"I'm not convinced they are committed to helping the fishing industry," said Jensen. "I think they're changing it from the 'fisheries service' to an 'environmental management agency.'" –Peter Jensen, former head of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources
From Maine to North Carolina yesterday, the announcement that Jane Lubchenco, with White House approval, had selected 48-year-old Eric C. Schwaab to lead the $1 billion National Marine Fishery Service and its 3,000 employees was greeted with a mix of uncertainty, disappointment, and cautious optimism.
Unlike well-known Brian Rothschild — the professor from the nation's scallop capital who sat in the front row of last month's raucous meeting of the New England Fishery Management Council, exchanging "hi-how-are-yas" with federal officials and scallopers alike — few around the Atlantic fishing ports yesterday seemed to have heard of the non-scientist and deputy secretary of natural resources in Maryland.
"I do not know much about Mr. Schwaab," said John Pappalardo, the chairman of the New England Council.
"I know nothing about him," said Dave Prebble, a council member from Rhode Island who came to Pappalardo and the council's defense last month following enormous political pressure to grant the scallop industry extra catch allocation.
"Yeah, it bothers me. Who supported him?" said Prebble. "A lot of (Schwaab's) background is not in fisheries, but in more general natural resources."
"I have no opinion," said David Goethel, a member of the New England council and a commercial fisherman. "I don't know, he's not known to the fishing industry at all.
"(His) background looks more like inland fisheries," added Goethel, who lives outside Portsmouth, N.H. "I wouldn't prejudge the man, but those are my concerns right up front."
"I'm concerned about the lack of a science background," said state Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D-Gloucester).
She said she believed Lubchenco missed a great chance to neutralize much of the industry's suspicion for the government by failing to offer the job to Rothschild, who advises Congressman Barney Frank and the administration of Gov. Deval Patrick on fishing issues and is considered a hero to many in the industry.
Peter Jensen, a former head of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources who has worked with Schwaab and Rothschild, said "Brian and I are old friends. I supported Brian."
Jensen said he worried whether Schwaab would have the strength of character to resist the direction he sees NMFS headed.