Environmentalists Thank Bob Lucas, Urge Strong Replacement

(12 December, 1997 - Raleigh, NC) Environmentalists today praised the tremendous accomplishments of Bob Lucas, the Chair of the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC), whose resignation was announced late yesterday. As chair of the commission, Lucas was instrumental in bringing about broad reform of marine fisheries management in the state.

Lucas, an attorney from Selma, N.C., was appointed chairman of the MFC by Governor Jim Hunt in 1993. Under his leadership, the MFC recognized that fundamental reforms in fishery management were needed to address the serious declines in marine fish stocks that had occurred between 1980 and 1993. When the General Assembly put in place a moratorium on the issuance of new commercial marine fishing licenses, Governor Hunt appointed Lucas to chair the Moratorium Steering Committee, a group of stakeholders charged with developing solutions to North Carolina’s marine fishery crisis. Lucas subsequently worked hard to push sweeping marine fisheries reform legislation through the General Assembly this past summer. The reform package includes strong new initiatives on coastal habitat protection and overfishing.

“Although many people contributed to marine fisheries reform, no one is more responsible for the national model program North Carolina adopted than Bob Lucas. His vision, leadership and dedication to integrated marine ecosystem protection and restoration stands as an inspiration to all who value North Carolina’s environment,” said EDF senior scientist Dr. Douglas N. Rader. “Without his drive and determination, we never could have gotten the marine fisheries reform bill through the General Assembly.”

Governor Hunt named the MFC’s vice-chairman, Jimmy Johnson, owner of Washington Crab Company, as interim Chair. The Governor must now appoint a permanent chair and a replacement for the at-large seat left vacant by Lucas’ departure. These appointments will be crucial to the long-term success of the new management program.

“This is a critical time for the health of North Carolina fisheries. The new MFC has hit the ground running,” said EDF attorney Dan Whittle. “We commend the Governor for choosing Jimmy Johnson to lead the MFC in the short-term and urge the Governor to act quickly in appointing a permanent chair along with a new at-large member who are dedicated to the restoration of North Carolina’s critical marine fishery resource. Hopefully, the impressive momentum for reform established by this new commission can be sustained through and after the transition.”