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Expert Profile

Lee Crockett

Director, U.S. Fisheries Campaigns
The Pew Charitable Trusts

Lee Crockett joined Pew in June 2007 as director of Federal Fisheries Policy.

He leads Pew’s efforts to establish policies to end overfishing and promote ecosystem-based fisheries management in the United States under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the federal law that governs ocean fish management. As director, Crockett oversees all of Pew’s U.S. fisheries campaigns. These include efforts in the Northeast, South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, U.S. Caribbean, and the Pacific. Before joining Pew, Crockett was executive director of the Marine Fish Conservation Network, the largest national coalition dedicated exclusively to promoting the sustainable management of ocean fish. Under his leadership, the campaign helped efforts to reauthorize and strengthen the MSA. Previously, he was a fishery biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service, leading agency efforts to protect essential fish habitat. He also served as a staff member of the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, working on a variety of fisheries, environmental and boating safety issues.

Crockett holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in biological oceanography from the University of Connecticut. Before college, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard. He’s also an avid angler who enjoys fishing the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay.

Blog: The Bottom Line

 

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News Room

May 30, 2012

Pew Urges United States and European Union to Crack Down on Illegal Use of Driftnets

At a bilateral meeting tomorrow in Brussels, high-ranking officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the European Commission (EC) will discuss the problem of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, including the ongoing use of illegal driftnets in the Mediterranean. 

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May 15, 2012

A Rebound for 6 Fish Populations

Lee Crockett, director of Federal Fisheries Policy, is quoted in a New York Times' blog post about the findings of the latest NOAA Fisheries Service report. 

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March 12, 2012

Sens. Kerry, Snowe, Rockefeller, Brown, and Whitehouse Introduce Bill Supporting Fish, Coastal Communities; Reps. Frank and Guinta Expected to Introduce Companion Bill in the House

The Pew Environment Group commended Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME), John D. Rockefeller (D-WV), Scott Brown (R-MA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) for introducing the Fisheries Investment and Regulatory Relief Act (FIRRA).

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March 10, 2012

National Geographic Revives Debate Over Imperiled Bluefin Tuna in New Show

An article about a new television series from National Geographic about tuna includes a quote from the Pew Environment Group's Lee Crockett.

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January 20, 2012

Putting Fish Over Politics

An opinion article from the Pew Environment Group's Lee Crockett on the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

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August 18, 2011

Summer Flounder Limits Likely to Increase Again Next Summer As Numbers Continue to Rebound

An article in the Press of Atlantic City about the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s recommendation to increase summer flounder harvests for 2012, indicating the species’ population is on the rebound. This story reflects the success of the Pew Environment Group’s fishery work and quotes Federal Fisheries Policy director Lee Crockett.

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May 27, 2011

U.S. Declines to Protect the Overfished Bluefin Tuna

A New York Times article on the announcement that NOAA will not list Atlantic bluefin tuna as an endangered species though it is in fact under threat. Lee Crockett, director of federal fisheries policy for the Pew Environment Group, is quoted.

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May 27, 2011

NOAA Declines to Protect Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

A Washington Post article on the announcement that NOAA will not list Atlantic bluefin tuna as an endangered species though it is in fact under threat. Lee Crockett, director of federal fisheries policy for the Pew Environment Group, is quoted stressing Pew's view that the U.S. needs to play a strong role in international conservation efforts to protect the highly prized species.

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October 1, 2010

Fishing with Pew

Lee Crockett and Dave Bard of the Pew Environment Group go on a fishing trip of the coast of New Jersey with the Asbury Park Press.

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September 28, 2010

Letter: Correction to Article on Flounder Quotas

A letter to the editor of the Asbury Park Press by the Pew Environment Group's Lee Crockett about an article on flounder quotas.

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August 26, 2010

Letter: Pew Responds to Our Comments About MSC Certification of South Atlantic Swordfish

A letter to the editors of Seafood.com by Lee Crockett of the Pew Environment Group

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August 18, 2010

Pew Statement on Increase in Summer Flounder Quota by Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council

Lee Crockett, director of federal fisheries policy for The Pew Environment Group, issued this statement in response to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's decision to increase the quota for summer flounder by 7.35 million pounds to 29.48 million pounds for 2011.

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August 11, 2010

Pew Opposes Certification Proposal for Surface Longline Fishing

The Pew Environment Group criticized a proposal asking the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to certify as sustainable a fishery that threatens vulnerable marine species including bluefin tuna, blue marlin, short-fin mako sharks and loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles.

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August 9, 2010

GreenSpace: What You Can Do to Help the Endangered Tuna

An item from The Philadelphia Inquirer about the plight of the endangered bluefin tuna.

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July 23, 2010

Formal Fed Hearing Sought for Magnuson Reform Bill

An article from the Gloucester Times about the Magnuson Reform Bill includes a quote from Lee Crockett of the Pew Environment Group.

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July 15, 2010

Statement on the Fishery Conservation Transition Act

Lee Crockett, director of federal fisheries policy for the Pew Environment Group, and Holly Binns, manager of Pew’s Campaign to End Overfishing in the Southeast, issued this joint statement on Senator Bill Nelson’s (D-Fla.) legislation to weaken a key federal fishery law, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, and delay plans to end overfishing and rebuild the severely depleted South Atlantic red snapper.

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June 28, 2010

Pew Applauds Senator Snowe, Nine of Her Colleagues for Introducing Coastal Jobs Creation Act

Legislation will create jobs for fishermen, promote restoration of depleted fish populations.

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June 8, 2010

Pew Urges Thoughtful Approach to Catch Shares in Light of New Report on West Coast Trawl Fishery Proposal

The Pew Environment Group’s Lee Crockett, director of Federal Fisheries Policy, and Peter Baker, manager for New England Fisheries Campaigns, today commented on a new study by Ecotrust that found design concerns in the proposed West Coast trawl fishery catch share program. Support for this report was provided by the Pew Environment Group.

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May 6, 2010

What Wildlife, Ecosystems Could Oil Put at Risk?

The Orlando Sentinal looks at some of the species and locations threatened by the Gulf oil spill.  The article features a comment by the Pew Environtment Group's Lee Crockett.

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April 9, 2010

Urgent Effort to Protect Bluefin Tuna

This video press conference features speakers discussing the international failure to protect bluefin tuna.

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March 26, 2010

Pew Launches Urgent Effort to Protect Bluefin Tuna in the Gulf of Mexico

Need for safeguards intensifies following failed global attempt to prohibit commercial trade in bluefin.

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March 23, 2010

Pew Launches Urgent Effort to Protect Bluefin Tuna in Gulf of Mexico

Need for protection intensifies after failed global attempt to prohibit commercial bluefin trade.

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February 26, 2010

Trawling for a Fishing Solution

A Living on Earth segment on fishing legislation features an interview with Lee Crockett, director of Federal Fisheries Policy at the Pew Environment Group.

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December 10, 2009

Pew Applauds NOAA for its Conservation-Minded Catch Shares Policy

Lee Crockett, director of Federal Fisheries Policy at the Pew Environment Group, issued the following statement in response to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) release of its draft policy on the use of catch shares in federal fisheries.

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September 11, 2009

Conservation Community Sends a Strong Message to NMFS: 'Protect Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, Marlins, and Sailfish.'

Officials with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) were extremely busy last week, fielding more than 57,000 comments they received opposing a proposal that further incentivizes pelagic longliners to target Atlantic bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, the fish’s only known western Atlantic spawning area.

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July 23, 2009

New Pew Study Shows Rebuilding Depleted Mid-Atlantic Fish Populations Can Generate Billions of Dollars for Coastal Communities

Report analyzes economic benefits of rebuilding efforts and costs of delays.

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June 1, 2009

Pew Supports Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Efforts to End Overfishing

Council takes positive first steps to establish annual catch limits, accountability measures.

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April 7, 2009

Pew Environment Group, Ocean Conservation Coalition Urges Congress to Oppose Fisheries Legislation

Proposed bill would delay the rebuilding of depleted fish populations.

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January 15, 2009

Statement of Lee Crockett, Director, Federal Fisheries Policy, Pew Environment Group, on the Bush Administration Finalizing the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Annual Catch Limit Rule

Lee Crockett, the Pew Environment Group's director of Federal Fisheries Policy, issued a statement in response to the National Marine Fisheries Service finalizing its annual catch limit rule.

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December 19, 2008

Bush Administration to Withdraw Controversial Environmental Review Proposal

Obama administration urged to draft a strong rule that protects ocean ecosystems.

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More from the News Room

Events & Appearances

November 1, 2009

Pew Environment Group to Host Briefing on Catch Shares

Washington, DC

On Tuesday, November 3, at 12 p.m. EST, the Pew Environment Group (PEG) will lead a background press briefing to discuss “catch shares,” one means for managing how annual catch limits of fish are allocated among fishermen.

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July 22, 2009

Press Call: Rebuilding Fish Populations in the Mid-Atlantic Would Generate Billions of Dollars

Washington, DC

The Pew Environment Group will lead a press call to discuss a new report that reveals the significant economic benefits and costs of delay of rebuilding depleted fish populations in the Mid-Atlantic region.

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More Events & Appearances

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