NOAA Commits $16 million for Research, Reporting and Monitoring.
Council Rejects report, tells Judge Harrington NMFS failed to consider Mixed-Stock Exception.
NOAA commits $16 million
At the New England Fisheries Council meeting this morning in Mystic, Connecticut, NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco announced $16 million of its current fiscal year 2009 budget for research, reporting and monitoring, to assist the Northeast fishing industry with the transition to management of the fishery by sectors and catch shares. Although there is no direct aid for affected fisherman, NOAA promises $6 million for cooperative research, enhancing existing research projects in which fishermen and scientists work together to improve surveys of fish stocks, as well as develop and test fishing gear that targets healthy stocks. An additional ten million will be used to develop data reporting and fishery monitoring systems to better monitor fishing efforts, document catches, and track fishing permit transfers.
Council rebuffs NMFS on Mixed-Stock Exception
The New England Fisheries Management Council on Monday voted 12-4-1 to reject a NOAA report and to inform Federal Judge Harrington that NMFS failed to provide a proper qnalysis of the Mixed-Stock Exception