Over the past decade, the fisheries around New England have steadily rebounded from a state of near collapse in the early 1990s. According to the Fish Stock Sustainability Index, maintained by NOAA, the fisheries have improved their sustainability by some 60 percent since 2000. Fishermen say that stocks are in better shape now than they have been in years and dispute the science behind the current limits established in the catch shares system. Scientists, for their part, argue that the fisheries are still far from the levels they need to guarantee long-term sustainability.
But the regulations (and particularly their enforcement) that have helped lead to that rebound in stock levels have carried a huge cost, fishermen say. In particular, New Englanders have long groused that they were singled out for uniquely harsh treatment from NOAA and its enforcement agents. This summer, a Commerce Department inspector general's report confirmed their worst fears.
For the past decade, the investigation concluded, not only had New England fishermen been singled out for exceptionally harsh monetary fines, sometimes five- and six-figure penalties for minor infractions, fisheries law enforcement officers had then misspent the money collected, purchasing a $300,000 luxury "undercover" vessel, for example. Moreover, the former head of the enforcement division allegedly ordered the improper shredding of dozens of files, the inspector general found. "The Obama administration inherited a terrible situation with regard to management and enforcement in New England, and they are taking responsibility and moving to correct it," says Rep. Barney Frank, whose district includes New Bedford. "You can't police the oceans without the cooperation of those who are out there fishing in it."
The Commerce Department report, combined with the ongoing regulatory scuffles, prompted the creation of a rare bipartisan alliance that pushed the White House and NOAA to clean up their act. Indeed, there are few other issues these days that can bring together Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, and Scott Brown with Democrats like Sen. John Kerry, Sen. Charles Schumer, and Frank.
Late last month, as a result of the protests and the ongoing legislative pressure, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, in a rare personal dialogue with a group of New England fishermen, promised in a closed-door meeting to end abusive enforcement and help the industry find ways to become more profitable. Legislators have separately pushed for millions of dollars in emergency federal grants to help fishermen who have to leave the industry. Locke said the Commerce Department will also give more input to fishermen when it comes to catch-limit decisions.
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