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U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), ranking Democrat on the House Fisheries and Oceans Subcommittee, gave the following statement today at a House Resources Committee hearing with representatives from the eight Fishery Management Councils on reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
"I would like to thank the representatives who are here today from the eight Fishery Management Councils to give us their perspectives on the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
"Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Councils have the central responsibilities for managing today’s fisheries, both to ensure the health of tomorrow’s commercial and recreational industries, and also to ensure the health of tomorrow’s ocean ecosystems.
"I hope this hearing represents the beginning of a long-awaited dialogue on the issues that this Committee needs to consider concerning the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
"Since I am not sure when I will next be able to comment on fisheries management issues, I am going to take this opportunity to comment on a few issues that are of serious concern to my constituents.
"First off, I strongly oppose the Bush administration's proposal in its Magnuson draft to require recreational fishermen to purchase a marine license. While I certainly agree that there is a critical need to improve data collection systems for both stock assessments and recreational catches, it is unconscionable to charge our fishermen $35 each just to create a registry.
"There are many anglers in my district for whom fishing is not just a pastime but actually a way of putting food on the table -- they certainly cannot afford such fee. NMFS needs to rethink this unfortunate proposal and work to continue to improve recreational data collection. The Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey is often far too inaccurate, and it is anglers and fish that pay the price. We need to move forward to develop new, reliable data collection systems.
"Further, I must mention that it too often seems that recreational fishermen are being treated unfairly in stock allocation decisions. If there are serious problems with stock levels, quota reductions should not unfairly punish recreational anglers. The cumulative impacts of numerous stock decisions have really come down hard on fishermen in my district and, consequently, our coastal economy.
"I hope that this Committee is finally ready to engage in the work that needs to be done to ensure the long-term productivity of our fishery resources and the long-term protection of our ocean ecosystems. In many Congressional districts in this country, fish is simply a choice of what to have for dinner. For my coastal constituents, however, fishing is a livelihood or hobby for many and part of the fabric of our communities.
"I look forward to hearing from the witnesses and continuing this process in the Committee. Thank you, Mr. Chairman." |
