March 11: Rumors abound that NMFS has decided to not address any issues brought forward by the peer review.  Hogarth said as much in his weekly report last week.  Today the NEFMC responded.  It is also planning on scheduling another Council meeting in April to deal with these and other issues- just when you thought you could go fishing and not worry about meetings for a month or two.

March 7: At the end of next week I will change the link to this site.  You will still be able to access it by going to the News page and clicking on the new link there.

Feb 28: Each reviewer has separate documents:

Payne    Cook    McAllister    Mohn    Bell

As we all sit around biting our fingernails waiting for the peer review results, you can peruse the Science Center's collection of Amendment 13 related documents:   Northeast Groundfish Amendment 13 at  http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/groundfish/index.htm

Feb 25: The Peer Review is to be available Friday.  The Council will put it on their website as soon as possible.  I will post a link as soon as I can.

Feb 14: Jim O'Malley allowed me to post some comments regarding the trawlgate workshop and precautionary approach.   I disagree with his acceptance of the fundamental conclusion that the difference was insignificant - and am quite amazed that people are staking their reputations on that premise- as are others  for instance,  the individual who asked me at the peer review - "Why are these people doing such complicated analysis on such insufficient data?"  But find his comments interesting anyway.

 Here is a link to David Lincoln's presentation to the peer review panel.

Feb 11:   Results of the Peer Review should be available either February 17th or March 1st, depending .....  I will post something as soon as I know something.

Jan 31: And info from the Trawl workshop is available.  Sorry pdf. files. Issues to be considered in the peer review and considerations for improved trawl survey

The Northeast Fisheries Science Center has put up a dedicated  site with many of the documents for the Peer review next week.  The site is passworded for database security reasons.  The password is available to all who might need it.  So if you didn't get an email with the password and you want to spend your weekend reading scientific jargon, contact someone who has the password. While I would rather you pester others, I do have it.

Jan 29: The link to the list of "independent" experts is here.  Click on reviewers

I was told yesterday that the "Independent" peer reviewers would be chosen yesterday.  When I receive the names you will know.  Remember this is for the promised totally independent peer review which has evolved into NMFS chosing the terms of reference (what they are going to do), using the Center for Independent Experts .  You might like to try the how to apply link which explains that you can work for NMFS but not the enviros or industry and be independent! The Peer Review begins next week and the reviewers have not been chosen.  Originally they were to be involved in the Trawlgate workshop which has long since come and gone.

Jan 15: Related to Trawlgate, but broader are two items on my news pages

Jan 13: Unfortunately I cannot go to the trawlgate workshop scheduled for the 14th and 15th.  I sent comments.

Jan 3: Finally some news on the schedule of peer review and on the terms of reference for review.  See the following three pdf files.

 1:  Letter from DOJ,  2:  Peer Review Process, and 3.  Terms of Reference (otherwise known as what they are supposed to do).

Dec 16: Trawlgate workshop scheduled

Dec 10: Now available - the data from the Side by Side Tows.  And, some comments and charts from me.

Also it seems that early records of the trawl survey gear are hard to come by.  If you have pictures or drawings of the survey gear - in particular the roller frame, please let me know bds@bdssr.com.

Dec 5: Most of the papers had something today.  I am having serious problems and do not seem to be able to get this thing to work to put them up.

Dec 4: I have heard from two sources that the Judge granted the 9 month delay.  She signed the proposed order provided by NMFS and plaintiffs and did not comment further.

Nov 30: Click here for history of trawlgate prior to Dec.