WASHINGTON, D.C. — December 5, 2012 — Senator John Kerry, in a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Acting Secretary Rebecca Blank, urged the immediate release of the most recent report of Special Master Charles B. Swartwood, a report commissioned as a result of an investigation made at Sen. Kerry's behest.
"In light of a declared fishery disaster, we must do all that we can to assist our fishermen. It is more important now than ever that our government agencies work cooperatively and rationally with our fishermen to ensure the success of new management systems,” said Sen. Kerry. “The perceived delay in releasing the report has resulted in further eroding of public trust in the agency. Again, I urge you to release Special Master Swartwood’s report.”
The full text of Senator Kerry’s letter is below:
December 5, 2012
The Honorable Rebecca Blank
Acting Secretary of Commerce
U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20230-0002
Dear Acting Secretary Blank:
I continue to await public release of the most recent report of Special Master Charles B. Swartwood regarding allegations of abuse by NOAA employees. I renew my request that the Department of Commerce publicly release it immediately, or at the very least, no later than the end of this year. I sent the first letters to NOAA regarding enforcement issues in 2009 and I strongly believe the agency must be transparent in the transgressions that have occurred and move to resolve them quickly to begin to rebuild its relationship with our fishermen.
It is my understanding that Special Master Swartwood’s report has been completed and may contain crucial additional information about victims of abuse and injustice at the hands of NOAA Office of Enforcement personnel. After the Inspector General report showed that our fishermen had been intimidated and penalized egregiously, I introduced the Fisheries Fee Fairness Act of 2011, to help reimburse the legal fees of fishermen abused by NOAA. I continue to consider appropriate changes to the NOAA enforcement structure, but in order to make those changes, it is critical that all information related to the issue is made public in a timely manner.
In light of a declared fishery disaster, we must do all that we can to assist our fishermen. It is more important now than ever that our government agencies work cooperatively and rationally with our fishermen to ensure the success of new management systems. The perceived delay in releasing the report has resulted in further eroding of public trust in the agency. Again, I urge you to release Special Master Swartwood’s report.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
John F. Kerry