Fisheries Rule Could Limit Scientific Access to Data - NYTimes.com

A draft rule proposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may limit public access to fisheries data collected by independent observers on fishing vessels. The agency cites protection of confidential personal and business information as the reason, but some scientists and advocates fear that such a rule will limit their ability to examine and evaluate fisheries data for research purposes. 'Our view is that they’ve gone way beyond what’s necessary to implement the confidentiality requirement,' said Lee Crockett, the director of the Pew Environment Group’s United States fisheries campaign. 'We think they should go back to the drawing board.' Each year, NOAA spends around $40 million to finance data collection by independent observers aboard fishing vessels. They gather information on what species are caught, where they are caught and what kind of gear the vessels use. They also record information about unintentional bycatch like sea turtles, endangered sharks and bluefin tuna. 'Having that data on what else is being caught — including how many, the size and where it’s being caught — is very helpful for scientists and environmental advocates like us who want to do studies on this and identify problems,' Mr. Crockett said. The Pew Environment Group, along with 60 governmental, environmental and journalistic groups, have issued a joint letter urging NOAA Fisheries to reconsider the proposal. They argue that the new rule would run counter to the Obama administration’s transparency in government memorandum and NOAA’s scientific integrity policy. Asked about the numerous objections, NOAA said on Wednesday in a statement that it was 'committed to transparency and welcomes the interest and involvement of the public in sustainable fisheries, which include both fish populations and fishermen. NOAA is working to review the comments we received to ensure all those who are interested in fisheries data know what will be shared and how,' the agency said. The period for accepting public comments closed on Sunday, and Pew reports that at least 31,800 people and groups expressed their views..."