Sen. Brown Calls For Firing Of NOAA Head

Sen. Scott Brown is calling on President Obama to fire the head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, saying she's worsened the fishing industry's problems.

Brown said Saturday in a press conference at the Gloucester waterfront that Obama should replace Jane Lubchenco. In a statement, Brown said Lubchenco was indifferent to the industry's struggles and wrongly committed to a new management system he says is destroying fishing jobs.

Brown joins Massachusetts Rep. John Tierney and North Carolina Rep. Walter Jones, who last year called for Lubchenco's dismissal.

A NOAA spokesman said Lubchenco has always sought success for fishermen and wants to partner with them to build a profitable industry. He pointed to NOAA's commitment this week of millions to fund required on-board catch observers, a cost fishermen had worried they'd have to absorb.