Regulations

U. S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski through her spokesman again declined comment Wednesday about her former fisheries aide, Arne Fuglvog. On Monday, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Anchorage charged Fuglvog with a single, misdemeanor violation of the Lacey Act, an act that combats the illegal sale of wildlife, fish, and plants.

If a judge agrees to the terms of the plea deal, Fuglvog will spend 10 months in prison, pay a $50,000 fine and send another $100,000 — approximately the same amount he profited from the illegal fishing — to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for enhancing fisheries in the coastal areas of the Gulf of Alaska.

Murkowski's office would not comment on how long the senator had been aware of the investigation into Fuglvog's illegal fishing, and what response, if any, was taken or whether he had been taken off of fish policy issues.

Read the complete story from The Alaska Dispatch.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski on Wednesday continued to refuse to answer questions about her top fisheries adviser, who faces nearly a year in prison after he admitted lying about illegally catching at least $100,000 worth of sablefish.

Murkowski staff member Arne Fuglvog signed a plea agreement on April 8 in which he admitted to a misdemeanor charge of breaking federal commercial fisheries law by falsifying catch records. He agreed to accept a sentence of 10 months and pay $150,000 in fines and penalties.

Fuglvog remained on Murkowski's staff until Sunday, when she accepted his resignation. On Monday, he was formally charged and his plea agreement became public. A judge has not yet accepted his guilty plea.

Through her spokesman, Murkowski repeatedly declined to answer any questions about Fuglvog by telephone and email on Tuesday and again Wednesday, including when she learned Fuglvog was under criminal investigation and whether she knew he admitted his crime to federal prosecutors four months ago.

Read the complete story from The Anchorage Daily News.

The 2009-2010 search for a head of federal fisheries — which dragged on for a year and brought into focus the priorities of the Obama administration's star scientist — became clearer in its own right last week when the one-time lead contender for the job resigned from a congressional office under fire for violating federal fishing policies.

Arne Fuglvog had been one of the two prime candidates to head the National Marine Fisheries Service in the NOAA administration of Jane Lubchenco and had the backing of the powerful Environmental Defense Fund, which, with Lubchenco at NOAA's helm, was in the midst of its push for a new catch share management system.

The other lead candidate was Brian Rothschild, the well-connected and highly regarded scientist from New Bedford. But Fuglvog withdrew his candidacy, and Lubchenco refused to appoint Rothschild to the post that is now held by NMFS chief Eric Schwaab. Schwaab was not appointed until several months later, even as the Department of Commerce Inspector General's Office began investigation wrongdoing on the part of government agents in the fishery.

Read the complete story from The Gloucester Times.

Washington, D.C. – This week Representatives Jon Runyan (NJ-3), Walter Jones (NC-3), and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18) introduced the “Saving Fishing Jobs Act of 2011.”  This legislation seeks to hold the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) accountable for fisheries management programs called catch shares that have been detrimental to fishermen throughout the Eastern and Gulf Coasts.  The bill would require the Secretary of Commerce to terminate a catch share program if it reduces the total number of fishermen in the program by 15 percent or more.  It also would prevent the government from imposing new catch share programs on fishing communities that oppose them.  It would do so by requiring consideration of new programs to be initiated only via a petition signed by at least 50 percent of fishermen in the fishery, and by requiring a two-thirds vote of fishermen for approval of new programs.  Finally, the bill includes language to protect taxpayers from shouldering the extra costs associated with implementing and managing new catch share programs. 

The non-partisan consumer watchdog, Food & Water Watch has noted that if more catch share programs are implemented, “…many traditional fishermen will be forced out of work, economies of their communities will crumble, there will be increased risk of harm to our oceans, and consumers will probably end up with lower-quality seafood (http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/fish/fair-fish).”
 
Catch share programs have been controversial because many have resulted in the consolidation of fishing fleets, costing fishermen their jobs.  According to NOAA, one of the largest fisheries in the northeastern U.S. lost almost 20 percent of its boats in the first year (2009-2010) after a major catch shares program was implemented across the entire region.
 
The Saving Fishing Jobs Act of 2011 is limited to the New England, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico fishery management councils.  Below you can find quotes from Reps. Jon Runyan (NJ), Walter Jones (NC), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL), Wenonah Hauter of Food & Water Watch, and Greg DiDomenico of Garden State Seafood Association.
 
Rep. Jon Runyan (NJ)

“NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco has a previously stated goal of seeing ‘a sizable fraction of the (fishing) fleet eliminated.  Catch share programs, her signature initiative, have done just that by forcing small fishermen out.  This bill will ensure that catch share programs are shut down if they are forcing people out of work.  This is a jobs bill and has the potential to save fishing jobs.”
 
Rep. Walter Jones (NC)
 
“Fishermen need a say in the programs that determine their economic futures.  If they really want a catch share program, this bill would give them the opportunity to make that choice rather than have it forced upon them as is currently the case.  Meanwhile, at a time when federal budgets are shrinking significantly, it is important that taxpayers not be forced to pick up the tab for the extra cost of administering new catch share programs.  This bill would provide that protection for taxpayers, which is essential.”
 
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL)
 
“I have met with many local fishermen from my Congressional District and they all complain about the adverse affects of these catch share programs. They are adamantly opposed to the privatization of one of our greatest natural resources which is a primary component of catch shares. I urge my colleagues to support this measure because during these tough economic times the federal government should be helping small fishermen, and not creating obstacles for them to make a decent living.”
 
Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Watch
 
“Fish are a public resource.  Unfortunately, private investment groups and even some public interest groups have openly compared access to fish to the stock market and are treating it like an investment that can be bought and sold for personal profit," said Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter.  "Congressman Runyan is concerned with the welfare of fishermen.  We commend him for pushing back against those that would destroy the fishing business by modeling it after big agribusiness on land, with giant commercial operations controlling the market."
 
Greg DiDomenico, Executive Director, Garden State Seafood Association

“We thank Congressman Runyan for his efforts to protect the fishing industry and coastal communities.”