June 25, 2012 — DARTMOUTH — Former 18-year state Rep. John F. Quinn was named by the U.S. Commerce Department on Monday to a seat on the New England Fisheries Management Council.
Quinn, an attorney who has represented many clients in various roles in the fishing industry — including appearances at council meetings — said he believes he has the perfect set of skills for the job of managing fish stocks in the Northeast.
Since leaving the Legislature in 2010 and making a losing bid to replace Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, Quinn has been a lecturer at the UMass Law School and director of the UMass Center for Graduate Civic Engagement. He said it's a perfect fit with the management council: "There's no better public policy than local fishing."
Quinn's actions as an attorney representing a fishing boat owner whose catch was being seized in 1990 became an issue in the sheriff's race.
Quinn was notified of a $15,000 federal fine, but on review the fine was later reduced to $6 and the matter was dismissed.
Quinn's explanation was that he was doing what he was being paid to do: aggressively represent his client.
The state Board of Bar Overseers reviewed the case and took no action.
Rodney Avila, who is vacating the seat Quinn will occupy, said "I knew it a month ago" by the tone of questions and by the support he had that Quinn would get the job.