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Benson Chiles's Blog



 Benson Chiles

"Gasland" trailer--June 21


Mid Atlantic Regional Council on the Oceans

Stakeholders from the five states involved in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Oceans (MARCO) will meet next week in New York to discuss priority concerns for the ocean.  

MARCO has identified four major areas of focus--habitat protection, water quality, renewable offshore energy, and climate change.  These topics are critical to the future of the Mid-Atlantic marine environment and the organizers of this effort deserve praise for their efforts.    Read more »

Bluefin Tuna Protections fail at EU

Although French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed support for an international trade ban for the endangered bluefin tuna back in July, when the European Union met this week, France voted the wrong way.  Read more »

Weakfish Biomass at All-Time Low (in other words the stock is collapsing!)

 

Add another imperiled species to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC) portfolio of managed species.  This time it's weakfish.  Earlier this year it was river herring, and before that winter flounder.  See the ASMFC press release below. 

Is it a coincidence that the ASMFC is not bound by the Magnuson Steven's Fisheries Management and Conservation Act?  Read more »

Environmental Leaders Launch Reform Initiative In Response to Latest Corruption Scandals

August 3, 2009

Trenton – Responding to the latest “bid rig” corruption indictments, New Jersey environmental leaders today proposed a comprehensive platform of ethics reforms to prevent future abuses and called on Governor Corzine and the state legislature to take aggressive and immediate action to enact it.

 Read more »

NJ PEER calls for DEP reforms in Light of Recent Corruption Charges

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility News Release (www.peer.org)
 
For Immediate Release: July 27, 2009
Contact: Carol Goldberg (202) 265-7337
 
NEW JERSEY ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY AT HEART OF BRIBERY SCANDAL — New Rules Needed to Ban “Pay-to-Play” and Protect Staff from Strong-Arm Tactics
 
Washington, DC — Last week’s indictment of 44 people, including several New Jersey officials and two state legislators, underscores that “pay-to-play” is alive and we  Read more »

Study Finds Billions of Dollars of Economic Benefit in Rebuilt Fisheries

"A report released today by the Pew Environment Group reveals significant potential financial benefits of rebuilding four fish species in the Mid-Atlantic: summer flounder, black sea bass, butterfish and bluefish."

 Read more »

Regional Ocean Council Formed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeff Tittel, 609-656-7612
New Jersey Ocean Advocates: Mid-Atlantic Governors Break New Ground to Protect
the Atlantic

NEW YORK (June 4, 2009) – New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine today joined four other Mid-Atlantic Governors in signing a landmark agreement stating they will work together to protect the Atlantic Ocean. For years, ocean advocates like the New Jersey Coastal Ocean Coalition have encouraged states to work together in
partnerships like this to revive our struggling seas.  Read more »