A congressional subcommittee will hold an oversight hearing on federal fisheries law enforcement, the committee chairman has announced — and Cape Ann's congressman is pushing for the hearing to be in Gloucester.
U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Domestic Policy Subcommittee, said he was acting on the request of Congressman John Tierney, D-Salem, who called for the hearing yesterday. Tierney also called for the hearing to be held in Gloucester, perhaps as soon as next month.
At the time the hearing was proposed, federal fisheries administrator Jane Lubchenco had not announced her decision to act on the series of findings made last month by the U.S. Department of Commerce Inspector General. Lubchenco yesterday called for shifting control of the Asset Forfeiture Fund from NOAA enforcement to the overall NOAA controller. She also reiterated her call for a "summit" to discuss fishing enforcement issues.