NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco promised flexibility and accountability Monday in an unusual meeting with Massachusetts elected officials and representatives of the fishing industry.
But it was what she didn't say that had officials most concerned that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was staying on course to impose extremely limited catch shares along with a cooperative system called sector management.
The fear in the industry is that the changes will cause a huge wave of job losses and idle boats by midyear because the allocations are too small to be economically viable for small boats.
Lubchenco also took fire for not removing Dale Jones, the chief law enforcement attorney at NOAA who, according to sworn testimony, shredded documents during an investigation by the Commerce Department's inspector general.
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