Mayors on both coasts speak out against marine monument designation process

ProposedMarineMonuments-750x504

NEW BEDFORD, MA – In letters sent in late August to President Obama and the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell and Monterey, CA Mayor Clyde Roberson each expressed “serious concerns” about the potential economic harm to their ports  from the use of executive action by the Obama Administration to create new federal marine monuments off the coasts of New England and California.

The mayors also emphasized the need for “transparency” and “robust stakeholder input.”

The letters reflect a growing movement from fishermen and fishing communities across the country opposing the creation of marine monuments outside of the existing ocean management processes.

In his letter to CEQ Acting Director Christy Goldfuss, Mitchell praised the successes of the current fishing management process – a process that emphasizes including the voices of
all ocean stakeholders in its deliberations.

“The process is far from perfect, but it affords ample opportunity for stakeholders and the public alike to review and comment on policy decisions and for the peer reviewing of the scientific bases of those decisions,” he wrote.

“The use of a parallel process, however well-meaning, which has none of the checks and balances employed in the NOAA…

CFN-9_16-coverTo get the rest of this story and much more, you’ll need the September 2016 issue of Commercial Fisheries News – please choose from the following options:  

BUY a Single PRINT edition of CFN that is delivered by MAIL. PRINT EDITION

Quickly enjoy ONLINE access with our Hi-DEF flip-book. PURCHASE ONLINE EDITION  

(Read online flip-book immediately with purchased access key and download a copy for yourself to keep.  Not sure if it works for you? Try a FREE SAMPLE HERE.)

SAVE BIG when you SUBSCRIBE