Says agency has a long way to go to rebuild trust with fishermen

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said today that she is deeply disturbed by a Department of Commerce Inspector General report that found misuse of funds and lack of oversight and transparency in NOAA’s Fisheries Enforcement Asset Forfeiture Fund.
 
“This report is a clear sign that we need to keep working to make our fisheries enforcement system fair and accountable.  Our fishermen shouldn’t feel like criminals simply for doing their job, nor should they feel like they’re being taken advantage of,” said Pingree.  “Without trust, the system we need to keep our fisheries sustainable will not work.  And these findings show that NOAA still has a lot to do to build that trust with our fishermen.”
 
After a January report found financial mismanagement and the unfair enforcement toward Northeast fishermen, NOAA commissioned a full audit of the enforcement fund.  Steps the agency has taken to address the problems include shifting management and adding more steps for approving expenses from the fund.
 
In March, Pingree met with the head of National Marine Fisheries Service Eric Schwaab to tour a seafood plant in Port Clyde and discuss restructuring in the department in light of the report of unfair enforcement.
 
“I’m glad NOAA has started to face its enforcement problem head on and that Eric Schwaab has made it a priority,” said Pingree.  “We must remain vigilant and this report reminds us why.  For the sake of our law-abiding fishermen, we have to address this and move on so we can refocus on this agency’s true intent: keeping our fisheries and coastal communities sustainable.”