Kerry has not endorsed Brown’s call for Lubchenco’s dismissal and remains hopeful she can rebuild the relationship between her office and the industry it regulates. But he is clearly aware of how tenuous the situation is.

“Tensions between federal regulators and the fishing community have reached a boiling point beyond anything I’ve ever witnessed in my 26 years in the Senate,” Kerry wrote in his letter to Lubchenco. “ I cannot emphasize enough that now is a critical moment for action.”

NOAA has made motions to indicate it understands the damage it has done and is ready to mend fences. But given how poisonous this relationship has become, there are legitimate questions as to whether Lubchenco will be able to effectively lead such a turnaround.

Read the complete editorial from The Patriot-Ledger