The chairman of the U.S. House subcommittee that oversees the nation's fisheries wrote a stern letter to a top NOAA official on Thursday, 16 July, questioning how the agency has handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California), the chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans an Wildlife, told Dr. Neil Jacobs, the acting undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere, that NOAA’s response has been “unclear and inconsistent” and that at times it “lacked the appropriate thoughtfulness and proactive planning” needed to support the country’s fisheries.
Huffman touched on four specific areas in his letter, including a preference to restrict mentions of COVID-19 in agency communications, the cancelation of fish surveys, the “piecemeal” approach to issue waivers for monitors and observers, and the status of the USD 300 million (EUR 262 million) in CARES Act funding.
Huffman urged Jacobs and other NOAA officials to look for ways to use fishermen to collect samples for survey data. He also questioned the impact canceled surveys may have on managing fisheries and ensuring they maintain sustainability.
Regarding funding, while the Trump Administration has already announced how the money would be allocated, Huffman asked Jacobs how long officials will need to review the states’ spending plans for their share.
The congressman told Jacobs he understands that the COVID-19 pandemic forces the agency, much like U.S. fishermen and other Americans, to make major changes in quick fashion. Still, it appears that the virus will not be going away anytime soon.
“These unprecedented conditions will persist into next year and possibly later, and it is your responsibility to respond and react to the ongoing challenges appropriately,” Huffman said.
The letter’s concern about monitors and observers comes just days after Seafood Harvesters of America urged NOAA Fisheries to apply waivers more consistently across the country. The waivers were applied by NOAA Fisheries soon after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to limit the number of people on board vessels.
At nearly the same time as Huffman was issuing a letter to NOAA, NOAA Fisheries Chief Chris Oliver released a statement giving additional information on how the agency plans to apply monitoring moving forward, likely in response to the Seafood Harvesters of America letter.
Oliver cited the range of different management agencies and requirements as a primary reason why observer coverage requirements have been shifted in different ways.
“Across the Pacific and Western Pacific, the majority of fisheries require full observer coverage; on the East Coast, the majority of fisheries require partial coverage. The differences in the requirements are an important reason that we have used our ability to waive observer coverage in some regions and fisheries, and not in others,” Oliver wrote. “In addition, how fisheries operate varies regionally and even within a region, including factors such as whether crew or observers need to cross state lines.”
Oliver’s letter also pointed out that observers generally create no more risk than crew members, and that the agency continues to monitor the situation.
“Ultimately, within our limited authority, our goal is to have observers and monitors following the same safety protocols that fishermen are following,” Oliver said. “We will continue to monitor all local public health notifications, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for updates, and adjust our processes as needed. We are committed to the health and safety of fishermen, observers, and others while fulfilling our mission to maintain our nation's seafood supply and conserving marine life.”
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
