Democrats on the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee are questioning the appointment of New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association Chief Strategist Dustin Delano as NOAA’s “Fisherman in Residence,” a newly created position held by someone who also works for a regional commercial fishing advocacy group.
“We are concerned that this singular position cannot speak for the diverse fishing communities and fishing sectors across our country and are concerned with NOAA’s lack of transparency regarding the appointment of this position and the role,” U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-California) and U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter (D-Oregon) said in a joint letter. “For the sake of the 2.1 million jobs that rely on healthy, sustainably managed fisheries, we seek full transparency regarding the role of ‘Fisherman in Residence.’”
According to the representatives, the fisherman in residence position was established after the Department of Commerce cancelled the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee, a body established in the 1970s to gather a diverse group of perspectives to advise NOAA on policy. In its place, the Trump administration created the fishery in residence position, appointing Delano, the chairman and chief strategist of NEFSA.
“The Fisherman in Residence role creates a direct line for genuine, real-world input from someone who lived the challenges of this industry every day,” Delano told Maine Coastal News earlier this year. “It’s an opportunity to help ground NOAA leadership in the practical impacts of their decisions – impacts that, at times, have been lost in translation. I look forward to working with NOAA’s leadership team and helping to close the widening gap between the agency and the fishing community.”
“For decades, fishermen have asked for meaningful representation in federal fisheries policymaking. For many working fishermen – particularly those from families who have harvested these waters for generations – repeated attempts to question or marginalize their participation reinforce a longstanding frustration: that their firsthand knowledge is too often discounted in favor of abstract modeling and distant decision-making. While science and data are critical, they are strongest when informed by on-the-water experience, not insulated from it,” NEFSA Treasurer Ronnie Musetti said when reached for comment. “Sound fisheries policy cannot be crafted in isolation. Those who live with the consequences of regulatory decisions must have a meaningful seat at the table. The creation of the ‘Fisherman in Residence’ role represents a constructive step toward restoring that balance, and we believe it strengthens – not weakens – the integrity of the policymaking process.”
Now, Democrats on the committee are questioning Delano’s commercial ties, labeling him an “industry insider” and questioning his “suspected conflicts of interest” for his role with NEFSA and connections to other groups, such as serving as president of the New England Fishermen’s Foundation and board member of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs, the lawmakers say Delano has continued in his advocacy roles despite his new position at NOAA; on 10 February, Delano wrote an op-ed for Fox News outlining his opposition to seafood imports and offshore wind developing. However, the article makes no note of his position as NOAA’s fisherman in residence.
“Based on the available evidence, Mr. Delano has continued to work in both roles simultaneously, posing an appearance of impropriety at the very least, and possibly a violation of criminal conflicts of interest law,” the letter states. “We assume he is a NOAA employee, has been drawing a federal paycheck, and is advising on fisheries policy within NOAA. However, it is clear from his Facebook posts and other public activities that he continues to serve as an industry association advocate on matters before NOAA, raising questions about his impartiality and ability to serve in the best interests of the American people and fishing communities across the country.”
In response, Musetti pushed back on the lawmakers’ suggestions.
“Policy disagreements are a normal and healthy part of fisheries management. However, disagreement over management approaches should never be twisted into insinuations of unethical conduct. Suggesting otherwise unfairly casts suspicion on individuals whose only aim is to contribute practical, lived experience to a complex regulatory process,” Musetti said.
Another Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Representative Jared Golden (D-Maine) issued a statement of support for Delano, referring to his colleagues' letter as "unfair attacks."
“Mr. Delano is a perfect fit for the position,” Golden wrote in a separate letter to Lutnick and Jacobs. “[His] exemplary record as a fisherman and advocate for the marine resources economy speaks for itself. I applaud NOAA for identifying the need for a real harvester, not another bureaucrat, to have a seat at the table and to provide input and clarity on fisheries issues.”
Huffman and Dexter are asking the Department of Commerce to turn over all communications relating to Delano’s appointment and activity as a federal employee as well as all financial disclosure reports.
