Frank and Tierney Call for Investigation of the Rulemaking Process on Fisheries

WASHINGTON -- Congressman Barney Frank and Congressman John Tierney today released a letter sent to Todd Zinser, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Commerce, requesting that he investigate the rulemaking process at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the New England Fisheries Management Council.

Tierney and Frank’s efforts come on the heels of a similar letter by New Bedford Mayor Scott Lang in which he also calls for a review of the rulemaking process.

In April, Preston Pate and the SRA-Touchstone Consulting Group issued a report titled A review of the New England Fishery Management Process. The report identified a number of serious rulemaking issues as well as scientific shortcomings within NOAA’s new fishery management systems.  The report also stated that the agency had abandoned its core missions of “development of the commercial fishing industry” and “increasing industry participation.”

Because a previous investigation by the Office of the Inspector General led to improvements in the conduct of the NOAA/NMFS enforcement division, Frank and Tierney hope that an OIG investigation into the rulemaking process will also yield positive results.

Both Congressman Frank and Congressman Tierney plan to work to secure additional funding for the Office of the Inspector General through the Congressional appropriations process in order to help recoup the cost of these investigations.

The letter to Mr. Zinser from Representatives Tierney and Frank is attached.