Each week on WBSM in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Bob Vanasse of Saving Seafood joins host Phil Paleologos to discuss issues related to the fisheries with news-making guests.
In an exclusive interview with Saving Seafood, Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) discusses continuing efforts in Congress to protect fishermen from unjust federal enforcement. Mr. Frank — who has joined forces with a bipartisan coalition of senators and congressmen from Maine to Florida who seek fair treatment for our fishermen — is announcing new legislation, cosponsored by 13 lawmakers, to eliminate NOAA's 'profit motive' in conducting asset forfeitures. Under the proposal, beginning in FY 2012, all monies in the forfeiture fund would be directed to the states and used for cooperative fishery research and independent stock assessments. Additionally, to remove the inherent conflict of interest in having the existing pool of administrative law judges oversee cases, the new proposal would establish a truly independent judiciary that assures fishermen are fully and fairly heard. Later in the show, Dr. Brian Rothschild — the Montgomery Charter Professor of Marine Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth — highlights the importance of properly-funded research in developing fair and fact-based fisheries policy, and expresses his enthusiasm for Congressman Frank's proposals in furthering that goal.
[listen to this latest episode at Saving Seafood Radio]