Sam Parisi – Unless we have the science compared to an independent survey we are in peril at NOAA hands

11/22/2017

I was reading an article in South Coast Today regarding the new director of NOAA Jon Hare who said quote, he is willing to talk to the fishermen.

Among his duties at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Mr. Hare is responsible for conducting the ground fish surveys that determine annual catch limits for each species.

Fishermen have disagreed with NOAA findings and actually taken photo’s of thousand of lbs of cod caught in their nets.

Up to now the vessel Bigelow has done NOAA surveys but now is dockside for repairs, and in it’s place is the Pisces that will only conduct a thirty day survey instead of sixty.

This means the entire area will only get half the number of samples over half the area. The Pisces is now towing the Bigelow’s trawl gear in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, while southern New England and Mid Atlantic will not be covered.

While this going on, Senator Dan Sullivan is trying to have the MSA up dated and part is how the science is interpreted.

Currently under the law any court a judge does not have to accept any other scientific data.

This was the case two years ago when Massachusetts AG Martha Cokeley took NOAA to court regarding cod, and lost the case because the judge would not accept other scientific data.

The realty is fisherman livelihood depend on good science but who’s science is the best science?

This goes unanswered.

We can go back and forth as to who is right and who is wrong, but, unless we have the science compared to an independent survey we are in peril at NOAA hands.

Sam Parisi

New NOAA Director seems willing to work with fishing industry – Jon Hare has just completed his first twelve months on the job as a science and research director or NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole. And its a big job. But he’s still smiling. The NEFSC managers the living marine resources of the Northeast Continental Shelf Ecosystem from the Gulf of Maine to Cap Hatteras. But Hare’s energy and enthusiasm have been equal to the task, while his willingness to listen and engage with all comers have earned him respect within NOAA and in the larger community.  It’s been a challenge but one that I’ve enjoyed,” he said, sitting don for a wide-ranging discussion at the Fishing Partnership office in New Bedford last week. click here to read the story15:53