Blog: Sport Fishing Newsmaker Interview with NOAA Chief Lubchenco

[TOP SHOT]

More than any time I can recall, federal management of our coastal fisheries by the National Marine Fisheries Service (and fishery management councils) is sending waves of concern and controversy through the recreational-fishing community. Charged with oversight of NMFS and fishery management is the head of NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In March, Jane Lubchenco was confirmed as President Obama's pick to head NOAA.

Who is Dr. Lubchenco? And what is her oversight of NMFS likely to mean for coastal sport fishermen around the country?

We wanted to find out - and Sport Fishing secured the very first interview with Jane Lubchenco on topics relevant to recreational fishing and its concerns....

You can read the rest of the blog here - and feel free to comment below!

[aegeus]

Doug,
I read your blog about the upcoming interview with the new noaa head about ifq/itqs, I refuse to call them catch shares to misinform the public as the perception of a catch share is be presented as different but including ifq/itqs. Reality is ifq/itqs and catch shares are one in the same. new marketing does not change old products.
You say in your blog that you hope that noaa will now take a proactive stance for rec fishing. They have been saying and producing feel good measures to do just that at least since 2000 and have you read the "Vision for Marine Recreational Fishing fy2005 to fy2010"? It was produced during Hogarth's term as NMFS AA. I have listed the objectives of this "vision" and also listed what they have accomplished, which is essentially nothing.
Objective 1, increase the awareness of nmfs conservation partnership with individual anglers by promoting environmental stewardship practices and informing anglers of noaas role in supporting healthy and viable marine recreational fisheries.
Lets see, nmfs started there fish news about 2 years ago so I guess they would call this obj 1 accomplished, I and others would argue it has not been at all, simple perception that it has, reality is it has not.
Objective #2, Ensure that the recreational fishing community and our partner agencies are informed in a timely manner of issues that may impact anglers.
Now this one has surely not been accomplished. The red snapper season closure was not announced until may of this year so people and especially suppliers could not plan for the season and lets see, oh, catch shares, fast tracked so that the first report of the catch share task force is due on aug 1, where is the "timely manner" in this one? Aren't we still in fy 2009 or is it 2010, regardless we are within the "vision". How many recreational anglers are even aware of the words musch less the task force and the report date.
Objective #3, Improve interagency function and collaboration with tribal, state, and federal partners for issues related to recreational fisheries.
Short of the feds saying they are god of all fish and the partners will do as the nmfs says, where has this been accomplished? IE, federal permits which require users to cave to fed rules regardless if they fish in Russia.
Objective #4, Expand the use of technology to streamline the consultation and education process, improve the efficiency of information exchange, and increase the timely distribution of recreational fisheries information.
The mfrss data system is still the same and producing the same data at the same timeline as it has for 10 years. Tell me where the consultation and education process has been improved.
Hell, they only had 4 objectives to accomplish over 5 years and failed miserably. Did you forget this as part of their failed outreach over the past 9 years, the conferences, and events that Hogarth spent countless tax payer dollars for and for what? To make us all feel good and go home and tell people the nmfs is going to do better. Ask your readers if they think they are better off now than 10 years ago and I bet they say no, in fact I bet they say they are worse off as they have more fishery closures, smaller bag limits, more interactions with marine mammals, and trust the nmfs less than they ever have.
I also bet you that the new noaa head, has not even heard of this "vision" and for sure has not even seen a copy. I am going to try to place this with your blog for others to see, if I fail please place it there. I apologize for seeming pissed, its not at you but at the system that is rapidly destroying any future of recreational fishing and probably eliminating most species from ever being harvested again. I am tired of perception ruling over reality and people being conned into thinking the government will listen to them and fix the fisheries. I make my argument again to manage fish as we did with king mackerel, take the stairs, get some exercise in the process, view the structure as you go, and reach the top over time, forget the elevator as it passes by all that is important which is the resource, the people who enjoy the resource, and the communities where those people live and the resource surrounds.
Bob