Washington

May 4, 2012 – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was looking for a little magic this week.

The federal agency was advertising for a certified motivational speaker for a one-day conference who could inspire leadership using magic techniques.

The winning bidder for the contract, according to a job posting that went up Tuesday, but was then removed Thursday after press inquiries and commentary by U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, would have come from a controversial school of educational theory developed by Harvard University's Howard Gardner, who developed the idea of multiple intelligences.

According to the ad, the winning bidder was to take "a multidisciplinary approach using experiential exercises, physical energizers, magic tricks, puzzles, brain teasers, word games, humor and team-building exercises designed to demonstrate how to stimulate creativity, encourage active participation, and practice needed skills and competency."

Read the complete story from The Gloucester Times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WASHINGTON – May 3, 2012 – In the wake of the GSA convention scandal that is still reverberating across the government, officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Thursday pulled a help-wanted ad for a magician to appear at a leadership training event for its staff in the Washington area next month.

The ad sought a person who could use "experiential exercises, physical energizers, magic tricks, puzzles, brain teasers, word games, humor and teambuilding exercises."

The person also was asked to create "a unique model of translating magic and principles of the psychology of magic, magic tools, techniques, and experiences into a method of teaching leadership," according to a copy of the ad released by U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Massachusetts, who was angered by what he called a waste of tax dollars.

Read the complete story from CNN.

 

 

 

 

 

 

WASHINGTON — May 4, 2012 – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — already the subject of controversy over its management of the nation’s fisheries, particularly in New England — Thursday found itself under additional fire, when it published an advertisement for a motivational speaker on the “magic of change” for an upcoming summer training conference.

NOAA officials pulled the ad later in the day, after several media reports cited the recent firestorm of criticism over a 2010 General Services Administration conference in Las Vegas, which had included the hiring of a clown and a mind-reader. Disclosure of the $823,000 taxpayer-funded GSA gathering last month resulted in the resignation of the GSA administrator, along with the firing of two top GSA officials.

“It’s outrageous that NOAA is advertising to hire a magician for an upcoming government conference,” declared Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., who has repeatedly criticized the agency’s management practices in recent months while demanding President Barack Obama fire NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco.

Read the complete story from SeaCoast Online.

 

 

 

 

 

 

WASHINGTON – May 3, 2012 — A federal agency needs illusionist David Copperfield to help escape from criticism over now-canceled plans to hire a speaker to train agency leaders using “magic tools.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is in hot water because on May 1 it posted a notice seeking a magician motivational speaker for a June leadership conference in suburban Maryland. The agency said presentations should include “physical energizers, magic tricks, puzzles, brain teasers, word games, humor and teambuilding exercises.” It asked for the performer to create “a unique model of translating magic and principals of the psychology of magic, magic tools, techniques and experiences into a method of teaching leadership.”

In an eight page bid solicitation, the agency in charge of weather, climate and oceans said it wanted to use the emotional intelligence techniques of a prominent Harvard professor who has written five books, but misspelled his name.

Read the complete story by The AP at The Washington Post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 2, 2012 – In a letter to Commerce Secretary John Bryson, Massachusetts' U.S. senators and four representatives Tuesday asked for an emergency increase in the size of the Georges Bank yellowtail flounder catch limit, which has been pared by more than 50 percent based on an update of the 2008 benchmark assessment showing a shrinkage in the biomass of the prized flatfish.

The industry was facing a cut in the total allowable catch of Georges Bank yellowtail as high as 80 percent before the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Monday it would allow groundfishing boats to land yellowtail not caught as bycatch for the scallop boats.

Even with the excess bycatch from the scallop fishery, the groundfishing fleet working offshore faces a 61 percent cut, which could make yellowtail a "choke" stock and bar landings of other stocks once the yellowtail limit were reached.

Signed by Sens. John Kerry and Scott Brown and Congressmen John Tierney, Barney Frank, Stephen Lynch and William Keating, the letter went out to Bryson at the opening of the third year of a regulatory system that promised conservation and prosperity but so far has produced mysterious scientific evidence of widespread losses in biomass across much of the groundfishery and consolidation of the fleet.

Urged on by NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco, the New England Fishery Management Council opted to launch a commodities market "catch share" fishery in May 2010, just as the industry faced statutory catch limits and impending 10-year deadlines for reconstruction of weakened stocks.

The congressional delegation also urged Bryson to "begin forming a joint agency working group similar to that convened to address the recent crisis in the reductions of Gulf of Maine cod," and said the National Marine Fisheries Service should "explore every option available to maximize the allowable catch of Georges Bank yellowtail stocks."

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times.

 

 

The bill reauthorizes (NOAA) Commissioned Officer Corps and provides mechanisms to help the Corps improve both its diversity and retention of senior female officers.

WASHINGTON, DC. —  Apr 30,2012 – U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), the Ranking Member of Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard, joined the subcommittee’s chair, Senator Mark Begich (D-Alaska), in introducing a bill to improve the nation’s ocean survey workforce. Sens. Snowe and Begich were joined by Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), Lisa Murkowski (D-Alaska), and Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii). The bill reauthorizes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Commissioned Officer Corps and provides mechanisms to help the Corps improve both its diversity and retention of senior female officers. The NOAA Corps is the smallest of the seven uniformed service of the United States, with 318 active commissioned officers.

“It is critical that we reauthorize and enhance the NOAA Commissioned Officers Corps to ensure that this small but critical branch of the uniformed service remains a strong support service for our nation’s fishermen and mariners,” said Senator Snowe, Ranking Member of the Senate Oceans subcommittee. “NOAA Corps provides critical support for NOAA’s missions, from conducting the fish surveys that our stock assessments rely on to performing the charting that ensures safe passage for our mariners – tasks which its skilled officers perform admirably. I am also pleased that our legislation would focus on recruiting and retaining more women and minority officers for this important service.”

The NOAA Corps Amendments Act of 2012 has several provisions to improve the Corps’ diversity, including one modeled on the Coast Guard’s successful “Blue 21” program. It authorizes financial support of highly qualified minority science and engineering college students if they agree to join the NOAA Corps. Another provision will help more senior officers balance the demands of going to sea nine months a year with having a family, by allowing for an unpaid ‘sabbatical’ in which officers can leave the service for a few years to start a family and then return at the rank they had before leaving.

The bill has been endorsed by the Military Officers Association of America, the National Military Family Association and the National Association for Uniformed Services.

April 26, 2012, WASHINGTON — Legislation that cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee late last week contains a provision that U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., believes will be a boon to Bay State fishermen.

The legislation, which will next be considered by the full Senate, includes language designed to ensure that $119 million from the U.S. Commerce Department's so-called Saltonstall-Kennedy fund is spent to benefit fishermen and their communities.

In 1954, the state's two senators — Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republican Leverett Saltonstall — successfully sponsored legislation to direct a portion of tariff revenue from imported fish and fish products into a fund to be used for research and development of the domestic fishing industry.

But there have been complaints that the money from the Saltonstall-Kennedy fund was not being used for its intended purpose, prompting Kerry and Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, to introduce legislation to remedy the situation. To expedite its passage, their proposal was incorporated into the Senate Appropriations Committee bill that contains funding for the Commerce Department in 2013 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

"I applaud Senator Kerry for his leadership on this issue and for making sure that this funding is used for its intended purpose — to help the fishing industry, not to cover administrative overhead," said U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Newton, referring to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Frank introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

Under Kerry's plan, the $119 million would go into a fund titled "Promote and Develop Fishery Products and Research Pertaining to American Fisheries" and would be allocated for fishery activities — such as cooperative research, stock assessments and survey and monitoring projects.

Read the full story at the Cap Cod Times.

 

 

WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) May 1, 2012 — Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, together with Congressmen Barney Frank, John Tierney, Stephen Lynch, and William Keating have written to the Secretary of Commerce asking for the following:

An emergency regulation to temporarily allocate a higher allocation for yellowtail in this fishing year.

Additional funding beyond what has been announced from the scallop set-aside program for the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) on their yellowtail avoidance program.

Direct the New England Fishery Management Council to maintain the yellowtail quota given to scallopers to ensure their continued participation in the avoidance program and not provide a disincentive to participation by decreasing the scalloper quota based on the program's avoidance success.

Explore any further flexibility the International Fisheries Clarification Act might provide and look at the possibility of increasing the yellowtail TAC toward the high end of the allowable range.   

Implement a side-by-side trawl survey tows using a commercial vessel to compare data from the research vessel Bigelow and provide a more reliable assessment of this species, because they have been advised by experts that the "four seam bottom trawl equipped with a rockhopper sweep" is not the most efficient means of catching groundfish.
 
The text of the letter follows:

The Honorable John Bryson
Secretary
Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20230

Dear Secretary Bryson:

We are writing to urge that you take immediate and decisive action to ensure that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in conjunction with the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) addresses the latest crisis within the northeast multispecies fishery that is expected to absorb a 61% cut in its allotment of Georges Bank yellowtail flounder within Framework 47 to the groundfish fishery management plan, which will be implemented May 1. We also urge you to implement an emergency regulation to temporarily allocate a higher allocation for yellowtail in this fishing year. While we applaud the recent action taken by the Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries to begin forming a joint agency Working Group similar to that convened to address the recent crisis in the reductions to Gulf of Maine Cod, we now ask that the NMFS explore every option available to maximize the allowable catch of Georges Bank yellowtail flounder stocks.

We were also pleased to learn that you will be providing funds to collaborate with the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) on their yellowtail avoidance program within the Scallop fishery as well as other research institutions on similar avoidance programs within the groundfish fishery. We request that you give this research program additional funding to ensure that reduced yellowtail allowable catch will have as little impact as possible on fishermen targeting other groundfish species as well as scallops.

We understand that unused yellowtail quota by scallopers can be given to groundfishermen under Framework 47. NMFS and Council should be directed to maintain the yellowtail quota given to scallopers to ensure their continued participation in this program and not provide a disincentive by decreasing their quota based on the programs avoidance success.

At their September meeting, the Transboundary Management Guidance Committee (TMGC), considered a total allowable catch (TAC) for yellowtail flounder within a range of 600 metric tons to 1,400 metric tons. While the TMGC initially settled on a TAC of only 900 metric tons, the New England Fishery Management Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee recommended a TAC of 1,150 metric tons to which the Canadians ultimately agreed. As you know, this TAC is shared by the two countries with the final U.S. share being 564 metric tons. While the International Fisheries Clarification Act recently passed by Congress has already resulted in added flexibility by extending the rebuilding end date for yellowtail flounder from 2016 to 2032, we ask that you explore any further flexibility this Act might provide as well as look at the possibility of increasing the yellowtail TAC more toward the high end allowable range.

Finally, we have been told by many within the industry that the use of a four seam bottom trawl equipped with a rockhopper sweep is not the most efficient means of catching groundfish for a truly accurate sampling. In fact, the initial use of the NMFS' survey vessel the Bigelow coincides directly with a significant decrease in the U.S. share of Georges Bank yellowtail from 77% in 2009 when the Bigelow data was first used to 49% in 2012. While there may be a biological reason or some other cause for this decrease, it is imperative that fishermen fully embrace and trust the collection methods that determine how a fish stock is managed and allocated, and we urge you to implement side-by-side trawl survey tows using a commercial vessel to compare data and provide a more reliable assessment of this species.

Again, we are appreciative of the initial steps taken to address this difficult situation and hope you will use all methods available, including an emergency action, increased funding for research and yellowtail avoidance programs, to help prevent financial collapse and further consolidation within this fishery.

Thank you for your time and attention. We look forward to your reply.

Read the letter as sent.

 

 

 

April 30, 2012 – LoBiondo Holds Hearing to Examine Impact of Coast Guard and EPA Regulations on Job Growth in the Maritime Sector

The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, chaired by U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), held a hearing on Thursday, April 26th, to review the status of regulations by the United States Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and how such regulations impact the maritime industry.
 
The following is the statement of Chairman LoBiondo:
 
“The Subcommittee is meeting today to review regulations affecting the maritime industry. We are interested in how the implementation of these regulations is impacting vessel safety, the flow of commerce through our ports, and the ability to grow jobs in the maritime sector.
 
“The Coast Guard has broad authority to regulate maritime commerce, including establishing and enforcing rules to ensure mariner safety and vessel and facility security. The Coast Guard and the EPA share extensive authority to write regulations for the protection of the environment. With such vast authority comes great responsibility to regulate industry in a fair and reasonable way. This hearing will focus on ensuring that these agency’s rulemakings are just that: fair and reasonable.
 
“Maritime commerce is essential to the U.S. economy. While regulations must address concerns related to safety, security, and stewardship, they must also balance the importance of maintaining the free flow of maritime commerce. Domestic shipping alone is responsible for over 500,000 American jobs and $100 billion in annual economic output. In addition, 90 percent of all global trade and over 25 percent of our Gross Domestic Product moves via the sea. With the economy still in a fragile state and unemployment at record levels, it is imperative the federal government foster an atmosphere where our maritime industry can compete and expand.

Read the full article here.

 

 

WASHINGTON – Apr 30,2012 – .– U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard urged U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson to declare the Northeast multispecies fishery a failure, which would provide Congress with the strong base needed to pursue further measures that can give a much-needed relief valve to the struggling New England groundfishing industry. The senator’s request follows up on a letter from Maine Governor Paul LePage urging the department to take action in declaring a disaster.

“I am aware that today the New England Fishery Management Council considered a motion to request the Secretary of Commerce declare a fishery disaster declaration, and that the motion was ultimately tabled,” said Senator Snowe. “The dramatic catch reduction in Georges Bank yellowtail flounder that will go into effect on May 1st will be devastating to the offshore fleet, despite our significant achievement last year to increase flexibility in the management of this stock, which is a shared resource jointly managed by both the US and Canada. I thank the Secretary for taking interim action in 2012 to grant some reprieve for the inshore fleet that depends on Gulf of Maine cod, but the lower catch limits on cod this year will still be difficult for fishermen to bear, and next year the limits will simply be untenably low.

“The Council is demonstrating excellent leadership, working together with groundfish and scallop industry members to identify solutions to these problems in the near term. Congress and the Department of Commerce must follow their lead and come together to seek ways to support this historic industry with economic aid, regulatory reform, and legislative change to provide relief to our nation's fishermen.”

In 2009, Senator Snowe authored the International Fisheries Agreement Clarification Act (S. 2856), which allowed a desperately needed extension of the rebuilding timeline for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder critically important to both groundfishermen and scallopers. Of Senator Snowe’s efforts, Jackie Odell, executive director of the Northeast Seafood Coalition, has said: “To my knowledge, the New England groundfish fishery is the only U.S. fishery to have gained truly meaningful and tangible statutory flexibility under the arbitrary rebuilding provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act since those provisions were enacted in 1996. Senator Snowe was the author and definitive champion of the International Fisheries Agreement Clarification Act of 2010 which provided that unique flexibility.”