Fair is fair, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been less than fair when enforcing fishing rules in New England, according to the U.S. Inspector General.
“The report came back validating the opinions and personal experience of a lot of our fishermen,” said Tom Dempsey, a policy analyst at Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fisherman’s Association. “For years the guys have been saying it’s an unfair system plagued by heavy-handed enforcement.”
In the report, released Jan. 21, the inspector general didn’t investigate individual cases (they lacked the time) but examined the general flow of regulation.
“I take this report very seriously,” NOAA administrator Jane Lubchenco said Feb. 3, in a statement. “I want a comprehensive approach to addressing both the IG’s observations and the perceptions of fishermen. Fish are a public resource that should be protected through proper regulation and enforcement.”