If protest is in the game, fishermen's angry cards will be played to an absent figure.
A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration spokeswoman said Tuesday that Patricia Kurkul, the Glouceser-based federal regional fisheries administrator, will not be attending the series of meetings her agency has scheduled beginning Thursday in New Bedford for fishermen who say they're struggling mightily with miniscule catch allocations and confounding software and bureaucracy.
Kurkul's spokeswoman, Maggie Mooney-Seus, said the meetings are intended for training and problem-solving as the new catch share regulatory system for groundfishing enters its seventh week — with many fishermen in open revolt against the fisheries administration of NOAA chief Jane Lubchenco.
Mooney-Seus said NOAA Fisheries Service would send a sizable team to New Bedford, including line employees of the Sustainable Fisheries Division, scientists and staff to help sort out start-up problems.
Read the complete story at The Gloucester Daily Times.