April 18, 2011 – NOAA and the Commerce Dept. don't recognize the importance of hiring directors with a formal education, even though its eventual new director of federal fisheries enforcement will lead a force of more than 200 agents, working closely with state and law enforcement leaders under a budget of more than $50 million — and, oh yes, earning between $119,554 and $179,000.
NOAA and the U.S. Department of Commerce do not recognize the importance of hiring directors with a formal education, even through its eventual new director of federal fisheries enforcement will lead a national force of more than 200 agents, working under a budget of more than $50 million, working closely with state and law enforcement leaders — and, oh yes, earning between $119,554 and $179,000.Why? That's open to speculation. And that's because the explanations by Justin Kenney, spokesman for NOAA chief Administrator Jane Lubchenco, don't hold any more water than some of the pseudo-science writings Lubchenco and her Environmental Defense Fund cronies have used to hold down fishermen's catch limits even though current data shows most stocks are recovering — or have recovered.
Kenney says the idea of leaving out a degree requirement is aimed at ensuring the embattled agency does not want to "eliminate qualified candidates just because they may not have a degree."
There might be a context to that if he had said there might be candidates with enforcement experience, and experience in working with the commercial fishing industry. But, of course, it doesn't.
Read the complete editorial by The Gloucester Times.