Dear Colleague:
Fishery laws should be designed to promote both healthy fisheries and healthy fishing communities. Unfortunately, current law can sometimes impose unduly strict regulations that are based on arbitrary deadlines and inadequate information. Fishermen and the related industry hurt as a result.
The Flexibility and Access in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2011, H.R. 3061 makes critical improvements to the way America’s fisheries are managed. In order to help keep fishing communities economically viable without compromising the ultimate goal of maintaining healthy stocks, we invite you to join our effort as a cosponsor.
In 2009, the commercial fishing industry supported approximately 1,029,542 jobs and $116 billion in sales. In the same year, recreational fishing activities supported over 327,000 jobs and recreational fishing trips and equipment sales totaled $50 billion. While the importance of the fishing industry to our national economy cannot be overstated the unfortunate trend in jobs and sales has been downward.
Action is needed now to reinvigorate recreational and commercial fishing and allow fishermen to do what they enjoy and contribute to job creation and the economy while doing it. The Flexibility and Access in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act accomplishes this through reforms that:
Increase Transparency in the Scientific Process: Requires the Science and Statistical Committee (SSC), responsible for making binding recommendations on fishing levels, to publish a report describing the information it uses and how any lack of information was used to recommend a lower fishing level. The SSC would also need to justify their decision and provide recommendations on how to increase fishing levels in the future.
Require Consideration of Better Information for Managing Recreational Fishing: Places a new requirement on regional fishery management councils and requires better information to be considered. Fisheries managers are still using faulty data and the bill requires them to start using the improved system of the Marine Recreational Information Program. In addition the National Research Council will have to issue a report on needed improvements in recreational fishing data collection so fisheries aren’t closed without informed and comprehensive scientific information guiding the decision.
Responsibly Open up Access: Makes good on the promise to fishermen that rebuilding stocks means more fish for them to catch by giving the Secretary of Commerce the authority necessary to override restrictive decisions and grant fishermen access to a healthy fishery when a stock is rebuilt, overfishing is not occurring or approaching that state and there is simply not enough information to support such a low catch limit.
Evaluate and Fix the Economic and Social Impacts: Requires an annual economic and social impact statement that evaluates the impact fisheries management is having on fishing communities and also ensures that coastal businesses are included in the assessment. The bill also requires the impact statement be prepared in conjunction with a fishing industry advisory committee so real world experience and advice is being incorporated. The Secretary of Commerce would then need to implement mitigation measures where the annual economic and social impact statement identifies adverse impacts on fishing communities and coastal businesses.
We hope that you will join us in fighting for fishing communities and coastal businesses and the economic and social contributions they make to our nation. To become a co-sponsor of this legislation please contact Brendan Hennessey in Rep. Pallone’s office at 5-4671 or Brendan.Hennessey@mail.house.gov.
Sincerely,
FRANK PALLONE, JR. WALTER B. JONES
Member of Congress Member of Congress
BARNEY FRANK FRANK A. LOBIONDO
Member of Congress Member of Congress
