Tag Archives: Richard Gaines
The NOAA Oversight Project – Fisherman’s FOIA’s Squeeze NOAA
From Dutch Harbor to the Old Harbor Float in Petersburg, from Gloucester and all the way round to Corpus Christi, wherever Americans untied their boats to fish in the decades since the Magnuson Act passed, fishermen had to take on science, politics, and NOAA. Some of you spent your shore time up to your knees in fish politics dividing the stock or arguing with managers about areas or days at sea. Because you engaged in politics, new generations of kids setting and hauling gear can still catch fish. Sort of– Sit down, put a mug up, and read this expose. You will be shocked. Read the article here 16:28
Richard Gaines – December 22, 2011 – Fish appeal claims feds misled, (and did they ever!)
An alliance of fishing interests led by the port cities of Gloucester and New Bedford filed briefs Wednesday arguing that the First U.S. District Court of Appeals should overturn a lower court ruling in June that upheld a radical reorganization of New England’s fishing industry. According to the appeal, the government intentionally circumvented requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and camouflaged the changes in order to transform the groundfishery in a commodities market, trading in catch shares, the appellants argued. Since the start of the new regimen in May 2010, Amendment 16 to the Magnuson-Stevens Act has concentrated control of the industry in a small number of hands while “disenfranchising” a larger number of smaller businesses, according to multiple studies. Read the article here 10:15
One Year Later – We Remember Richard Gaines, and We Miss Him
This may be hard to believe. Its been a year since Richard Gaines was found dead.
People in the fisheries, and every sector attached to it felt an immediate void.
The passing of Gaines was catastrophic for many. From an industry perspective, none more so than the Gloucester Daily Times.
We were gifted to have the right combination of a great writer that informed of the issues of the day, an Editor that was supportive, and a crew that did such a wonderful job churning out article after article.
To say Richard Gaines is missed is an understatement.
07:23
A Blast From the Past from Richard Gaines – Green ‘activists’ gaining control of fisheries – It’s only gotten worse!
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Two fishermen were hanged in effigy at a protest by a crowd of 300 outside the regional office of the federal fisheries service last October in Gloucester, Mass., the oldest commercial fishing port in America. The mannequins clad in foul weather gear weren’t the object of the protesters’ anger. The target was the black-hooded dummy off to the side presiding over the hanging. That figure represented Jane Lubchenco,,,Link
Nils Stolpe: A staggering loss to U.S. fishermen and U.S. seafood consumers. And while on the subject of press releases…. CLF and Earthjusice
It was back in June of 2008 that I first became aware of Richard Gaines’ work in the Gloucester Times in a three part series exploring the interplay between fishermen, feds, ENGOs and the mega-foundations that funded them in a controversial move to close Stellwagen Bank to fishing (see http://tinyurl.com/n8m3voh for the first installment). A letter about the series I wrote to Times Editor Ray Lamont started “kudos to Richard Gaines for reporting what is going on behind the smoke and mirrors obscuring the struggle to maintain the historical fisheries that have thrived on Stellwagan Bank for generations. He couldn’t be more on-target when writing ‘Pew is associated with public information campaigns against fishing and fish consumption.’” continued@thewritingsofnilsstolpe
Letter: Richard Gaines, a true journalism original Mark Leibovich – Washington, D.C. Chief national correspondent, New York Times Magazine
Richard Gaines gave me my first job in journalism.
I was right out of college, and he was looking for an assistant. He was nice enough to meet with me, and then take a flier on a 23-year-old kid with not a day of journalism experience.
I loved reading The Phoenix back then. I was a fledgling political junkie, and the Phoenix was all over politics — none more so than its legendary editor, Richard Gaines, continued@gloucesterdailytimes
From the Moderator – Let’s be fair John Bullard, You’re the Master of Folksy Feel Good Babble
John Bullard, NE Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, which is his official title, began his comments at the NEFMC meeting this Tuesday morning recalling his interactions with Richard Gaines, Staff Reporter, Gloucester Daily Times The recollections of Bullard of a relentless technician of journalistic excellence were interesting, and are telling of the new revisionist history era that we are entering. , continue here scroll down
My View: Joann Mackenzie – Richard Gaines
The ones his beloved Jack Kerouac said were “mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved. Who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars…” Richard Gaines found those words by Kerouac on a poster and framed that poster and hung it in a place of honor, so no one who walked through his front door could miss it. continued@gloucesterdailytimes
Fishtown Local: A hole in Gloucester’s fabric – Gordon Baird
Richard had, as every Gloucesterite knows, developed “The Story” — or should I say, mined The Story, unraveled The Story, rode in the saddle of The Story for the last four years. It was not a story people necessarily wanted told, especially NOAA and the feds. For a while, it was only Richard Gaines who was turning up the heat and the truth on the runaway federal agents who used Gloucester as their personal sandbox to play at the power politics of retribution. It felt like Richard should have won a Pulitzer for unraveling The Story, but the outside world couldn’t seem to even be aware there was a problem. continued@gloucesterdailytimes
When you lose something you can’t replace
South Coast Today reporter Steve Urbon did an article about Richard Gaines crossing the bar,”Reporter’s death silences voice for fishing industry” and the void that has become apparent to all of us that follow these issues. Scroll down at the link to continue
Richard Gaines, Staff Writer, Gloucester Daily Times
Richard Gaines, Staff Reporter, Gloucester Daily Times
For years, we found his byline under the headline of every major fishery article that we read at the Gloucester Daily Times. It told us to read on for the truth and an unbiased perspective that a great journalist presents regarding our livelihoods.Richard’s articles provided the information to the public of the complexities that made up the convoluted issues surrounding the stories of the New England ground fishery — something that was just about impossible.
Some of the articles would leave the public confused, but industry insiders knew exactly what he was bringing up. At times, these controversial to insider articles would erupt, causing some noses to get out of joint, generating lively, pointed, and sometimes fierce debate.
Those were my favorites, and I know what Richard wrote was on the money, even though some would disagree, of course.
To those people I say, some of these issues will be raised again, because there has been no closure.
There’s a lot of unfinished business to be settled, and our literary warrior, Richard Gaines, forever rides with many of us in our hearts and minds. Many of us that will attempt to keep those issues alive.
There are some that won’t share in our feelings regarding our beloved friend and beacon of justice for the small boat fishermen, and for fishermen in general, and we understand this.
ENGO’s and the “too big to fail” fishing conglomerates and even the bureaucracy of NOAA/NMFS, that includes OLE/OGC, may be breathing sighs of relief, or are even content to know that Richard Gaines won’t be watchdogging them.
While such agenda bound groups might find temporary relief in Richard’s passing, his crossing the bar merely reaffirms to us that we must each continue the struggles that are easier to walk away from than to stand and fight back. To those bad players, we’ll steadfastly say, “As long as we draw a breath of existence, let it be known that our loss will not be your gain.”
I also realize that many who do understand what I’m trying to say are battle weary. For many, it’s been a decade’s long continuous fight, but it is a worthy one.
Richard Gaines created a standard that we all now expect in the esoteric arena of fishery journalism; but sadly, there is no one individual to carry on the legacy he left for us. During this time of awakening to this cruel reality the question becomes, “How do we continue Richard’s work that still demands greater accountability to the resource and the public?”
We must find the way. Richard would want us to; and his bright beacon will forever guide us to that home harbor where truth and conscience tie up to the dock alongside integrity and grit.
“It’s like a light has been extinguished — a light that always kept looking for the truth,”
photo credit Jim Kendall
On many a morning, Richard Gaines would walk through the front doors of the Gloucester Daily Times, exchange a few brief hellos, and then walk briskly to his desk in the far left corner of the newsroom, sit down and make the first of what would seem like hundreds of phone calls. continued @ Gloucester Daily Times“I going to cause some trouble today,” he’d proclaim. continued @ Gloucester Daily Times
Times’ journalist Gaines, 69, found dead – By Ray Lamont Editor
Richard Gaines, the award-winning 40-year New England journalist who spent more than a decade as staff writer with the Gloucester Daily Times and carved out a national niche with his local coverage of the commercial fishing industry, was found dead Sunday afternoon in the swimming pool outside his home in his beloved Bay View section of the city. His coverage helped spotlight efforts by fishermen and lawmakers alike to challenge the actions of NOAA — particularly its law enforcement wing — leading to a federal Inspector General’s investigation and findings of wrongdoing in 2010. continued @ Gloucester Daily Times
Gloucester journalist, voice for the region’s struggling commercial fishermen, found dead @ The Republic
One scandal of the National Marine Fishery Service, unknown but for Richard Gaines
Who in the Hell is Richard Gaines?!!
Richard Gaines, Staff Writer, Gloucester Daily Times.
Read it here with two video interviews by GMG’s JoeyC
There is nothing sadder to me than the passing of my friend, Richard Gaines
Richard Gaines has passed today.
Richard Gaines, the award-winning 40-year New England journalist who spent more than a decade as staff writer with the Gloucester Daily Times and carved out a national niche with his local coverage of the commercial fishing industry, was found dead this afternoon in the swimming pool outside his home in his beloved Bay View section of the city.
Science flap eyes fishing area closures
In the midst of one of the epic efforts at ocean management — a more than decade-long effort to drill into the scientific intricacies of North Atlantic bottom habitat and adjust areas closed to fishing since the 1970s — a fierce skirmish has broken out between worried environmentalists and the work of independent scientists. continue
NOAA’s retreat to ‘Camelot’ – FOIA Docs spotlight $288,500 ‘workshop’ agenda
Last May, a month after a special judicial master’s second report on misdeeds by NOAA enforcement lawyers had been delivered to the secretary of commerce, NOAA General Counsel Lois Schiffer led her national staff of 145 lawyers on a three day training program in Philadelphia at a cost of $288,500, according to documents released to the Times under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act. At the time of the conference, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was in damage control mode after news reports beginning in the publications Government Executive and Politico reported that another arm of NOAA, the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, had advertised for a magician as a motivational speaker for a June conference at NOAA’s general offices in Silver Spring, Md. That ad was posted on the day the Philadelphia conference began — and was withdrawn on its final day. – Read more here
Former state Attorney General Scott Harshbarger defends probe of fish fund
Former state Attorney General Scott Harshbarger says he was aware that he cited a disbarred lawyer as a character witness for Vito Giacalone’s altruism in an investigative report that cleared Giacalone — fisherman, shoreside Gloucester businessman, head of the Gloucester Fishing Community Preservation Fund and policy head of the Northeast Seafood Coalition — of abusing his influence in collusion with other powerful industry figures. And Harshbarger conceded Friday that he had uncovered evidence similar to one second-hand allegation —Read more here
Who in the Hell is Richard Gaines?!!
I posted this to newvine.com on Wed May 25, 2011. It’s worth another look, for those that may have missed it. Who the Hell is Richard Gaines? My hero.
I can guarantee, that the members of the New England Fishery Management Council know him. Everyone at NMFS surely know of him. I know Dr. Jane Lubchenco of EDF/NOAA fame knows who Richard Gaines is! Hell! even US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke knows who he is. I’d bet even President Obama knows of him. These are some that wished they hadn’t. I would dare say that for the last two years, or so, thanks to Richard we should all be very grateful to know of him, for if not for Richards determination to bring this information to the public, there is a real chance that things would be the same as they were. Disgustingly dysfunctional. This journalist has single-handedly brought these fishery issues to the attention of the citizens of the United States, and the world! There has been a noticeable lack of media coverage of the major networks, and print media, but thankfully for the sake of justice for all, the determined Richard Gaines, with his editors support, Ray Lamond, the misdeeds and injustices of two very powerful government agency’s, NOAA/NMFS, and US COMMERCE have been exposed.
