finchaser
04-07-2010, 11:43 AM
NOAA WILL SEND
MILLIONS TO
COMMERCIALS WHILE
ANGLERS PAY TO
Anglers in states without a qualifying saltwater license will probably be paying the federal government $25 or more simply to register next year, while the Obama administration gives away potential billions in public resources to select commercial fishermen, and spends millions of dollars to do so.
Though accounts of government inefficiency are common, this one tops them all.
As noted in a previous Conservation Watch, NOAA Fisheries is not only giving away very valuable marine resources in Dr. Jane Lubchenko’s catch shares program, but spending millions of your tax dollars to help selected exploiters digest their gifts that can then be sold for immediate profits even if they never drag another net.
If this were being done with public oil, mineral, or animal resources, there would be a national outcry. Yet, it appears public fishery resources are to be handed out to those who have done the most damage withoutany competitive bidding or lease payments.
As I detailed in that column, the infamous Teapot Dome scandal during the Harding administration occurred when a favored oil company received lucrative leases without competitive bidding. Federal officials were implicated in that favoritism, yet, that oil company was at least paying for the leases — and wasn’t getting additional public funding.
What the Obama administration is doing with public fishery resources and public funds may soon have us wishing for the good old days” of the Harding administration when to pay private interests to take them away like so much garbage.
To top it off, Congress has just added $10 million to be a smooth transition of commercial fishermen into their gift-- bringing the total to $47.2 million provided in two years. In addition, NMFS has been transferring funds for fisheries research desperately needed to avoid unnecessary closures (such as for sea bass this winter) into the catch shares program.
Even many commercial fishermen oppose catch shares because they will end up consolidating-family fishing -businesses into corporate operations easier for NMFS to control.
After that comes the quesilon of what to do with the pesky anglers who refuse to hang up their rods.
That free flow of funds for amassive giveaway doesn’t extend to the pUblic who are paying for it in taxes, and will soon be playing second fiddle to the new owners of the fishery resources we share with them. Guess
-whowill be getting cut back further if those “owners” are having trouble
filling their quotas? -.
With so much money involved, it’s hard to. believe that the administration’s massive giveaway of both public resources and cash tO private interests will be accomplished-without favoritistorscandal -especially In view of a seeming lack of congressional oversight.
Forward this column to your congressman, unless you’ll be happy with paying $25 or more next year just so NMFS can record your name after the agency is giving away millions to commercial fishermen merely for accepting- their gift.
possibly significant action taken by the Council 1on International Trade in Endangered Species relative to marine species involved amonitor. ing” international trade in porbeagle sharks.
After the column went to print, I found Out that proposal (which had received the two-thirds approval required) was overturned just before the conference’s conclusion. No action was taken on the U.S. proposal tQ reconsider some protection of hammerhead sharks after that effort failed to get the two-thirds approval by only five votes.
Decreases up to 96% in scalloped hammerheads in many areas apparently weren’t enough to concern CITIES
MILLIONS TO
COMMERCIALS WHILE
ANGLERS PAY TO
Anglers in states without a qualifying saltwater license will probably be paying the federal government $25 or more simply to register next year, while the Obama administration gives away potential billions in public resources to select commercial fishermen, and spends millions of dollars to do so.
Though accounts of government inefficiency are common, this one tops them all.
As noted in a previous Conservation Watch, NOAA Fisheries is not only giving away very valuable marine resources in Dr. Jane Lubchenko’s catch shares program, but spending millions of your tax dollars to help selected exploiters digest their gifts that can then be sold for immediate profits even if they never drag another net.
If this were being done with public oil, mineral, or animal resources, there would be a national outcry. Yet, it appears public fishery resources are to be handed out to those who have done the most damage withoutany competitive bidding or lease payments.
As I detailed in that column, the infamous Teapot Dome scandal during the Harding administration occurred when a favored oil company received lucrative leases without competitive bidding. Federal officials were implicated in that favoritism, yet, that oil company was at least paying for the leases — and wasn’t getting additional public funding.
What the Obama administration is doing with public fishery resources and public funds may soon have us wishing for the good old days” of the Harding administration when to pay private interests to take them away like so much garbage.
To top it off, Congress has just added $10 million to be a smooth transition of commercial fishermen into their gift-- bringing the total to $47.2 million provided in two years. In addition, NMFS has been transferring funds for fisheries research desperately needed to avoid unnecessary closures (such as for sea bass this winter) into the catch shares program.
Even many commercial fishermen oppose catch shares because they will end up consolidating-family fishing -businesses into corporate operations easier for NMFS to control.
After that comes the quesilon of what to do with the pesky anglers who refuse to hang up their rods.
That free flow of funds for amassive giveaway doesn’t extend to the pUblic who are paying for it in taxes, and will soon be playing second fiddle to the new owners of the fishery resources we share with them. Guess
-whowill be getting cut back further if those “owners” are having trouble
filling their quotas? -.
With so much money involved, it’s hard to. believe that the administration’s massive giveaway of both public resources and cash tO private interests will be accomplished-without favoritistorscandal -especially In view of a seeming lack of congressional oversight.
Forward this column to your congressman, unless you’ll be happy with paying $25 or more next year just so NMFS can record your name after the agency is giving away millions to commercial fishermen merely for accepting- their gift.
possibly significant action taken by the Council 1on International Trade in Endangered Species relative to marine species involved amonitor. ing” international trade in porbeagle sharks.
After the column went to print, I found Out that proposal (which had received the two-thirds approval required) was overturned just before the conference’s conclusion. No action was taken on the U.S. proposal tQ reconsider some protection of hammerhead sharks after that effort failed to get the two-thirds approval by only five votes.
Decreases up to 96% in scalloped hammerheads in many areas apparently weren’t enough to concern CITIES