The Price of Ocean Privatization: Core Science Funding Slashed
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) budget request for fiscal year 2011 includes $54 million to fast track the biggest and most outrageous giveaway of access to public fish in U.S. history.
NOAA plans to redirect money from its core fishery science responsibilities to provide the millions necessary for their “Catch Share” fishery privatization program. NOAA’s fishery science is acknowledged to need improvement, not cutbacks, but sadly, the agency seems more interested in killing jobs than counting fish.
NOAA's Catch Share program puts America's fishermen out of work. Photo by Ben Bowman.
Congressman Frank Pallone Jnr. (D –NJ) described the funding redirection as “stupid” in a recent video interview with Food & Water Watch. We agree, and call on Congress not to support the use of taxpayer dollars to kill jobs and giveaway public access to valuable fish resources for free and practically forever.
Yesterday Congressman Walter B. Jones, Jr. (R-NC) filed a request to block funding for expansion of the Catch Share program into fisheries in which North Carolina fishermen participate.
Jones stated that: “Catch shares are not wanted in North Carolina. The last thing the federal government should be doing in these economic times is spending millions of taxpayer dollars to expand a program that will put even more Americans out of work.”
Check out our new video interviews on this topic with a small-scale commercial fisherman from NC, a recreational fishing representative from TX and a charter boat fishing legend from FL. Privatization of fisheries has nothing to do with conservation, and everything to do with the consolidation of control over access to our essential resources. Congress needs to steer NOAA back on course. Read our Fair Fish fact sheet for more information.
Ben Bowman, Policy Analyst
Shifting money away from the science is extremely troubling. It is so important that we continue to monitor marine ecosystems and make sure that they are protected. Economic and social issues are important but what about environmental issues? Why didn’t you include a video interview with a marine ecologist? Please don’t neglect the fish and other marine organisms —- the true silent victims. People, including fishermen, can get other jobs. Marine critters don’t have other options!
This really shines a light on the absurdities that are going on within NOAA. The commercialization and control of our essential resource is frightening. I believe conservation is important but done responsibly through real science. You go to the Fisheries meetings and their justifications always include the phrase “the best data possible”, when in reality a lot of it is outdated and by reallocating funds from science to “catch shares” we really aren’t even pretending to base any of our fisheries decisions on concrete science.
It is really refreshing knowing there are others who believe there is middle ground between environmentalists and fishermen.