Change We’re Not So Sure About

The article discusses potential concerns regarding two major policy initiatives that were announced by President Obama. The first is the creation of an interagency task force to establish a ​“National Policy on Oceans, Our Coast, and the Great Lakes” in early June. The second was the announcement by Dr. Lubchenco of a wholly internal agency task force on catch shares, which established, for the first time, that ​“transitioning to catch shares is a priority for NOAA.”

The article outlines the processes that will occur with these initiatives and identifies potential concerns that are associated with them. It suggests that ​“The president can go a long way toward easing the trepidation most feel by recognizing that U.S. fisheries management has largely been successful and by leaving the major decisions over the future course of management in the hands of the regional councils.