Eric C. Schwaab, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, sent the following message to NOAA staff announcing the removal of Dale Jones as head of Law Enforcement and the appointment of Alan Risenhoover, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, to serve as the interim Director, Office of Law Enforcement.
Dear Colleagues:
Fair and effective enforcement is essential to NOAA's efforts to rebuild our fisheries and sustain the jobs and coastal economies they support, as well as the management of marine resources under our stewardship. That is why Dr. Lubchenco called for a thorough review of NOAA's enforcement program.
Today, I am announcing personnel changes in the NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement (OLE). These changes are a result of NOAA's response to the recent Department of Commerce Inspector General Review of NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Program and Operations and position us to move forward on key elements of our recently released action plan dated March 18, 2010.
Effective immediately, I am reassigning Alan Risenhoover, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, to serve as the interim Director, Office of Law Enforcement. Emily Menashes will serve as acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, while Alan is on this detail. On the advice of departmental counsel, and due to Privacy Act requirements, any other associated personnel changes cannot be discussed at this time.
This change will ensure continued enforcement operations and position us to effectively implement the actions identified by Dr. Lubchenco in response to the Inspector General's report, including workforce planning, priority setting and communications improvement, as well as prepare to recruit new leadership for the OLE Program. I will be holding a conference call with the NOAA OLE Special Agents in Charge later today.
I will soon be undertaking a search to identify candidates to compete for the Director of Law Enforcement position. Mr. Vince O'Shea, Executive Director at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, has agreed to assist NOAA Fisheries in this effort.
I want to thank you for your continued focus on our important law enforcement responsibilities as we work through these reviews. I have heard from some of you already about ways to improve enforcement efforts and we will continue that dialogue in the weeks and months to come. Ensuring a fair and effective enforcement program is our focus moving forward.
Thank you.
Eric C. Schwaab
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries