Tag Archives: John Bullard Northeast regional administrator

Committee to consider buying fishermen out of business

130307_GT_ABO_BULLARD_1A committee to examine a buyback program for the fishing industry could be organized as soon as this year, a federal official said, as fishermen prepare for one of their toughest seasons ever. A portion of federal disaster relief funds announced last year will go to funding a committee to examine the, said John Bullard, Northeast regional administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA is the federal organization that manages fishing regulations. Read the rest here 08:28

Editorial: Fishery panel (NEFMC) holds chance to show need for reforms

130307_GT_ABO_BULLARD_1Angela Sanfilippo,,, violates standards of Magnuson-Stevens that require NOAA to consider the economic impact on fishing communities.,,And given the secrecy of the “unscheduled” study, there are more questions than ever about NOAA’s use of the “best available science” ,, Read the rest here 09:43

NOAA Looted SK Money: Research projects in New England and the Mid-Atlantic are expected to receive nearly $5.6 million

nmfs_logo“Today’s announcement is great news for fishing communities in the Greater Atlantic Region,” said John Bullard, administrator, NOAA Fisheries NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office. “Many impressive proposals were submitted for these grants and the funds will support a wide-range of projects to help fishermen and the fishing industry. I’m pleased that so many of the selected projects were from partnerships of fishermen and scientists from this region.” Read more here  16:06

Government proposal to reopen ocean commercial fishing grounds draws criticism – It does nothing to help small boat independent fishermen

“It’s not like the closed areas are just a paradise full of fish. This is not a  panacea,” said Frank Mirarchi, a Scituate fisherman of 51 years. continued@scituatemariner

NOAA holds firm on shutdown to protect porpoises. Fishermen insulted by regional administrator Bullards they can sell their quota response.

Bullard rejected the proposed alternative proposed by the coalition, writing that switching to the coalition alternative offered fishermen or the harbor porpoises little to gain.

Moreover, he warned in his letter to Odell, a recent harbor porpoise stock assessment showed the “population has declined,” implying that more radical actions than the “consequence” closure would be expected.  Read more.

http://www.gloucestertimes.com/topstories/x2076994115/NOAA-holds-firm-on-shutdown-to-protect-porpoises

The queer minded catch share advocates have such a disingenuous reply to those effected by a successful MMPA that now has the small gillnet fleet facing extinction. These fishermen should be placed on the Endangered Species list, and protected. This issue galvenizes their demise. The NOAA answer? They can sell their quota. Isn’t that special.

I had reservations about Mr. Bullard, and his endorsement in the press from EDFers, and Gang Green, but thought I could give him the benefit of the doubt. Reading of the meetings along the coast with fishermen and others in the press, along with this decision to follow the NOAA status quo, reaffirms my initial internal reaction. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Like evertything else, the concequence of the MMPA, is the rebuilding of the marine mammal populations to the point they are everywhere in huge abundance. The notion of looking at the ocean as a fish tank like the Boston Aquarium where everything is just so, may be appealing, it is also unrealistic. But then, what view point would be expected of the rose colored glasses wearing econut extremists disingenuous claim to be environmentalists. They are opinionists.

I believe the two fishermen in this article are the true environmentalist, living, and breathing within the ocean environment, trying to survive the consequences of the success of a MMPA that was enacted with no balance benchmarks, that has now become another tool to eradicate fishermen from harvesting our common resource, for us.

ABOLISH CATCH SHARES NOW! BH