all of their concerns with regard to the menhaden industry.  "Proper management of the species, not just from a sustainability viewpoint, but from an ecological value to the bay is of utmost importance to our members in the House of Delegates and we appreciate Senator Stuart's willingness to work with us on this matter, "said Delegate Knight.
 
Delegate Miller added "after hearing mature and reasoned points from Senator Stuart regarding the industry I decided to withdraw my bill this year.  I also had the chance to speak with a business leader from the Northern Neck, Margaret Ransone.  The Northern Neck is lucky to have such leaders as Senator Stuart and Mrs. Ransone who promote their region so effectively.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the Virginia General Assembly convened last week, five bills aimed at the menhaden industry hit the hoppers.

Some were perennials. State Sen. Ralph Northam of the Eastern Shore and Gloucester and Del. John Cosgrove of Chesapeake filed bills that would move management of the industry from the General Assembly to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC). Del. Harry R. Purkey of Virginia Beach filed a bill that would ban commercial menhaden fishing inside of one mile from shore between Newport News and Virginia Beach.

Others were new Del. Watkins Abbitt of Southside Virginia filed a bill that would charge the industry, which is almost entirely made up of Omega Protein in Reedville, $10 for every ton of menhaden to fund a VMRC study of the health of the menhaden stocks. Del. Jackson Miller, who sees the Rappahannock River when he drives to Richmond from his Manassas district, put in a bill that would ban menhaden fishing in the river's entirety.

Read the complete story from The Northumberland Echo.

 

 

 

 

 

January 19, 2011 – New Bedford's mayor is planning a meeting of the Mayors Fisheries and Oceans Committee to be held Tuesday in Portsmouth, N.H. — a place and time suited for elbowing in on the January meeting of the New England Fishery Management Council.

The council meeting runs Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Sheraton Harborside in Portsmouth.

The published agenda of the council meeting does not include a spot for discussion of the impasse between the industry and the government, but a spokeswoman for the council said she expects discussion to take place informally.

Meanwhile, New Bedford Mayor Scott Lang said Wednesday he would begin his meeting in the same facility when the official council meeting adjourns, probably about 5:30 p.m.

He and much of the industry are contesting the legality of the regulatory scheme on two fronts — both with policy makers and through the courts, where the cities of Gloucester and New Bedford and fishing interests have filed a federal lawsuit.

Read the complete story from The Gloucester Times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEW BEDFORD — Major national media outlets have taken a serious interest in the upheaval in the fishing industry now that U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., took a swipe at the Obama administration for misleading him into thinking that help was on the way.

The high-profile "counter-intimidation," as Frank put it, drew high-profile, right-wing opinion maker Rush Limbaugh. He jumped in on his syndicated radio broadcast, telling Frank that the administration's offer of false hope is typical behavior.

"Who are we talking about here? We are talking about the (Obama) regime. And Barney, the regime will screw you just like they'll screw anybody else. It doesn't matter if you're all Democrats, but learn it, love it, live it. Barney has got to learn that he lives in the land of Obama-ville, where the leader lies about everything. I know it's about the animals and the environment and all kinds of things."

Limbaugh briefly explained what is happening with catch shares, then went on, partly by reading newspaper accounts. "While smaller boats claim it will drive them out of business, the new catch share system is viewed by some as a more equitable way to manage stocks and prevent overfishing. Yeah, socialism, make everything equally miserable. Equally undersupplied. Equally woeful. And by all means don't let the market have anything to say about this. No, the regime and Gary Locke. So Obama is killing another industry," Limbaugh said, according to a transcript on the website SavingSeafood.org.

Mayor Scott W. Lang told The Standard-Times he has spoken to several major national news organizations in the past three days. In Washington, D.C., this week for the national mayors' conference, Lang spent time in a closed-door Capitol Hill meeting with Frank and U.S. Rep. Walter Jones, D-N.C.

Read the complete story from the Standard-Times.