Senator John Kerry, members of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation, members of the Patrick Administration and the State House delegation, NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco, National Marine Fisheries Service chief Eric Schwaab, representatives of the Massachusetts fishing industry and other elected officials will meet privately on Monday, March 22, 2010 to discuss NOAA's new fishing regulations set to begin on May 1. 

The meeting is being hosted by Roger Berkowitz, CEO and President of Legal Sea Foods, at the Exchange Conference Center, 212 Northern Avenue, Boston.
 
Panelists representing various areas of the Massachusetts ground-fishing industries were assembled in consultation with industry leaders to reflect the various dimensions and geographic diversity of the Massachusetts industry. In the interest of time and topicality, only panelists will pose questions at the meeting.

While the meeting is closed to press, it is open to members of the Massachusetts fishing industry; however space in the Exchange Conference Center is extremely limited.

The panel topics and panelists (subject to last-minute additions) are:
 
Panel 1: Enforcement
Stephen Ouellette, Pamela LaFreniere, Richard Burgess
 
Panel 2: Flexibility in the Magnuson-Stevens Act
Brian Rothschild, Roger Berkowitz, Stephen Ouellette, Larry Ciulla, Vito Giacalone, Richie Canastra, Michael Walsh
 
Panel 3: Limited Access Privilege Programs
Jackie Odell, Richard Burgess
 
Panel 4: Science, Cooperative Research and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
Brian Rothschild, Angela Sanfillippo, Ed Barrett, Rodney Avila



PRESS AVAILABILITY TO FOLLOW MEETING
      

A press availability will be held immediately following the private stakeholders meeting in Boston on Monday.

 
WHO:               Senator John Kerry
                        Senator Scott Brown
                        Congressman Barney Frank*
                        Congressman John Tierney*
                        Congressman William Delahunt*
                        Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray
                        Dr. Jane Lubchenco, NOAA Administrator
                        Eric Schwaab, Assistant for NOAA's Fisheries Service
                        Massachusetts Senate President Therese Murray
                        State Representative Bill Straus, Chair of Joint Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Natural Resources
                        State House delegation from Massachusetts' coastal communities
                        New Bedford Mayor Scott Lang
                        Gloucester Mayor Carolyn Kirk
                        Representatives of the Massachusetts fishing industry
                        Other elected officials and distinguished guests

* Participation by Congressmen is subject to the vote schedule in Washington
 
 
WHAT:             Press conference immediately following meeting
 
 
WHEN:             Monday, March 22, 2010
                       Approximately 1:00pm
 
 
WHERE:           Exchange Conference Center
                       Boston Fish Pier
                       212 Northern Ave
                       Boston