Eric Schwaab, a longtime Maryland natural resources manager, has been named to head the fisheries division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It's a job that comes with a lot of baggage from the Northeast states, where NOAA is dealing with an inspector general's report that criticizes heavy-handed enforcement of fishing regulations.
The selection of Schwaab by NOAA's top administrator and marine scientist Jane Lubchenco comes a year after the Obama administration began reworking ocean policy. While Lubchenco had enthusiastic support from ocean environmental groups, fishing advocates had pushed for the fisheries job to go to Brian Rothschild, former dean of marine science and fisheries at the University of Massachusetts. The university has helped fishing industry groups develop research programs that staved off potential cutbacks in catches of species including sea scallops and monkfish.
Schwaab's duties include "improving outreach and relationships with recreational and commercial fishermen, better aligning federal and regional fisheries priorities, restoring confidence in fisheries law enforcement, and promoting management approaches that will achieve both sustainable fisheries and vibrant coastal communities," according to a statement issued Wednesday by NOAA.