April 27, 2011 – The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has just released phase one of an independent review of the fishery management system in New England and noted what specific steps it will take to address the agency’s shortcomings per the assessment’s recommendations.
The report offers findings and recommendations based on interviews with 179 fishers, other industry participants, local government officials, academic institution partners and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Recommendations include taking more responsibility regarding the effectiveness of the regulations, enhancing the timeliness and confidence in the science used to design regulations and more focus on developing and serving the fishing sector.
This review was initiated last fall following a recommendation by Chairman of the New England Fishery Management Council John Pappalardo.
He said that the snarled bureaucracy is driven by “process and protocol’’ instead of outcomes and thus not fit to enforce the many new requirements of the nation’s fishing laws, reports Associated Press.
Read the complete story from FIS Worldnews.