This is the first in a regular series of columns to be presented by Dr. Jim Balsiger, acting assistant administrator of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service.

I want to thank Gloucester Daily Times Editor Ray Lamont and fishing/waterfront reporter Richard Gaines for meeting with Regional Administrator Pat Kurkul and me last week at the Times as the winter storm subsided.

I am also grateful to the paper for raising the groundfish issue to the public, and I appreciate this chance to write a column that will appear every two weeks to share NOAA's perspective and answer questions.

Opening up better communications between NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service and the Gloucester community is crucial to reaching our common goal: to rebuild groundfish stocks to provide good jobs for people working in the fishing industry and have a sustainable marine ecosystem for future generations of New Englanders.

Last Monday, I also met at City Hall with Mayor Carolyn Kirk, Jacquie Odell, of the Northeast Seafood Coalition, and Vito Giacalone, a fishing industry leader. Mr. Giacalone said that fishermen were frustrated by adhering to catch limits that did not result in rebuilt stocks. We're also interested in addressing this problem and look forward to involving the fishing community in understanding this issue.

I recognize that regulatory actions may be difficult to understand. But fishery management is an open, deliberative process that involves NOAA as well as fishermen and others who sit on the New England Fishery Management Council, where management plans are made. These meetings are open and I encourage people who may not agree with the regulations to become involved in the public process.

Scores of NOAA employees call the Gloucester area their home and, like fishermen, want their community to grow and prosper through sustainable fish stocks and good jobs.

During my visit with Mayor Kirk and leaders of the fishing industry we spoke of new ways to open the lines of communication between NOAA and the Gloucester community. We are exploring ways to do that; this first column is an important step and I welcome suggestions from readers.

You can e-mail your ideas to me at public.concerns.groundfish@noaa.gov.