NOAA has gone to far, way too far

[harbison]

We, in the South, are not in this alone, NOAA has gone too far, way too far. NOAA is NOAA's own worst enemy:
The inspector general's new investigation, as it pertains to the New England Fishery Management Council, arrives as a federal lawsuit against the work of the council and NOAA in creating the catch share regimen for the groundfishery heads into the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston
Underlying the suit and the decision of the plaintiffs to take the case to the Court of Appeals is an explicit concern about undue influence of environmental non-government organizations — notably thee Environmental Defense Fund — that are financially fueled by giant foundations, including those derived from the success of the Hewlett-Packard, Intel and Wal-Mart corporations.
The net effect — including in New England, according to NOAA's own figures — has been to consolidate more quota and control in fewer hands, while driving many small independent fishing boats and businesses to the sidelines. NOAA figures show that the first year of catch shares essentially shut down some two dozen of Gloucester's then 95-vessel fishing fleet.
Lubchenco, then a board officer with the Environmental Defense Fund, helped obtain foundation funding for catch shares studies and helped write a policy paper for EDF that, financed primarily by the Walton Foundation, urged President Obama to transform U.S. fisheries into catch share markets without delay.
'Walton Foundation,' better known as Walmart, EDF, the president of the United States, and NOAA, what a combination.
We, in the South, are not in this alone, NOAA has gone too far, way too far. NOAA is NOAA's own worst enemy. We fish! We VOTE!

Lubchenco, and all around her, must go. Her position, head of NOAA, is an appointed position. Come November, let's remember who appointed her. We fish, we VOTE!

[BigAl13]

 

[harbison]

Big money, really big money, hits the fishing industry.   
"Trading IFQs." Paid fishing for the commercial segment. Pay those sitting behind the desk for enough IFQs to try and make a living, try and make a living by actually working on the water!
"Pay to play." 'Catch shares' paid fishing headed towards the recreational segment. Pay Walmart for the privilege of catching what was once our fish!
Catch shares:  Catch shares, Lubchenco's legacy to EDF, Pew, Catch shares, the end of FREE fishing. Catch shares, a Walmart dream come true.
Catch shares, and IFQ's: With the onset of both, over-fishing, endangered species, ridiculous possession limits, and a 40 day American red snapper season, all come to an end. What a miraculous recovery! Just think, now that we, those of us whom actually fish recreationally, of for a living, are forced to pay, pay, and then pay again for the privilege of catching what was, and should always be, ours to begin with, a treasure belonging to the American people,  OUR fish, all is OK with the (the...not our) fishery. All it took to set us straight was, "Big money, really big money!"  How naive of us, we actually thought science had something to do with it!   Bob H.