Four top leaders at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources were let go Friday, sending a combined 98 years of fisheries, land conservation and communications experience out the doors of the Tawes building, the department’s headquarters in Annapolis.My suspicion is that this is being directed from the Governor's office. The new Republican Gov. Hogan received significant support from Eastern Shore communities heavily dependent on the commercial fishing industry. It is the one aspect of republican politics in Maryland that I deeply regret.
Deputy Secretary Frank Dawson, Assistant Secretary Kristin Saunders, Fisheries Director Tom O’Connell, and Communications Director Darlene Pisani are all leaving the agency, according to an internal email from the agency’s new secretary, Mark Belton, that the Bay Journal acquired. Belton’s email said he “won't go into a long list of their respective achievements; what they've accomplished is significant and you are familiar with their efforts.”
Belton said he would name permanent replacements soon. In the meantime, he named Mark Hoffman acting deputy secretary; Emily Wilson Acting assistant secretary for land resources (Saunders’ area of expertise) and Kristen Peterson acting communications director. Dave Goshorn will assume fisheries director duties in addition to the job he already has as assistant secretary.
The news follows the recent move of Mike Naylor, the agency’s point person on oyster restoration, to a position in the office of integrated policy and review. Watermen had complained about the oyster sanctuaries that Naylor managed, which were phenomenal successes in restoring populations, but took away large harvest areas from watermen and reduced their opportunities to make a living.I have tangled with "Patapsco" Mike Naylor a few times myself. He is a nice guy, a good scientist, and sometimes a barking moonbat. In the case of oysters, ultimately I would like to see a solution involving more private bottom, more aquaculture, and less dependence of trusting watermen to catch "wild" oysters within the rules, which they so frequently violate. A 5-10 year ban on harvesting "wild" oysters would be a good start at encouraging aquaculture.
Mike is of the "all property rights belong to the government" school of environmental thought. I don't know quite what the move from "oyster restoration" to "integrated policy and review" is a promotion, or a lateral arabesque to a position with less authority over the coms. It will be interesting to see what happens from here.
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