John Bullard - NOAA Admin for Atlantic Region, Says No Silver Bullet for Groundfish
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] [Opinion] by John Bullard June 26, 2017
After detailing the many listening sessions and meetings NOAA has held on the East Coast this year, Regional Administrator John Bullard summed up his thinking, in the opinion below.
To put it briefly: There’s no such thing as a silver bullet.
When people come up to me passionately lamenting that Amendment 18 will not do enough to address consolidation within the groundfish fleet, I understand their passion. The power of a very large fleet can be misused. But, I wonder if they are looking to Amendment 18 to be a silver bullet that will singlehandedly solve this problem.
Some blame sector management for our troubles. I don’t buy it. Instead, I see the ability of the private sector to manage quota with accountability, flexibility, and initiative. All of these are necessary ingredients for a healthy fishing industry, especially in tough times.
At many meetings, people line up to decry...
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