[Coral-List] TNC Reef Resilience Project Manager Position Open

[Eugene Shinn]

This Job advertisement on the coral-list has me a little confused. 
TNC (The Nature Conservancy) is an NGO (non governmental 
organization). It has always been my understanding that NGO's operate 
pretty much like churches. Donations are tax deductible. This 
advertisement for a Reef Resilience Project Manager clearly states 
that it is to "provide technical and managerial support to the 
NOAA-TNC partnership." Partnership? I guess that means NOAA and this 
NGO will work hand in hand to address mutual goals which of course 
will ultimately be implemented and enforced by NOAA. I guess I just 
do not understand. I always thought that it was illegal to have such 
collusion between independent organizations and government 
organizations.
      Back when I was concerned about The Center for Biodiversity 
suing NOAA to put Acroporid corals on the threatened list I suspected 
there was collusion. I was told that was not so and received angry 
calls from a CBD lawyer because I maintained that "if you don't know 
what is killing it then you don't know what to protect it from." At 
the same time NOAA (NMFS) employees said they had no choice (as 
explained on the coral-list) but to follow the laws and that NOAA had 
no choice because they lost the suit made by CBD. NOAA had no plans 
to put these species on the endangered list but were forced to do it 
because they lost the law suit. Now this advertisement seems to make 
it clear that NGO's, (which CBD is) in fact do work hand in hand to 
make decisions that ultimately turn into laws. One can conclude that 
it is clear that this collusion will enable the listing of 82 coral 
species which the CBD is petitioning NOAA to list as threatened. 
There will of course be unintended consequences and likely intended 
consequences. I would like for someone in the coral community to 
explain all of this in clear understandable language. The 
advertisement for the job does say it requires "Ability to simplify 
and explain complex scientific data to general audiences."
      Incidentally the CBD recently lobbied a judge to place a 
moratorium on BOEMRE (formerly the Minerals Management Service) 
offshore leasing because their Environmental Impact Statements do not 
adequately explain how they determine environmental "Sensitivity" and 
"Resiliency" This clearly shows the power of NGO's. Meanwhile we 
import three fourths of our oil from some unfriendly sources and 
actions such as described will likely lead to increased imports. Is 
this good for our country and our coral reefs? Gene

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No Rocks, No Water, No Ecosystem (EAS)
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E. A. Shinn, Courtesy Professor
University of South Florida
Marine Science Center (room 204)
140 Seventh Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
<eshinn at marine.usf.edu>
Tel 727 553-1158---------------------------------- 
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