Reauthorizarion of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act

[njdiver1]

Today the Administration released a new proposal to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The bill contains key elements to implement the President's 2004 Ocean Action Plan and calls for a hard deadline to end overfishing. "The commercial and recreational fishing industries are vital to the health of our economy," said Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez. "For over 30 years, Magnuson-Stevens has been our guide for wise stewardship of the nation's fisheries resources and helped the U.S. become a world leader in marine science and conservation as a result. The Administration's reauthorization bill builds upon these successes while evolving to meet today's changing needs."

The new bill includes the following provisions:

* Ensures that fisheries management decisions are based on proven, peer-reviewed scientific information;

* Encourages fishery managers to use market-based management, such as dedicated access privileges, where appropriate, to make fishing safer and more profitable;

* Calls for tougher fines and penalties for those who break fisheries laws;

* Requires an end to overfishing practices;

* Establishes a national saltwater angler registry to ensure that recreational catches are better counted for scientific assessments and management purposes;

* Elevates the importance of ecosystem-based management by authorizing the regional fishery management councils to develop ecosystem plans.

Building on the commitment in the U.S. Ocean Action Plan, to promote greater use of market-based systems for fisheries management, Secretary Gutierrez pledged to work with the Fishery Management Councils to double the number of dedicated access privileges programs by 2010. This goal will bring eight new fisheries under market-based management programs. In the eight fisheries where dedicated access privileges have been implemented since 1990, fishermen have enjoyed higher profits, lower costs, longer fishing seasons and a safer, more stable industry.

"Oceans are important to everyone and one of our highest priorities is to create a vibrant well managed fishery system that can provide healthy food and good jobs to Americans for generations to come," said Chairman Jim Connaughton, White House Council on Environmental Quality. "These new tools will help us toward ending overfishing and rebuilding our fish stocks."

For a copy of the new proposal, along with the press release and a section-by-section analysis, please visit: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/msa2005.

Last Friday, Dr. William Hogarth, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries, conducted briefings on the Administration's bill for Senate Commerce Committee staff and House Resources Committee staff. These two committees have oversight jurisdiction for the Magnuson-Stevens Act. He also held a conference call with the eight Regional Fishery Management Councils to provide them with information prior to the formal release of the bill. Today, Dr. Hogarth will conduct briefings for other interested Congressional staff and participate in media interviews.



Issue: Saltwater Angler Registration

Overview:
The recreational saltwater fishing industry is valued at approximately $30 billion
annually. Maintaining healthy fish stocks is critical to maintaining the economic health
of this marine angling industry. In order to continue to improve management of marine
fisheries, it is essential to obtain more complete recreational fishing data. The President’s
Ocean Action Plan acknowledged the importance of accurately counting America’s
saltwater anglers to improve federal fisheries management. Unfortunately, the existing
state-based system of fishing licenses is incomplete, hampering enumeration of this
important user group and subsequent collection of angler information for fisheries
management.

The President’s Ocean Action Plan directs NOAA to work with the States, Fishery
Management Councils, Interstate Fisheries Commissions, sportfishing communities, and
other Federal agencies to: 1) harmonize data collection from existing saltwater fishing
licenses, and 2) develop a draft proposal for mechanisms to complete the existing State-
based saltwater fishing license network or propose appropriate alternatives that would
improve fisheries management, especially in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.

Proposal:
The Administration’s Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorization proposal would create a
national angler database to improve data collection. NOAA would defer to state
licensing/registration programs where those programs exist, as long as they collect the
necessary information. However, if the state does not have an appropriate program in
place, NOAA will create a registration program. Fees collected by NOAA to administer
the database would be sent to a dedicated fund to support fisheries management.

Purpose:
The Administration’s proposal includes a national saltwater angler registry, which will
help to improve the management of recreational fisheries. Knowing who fishes and
where they fish will advance our scientific assessments and management of the resource,
ensuring healthy stocks that can support continued angling.

NOAA supports states’ prerogative to gather information regarding local fisheries.
NOAA is committed to collaborating with state fishery managers and scientists to
establish this crucial national data collection system.

 

[drbill]

I would be a bit suspicious of whatever is suggested in this reauthorization. It sounds good, but so does the "Healthy Forests" and "Clear Skies" initiatives.

 

[Johnoly]

* Establishes a national saltwater angler registry to ensure that recreational catches are better counted for scientific assessments and management purposes;

With what is happening to the Red Grouper limits and obviously false data collection practices, getting recreational catches reported will be next to impossible now. Too many times the recreational guys have been burned by wild guess's from the NMFS. Get rid of Crabtree and Hogarth and put someone in place that will use their heads and stand up to the backroom politics.

There is a huge loud voice from all the recreational fishermen out there who vote and the bill will go through some incredible changes before it is passed.