The federal fisheries law enforcement office on Friday announced plans for a "fisheries law enforcement forum" in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

The Gloucester Times reported on Saturday that  forum's announcement was immediately derided as an insult to the fishing industry as the agenda indicated that sessions were to be led by local Enforcement office leadership including Agent-in-Charge Andrew Cohen. It was also learned that Charles Juliand, who heads the Office of General Counsel in Gloucester would attend, though he was not mentioned on the agenda.

Gloucester elected officials expressed the view that the event should be led by newly-appointed acting Enforcement chief Alan Risenhoover and NOAA General Counsel Lois Schiffer.  

Late on Sunday, a senior NOAA official told Saving Seafood that in addition to the local officials, acting law enforcement chief Alan Risenhoover and a representative of the General Counsel's Office selected by Lois Schiffer will also attend.

NOAA plans to hold a Fisheries Enforcement Forum at 7 p.m. April 26, 2010, at NOAA's Northeast Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA.

The purpose of the forum is to provide an opportunity for the fishing industry, NOAA's Office of General Counsel and Office of Law Enforcement to discuss NOAA’s fishery enforcement proceedings and practices and to start an ongoing dialogue outside of an enforcement context.

The agenda includes the questions "Was this meeting useful? Should we hold more meetings here or in other coastal cities? Should these meetings be held annually, bi-annually, or semi-annually?"

Top federal fisheries law enforcer Dale Jones has been removed as chief of law enforcement for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a casualty of a NOAA inspector general's report and complaints that Jones destroyed documents during the inquiry and mishandled funds from enforcement fines.