Googling 'Jim Estes', the guy cited as saying: "...that's a very scary thing. I worry that it borders on censorship...'' shows that the guy has been very active the past 30 years, and apparently unfettered in how he and collegues release their research results to the public - he's a sought-after sound-bite guy by all the mainstream media (especially on matters of marine biology), and he's never had to check with his USGS bosses before.

Now he has to, and doesn't like it, after 30 years of independence. But he's getting a USGS paycheck, so I can see where they're coming from; they don't want to be uninformed and caught flat-footed. They should tread this new "must report to HQ" rule very lightly, and Prof. Estes should cry foul if they try to suppress anything. Shouldn't be a problem, since Fox, CNN, et al have him on speed-dial.