Editor’s Log: Mind Over Management - The Fisherman

Editor’s Log: Mind Over Management

As if shrinking seasons weren’t enough, now they’re trying to shrink our heads!

You know what’s wrong with fisheries management today?  Why fishermen are no longer interested in attending fisheries meetings?  Because the lunatics are taking over the asylum!  With environmental ideologues back in control of our nation’s environmental policies, Pew Charitable Trusts and their Pew Environment Group appear to be delving deeper into the field of psychology when dealing with us dirty fishermen.

Check out this Pew “help wanted” ad that the good folks at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) so graciously posted this spring for their besties at Pew – the position title is Senior Officer responsible for Human Dimensions in the Conservation Science program at Pew.  The posted job responsibilities tell you everything you ever wanted to know about fisheries management in the 21st century.

A technical expert and thought leader in issues related to human dimensions of conservation,” with previous qualifications to include “at least 10 years of relevant professional experience using human dimensions research to inform the practice of conservation.”

The position provides critical thought leadership and strategic support to help design new and existing conservation objectives,” is how Pew describes this Washington DC based position.  This isn’t about someone with fishing and fisheries experience, or even a person with a science or biology background.  Pew Charitable Trusts is looking to fill – and ASMFC seems more than happy to assist – a position with “extensive knowledge of the integration of human dimensions into the design and assessment of conservation programs.”

Heck, why should the councils and commissions deal with stakeholders, when Pew can do a much better job of psychoanalyzing us into compliance?  Honestly, head shrinking in fisheries management sounds rather twisted to me, more like the character outline of a Hollywood fantasy flick rather than something helpful in an ASMFC meeting.

As a little refresher, Pew Charitable Trusts is the 800-pound gorilla of non-profits, a behemoth of sociopolitical influence established by the family of Sun Oil Company founder Joseph Pew of Philadelphia.  As described online under their missions and values statement, Pew is a global research and public policy organization operated as a non-governmental organization, “informed by the founders’ interest in research, practical knowledge and a robust democracy, our portfolio has grown over time to include public opinion research; arts and culture; and environmental, health, state and consumer policy initiatives.”

You’ll hear the Pew research polls on a television newscast, perhaps see a Pew stat or two in a newspaper article.  Their staff activists are engaged in issues related to immigration, health and human services, economic policies, and the environment, with their own polling department to help guide the mainstream messaging.  Learn more about Pew in a casual online search, but they’re the organization that helped spearhead efforts to create marine protected areas in the Pacific under presidents Bush and Obama, and after getting nowhere fast in the last administration, they’re heavy into the no-access marine reserve push in this one.

Pew has deep pockets to get things done too!  As per IRS records through GuideStar, Pew Charitable Trusts held assets of over $1.2 billion in 2019, which is more than the gross domestic product of Grenada, which is a lot of nutmeg!  I’m not sure exactly how much the fisheries mind control job pays, but Pew claims to offer “a competitive salary and benefit program” which includes “flexible spending accounts” and “retirement benefits to help prepare for the future.”

It’ll be interesting to see who ultimately gets the Pew lead as Sgt. Raymond Shaw or his Manchurian mother in this made for real life role of human dimensionist, but I’m thinking a few recent characters played by Josh Brolin and Emma Stone of late would fit the environmentalist role quite well in some of these ASMFC meetings of late.

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