Gulf Coast governors recently wrote to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Lubchenco's boss, objecting to the "direction and rapidity" of the movement to implement catch shares in the Gulf of Mexico.

Pew Environment Group organized two national teleconferences last month to urge the administration to move cautiously toward commodifying the ocean's stocks.

A peaceful mass protest against the rush to catch shares was mounted in Gloucester — in the parking lot of the regional offices of the National Marine Fisheries Service — in late October. The demonstration drew more than 200 fishermen from as far away as northern Maine and Montauk, Long Island.

Meanwhile, Congressman Barney Frank, who represents New Bedford, has written to Lubchenco with concerns that conservative allocations could undercut the catch share roll out set to begin next May for part of the ground-fishing fleet.

Governors Rick Perry of Texas, Haley Barbour of Mississippi, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Bob Riley of Alabama wrote "Our concerns center on the potential negative impacts catch share programs could have on our states' economies, as well as how such programs could restrict citizens' access to fisheries resources that should be shared by all." The governors cited "negative impacts" from the red snapper catch share system, and said they are "concerned about negative impact from the pending program for Gulf grouper. Creating an exclusive harvesting right for a small group of commercial fishermen inherently marginalizes other users who do not have the same access privileges."

Read the complete story at The Gloucester Daily Times.