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Carroll tells us that his problems trying to obtain information from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) regarding the death of Hawaiian Monk Seal N24 and her unborn pups goes much deeper than Mr. Michael Tosatto and the local NMFS office (Link here to story). It comes from the top and is due to the ethical and political climate of the U.S. Department of Commerce as a whole, from Inspector General Todd J. Zinser on down. NMFS is part of the Department of Commerce. After its investigation, on March 31, 2015, the Congressional Committee on Science, Space and Technology sent a letter to President Obama asking that Inspector General Todd J. Zinser be removed from office because he is unfit to serve. Some of the reasons given were his handling of complaints and retaliation against whistleblowers. Also noted, and boasted about, was the culture of delaying tactics for FOIA requests.
Unfortunately, instead of answering questions from the public and addressing concerns about Seal N24 and her pups, much like his boss at the Department of Commerce, Mr. Tosatto started looking for whistleblowers who may have leaked information to Cox.
Carroll's guest, Elizabeth Mitchell, is President of the Association of Professional Observers. The observers ride along on fishing boats, taking notes on any violations of marine laws, bycatch, and the biological status of various species for fisheries management. Elizabeth talks about a complaint filed in 2011 by PEER and the Association for Professional Observers regarding unsafe conditions aboard fishing vessels, fishing laws not being reported or enforced by the National Marine Fisheries Service, and whistleblowing. In fact, it has been documented that observers were told by their managers to log instances of shark finning and marine pollution, but not report them as violations. To the shock of the observers, they were told these types of violations were not of interest to the Fisheries Service. Mitchell tells us the complaint she filed was not handled by NMFS and OIG, and was met with delays. Given the recent information reported today, Mitchell states she may be re-filing her complaints.
For more information, visit the website for the Association for Professional Observers at www.apo-observers.org
CAUGHT (observer pic)
May 6, 2015: Link here to video of Carroll Cox on ThinkTechHawaii, discussing watchdoging the government on the environment.
Follow: Carroll Cox, Elizabeth Mitchell, Department of Commerce, Todd J. Zinser, Inspector General, National Marine Fisheries Service, NMFS, NOAA, observers, whistleblowing.
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Threatened from all sides
Puffed up - Carribean Anole
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