After consulting with Gloucester, Mass., Mayor Carolyn Kirk, NOAA is postponing its Fisheries Enforcement Forum, originally scheduled for April 26, to a date and format to be worked out with her. We expect that the forum will take place in the next 60 to 90 days. This postponement does not affect NOAA's Enforcement Summit, scheduled for the Washington, D.C., area on June 22.
The Fisheries Enforcement Forum is the first in a series of efforts to work on effective means of communication with the fishing industry outside an enforcement context. In addition to explanations of the agents’ and attorneys’ distinct roles in the fishery enforcement process – roles that often are confused – topics will include identifying communication mechanisms for effectively discussing enforcement practices and administrative procedures, and whether NOAA should hold forums in other coastal cities.
This forum is different from NOAA’s significant outreach effort on Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies Fisheries Management Plan. The plan, which goes into effect May 1, enables the development and implementation of groundfish fishing sectors in the Northeast.