In defense of Damon

This letter is in regards to the cover story of the June 12 edition of the Bangor Daily News, titled “Partisanship descends on senator’s absence due to wife’s cancer.”

All of us here at the Department of Marine Resources are saddened to hear of Sen. Ed Youngblood’s wife’s illness and we wish them both the very best during these difficult times.

However, I feel compelled to respond to the part of the article that references a remark made by some in the Legislature that Sen. Dennis Damon’s participation at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission as a “junket.” Sen. Damon serves as the legislative appointee from Maine to the ASMFC, along with Pat White, who is the governor’s appointee, and myself, the commissioner of Maine’s Department of Marine Resources.

It is critical for our fisheries that Maine has a full complement of our ASMFC commissioners present during ASMFC deliberations. Issues of direct impact on several of our most important fisheries are routinely considered whenever the commission meets. To infer that the long days of often contentious meetings are in some way a “junket” is to devalue Sen. Damon’s important role in advocating on behalf of Maine’s commercial and recreational fishermen.

Those who would question his role or commitment should attend the next series of ASMFC meetings in August. I have no doubt that they would develop the same appreciation that I have for Sen. Damon’s dedication to public service.

George D. Lapointe

Commissioner

Maine Department of Marine Resources

Augusta