SavingSeaFood - NOAA chief's claim of innocence proven false

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NOAA chief's claim of innocence proven false

June 15, 2011 - GLOUCESTER, Mass - In her teleconference here a month ago today — held to apologize to members of the fishing industry for an era of abusive law enforcement actions — NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco sought to insulate herself from culpability.

She did this by proclaiming she had made "fair and effective enforcement a top priority" from her "first day in office," March 20, 2009.

But the earliest action by Lubchenco, according to a chronological log prepared by her office for the Gloucester Times, didn't come until June 2009, three months later, when, already under pressure from Congress, she called in the Commerce Department inspector general.

In the interval, she was provided briefs and ruled on the middle case of three brought by the agency against the Gloucester Seafood Display Auction, which had become the epicenter of law enforcement intensity and resistance.

Read the complete story from The Gloucester Times.

HASTINGS: Time to improve the Endangered Species Act

May 18, 2012 - When the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was signed into law in 1973 by President Nixon, he spoke about the importance of preserving “the rich array of animal life with which our country has been blessed.” I believe that goal is as important today as it was back then. However, after nearly 40 years, it’s time to take a fresh, honest look at the law and consider whether there are ways it could be improved to do a better job of protecting and recovering species.

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