Monday, October 17, 2011

Was this anything?

The House Natural Resources Committee today held a hearing in Seattle on how "unsubstantiated" federal science on the Steller sea lion is jeopardizing Alaska's fishing industry.

Here's a one-sided and rather sloppy press release from the committee majority — the headline references "Stellar" sea lions, and quotes "Doug Vincent-Land of the Alaska Department of Fish and Wildlife." Uh, that would be Doug Vincent-Lang of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

The chairman of the committee is Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash.

In September, Hastings held a similar hearing stacked with witnesses urging oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Environmentalists called that hearing "political theater."

One wonders which will happen first: the National Marine Fisheries Service saying nevermind on fishing restrictions meant to protect an endangered species, or drilling rigs poking holes in ANWR.
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7 comments:

  1. AnonymousOctober 18, 2011 at 9:57 AM

    Wesley, the Press release is a bit sloppy but you sound as though you feel the endangered species act is being properly applied and the fishing industry is just complaining. There are some serious impacts not only to the Seattle based fleets but to communities in Alaska as well.

    The science or the lack of science that is going to put a severe damper on the fishing industry needs to be questioned.


    Of course it's "Political Theatre" everything that goes on in this realm is just that.


    This blog post doesn't seem like it fits with your other posts.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousOctober 18, 2011 at 12:15 PM

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRf_JwSpmkU&feature=uploademail

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousOctober 18, 2011 at 12:47 PM

    Opening statements and testimony

    http://naturalresources.house.gov/Calendar/EventSingle.aspx?EventID=263602

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  4. AnonymousOctober 18, 2011 at 12:53 PM

    This review illustrates serious flaws in NMFS thinking

    http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/steller_sealions/final_fmp_biop_ind_sci_rev_08oct2011.pdf

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  5. AnonymousOctober 19, 2011 at 6:56 AM

    Money comes first and the wildlife, Salmon included are just in the way.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousOctober 19, 2011 at 1:34 PM

    America has always had the mentality of protecting the governing bodies of Power and Industry...Natural Resources be damned. If you aren't educated in the environmental impacts of your profession, you shouldn't be meddling with mother nature.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousOctober 19, 2011 at 5:15 PM

    So very important you point out the spelling error for Doug Vincent-Lang Lesley.

    ReplyDelete