The legislation, authored by Rep. William Keating, D-Quincy, would route fines for violations of the Magnuson-Stevens Act to the New England council. Keating told the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Thursday that the money would go toward conducting research.

"The issues currently plaguing the fishing industry are complex and divisive," Keating said. "Yet here we sit this morning in full agreement that the common crisis facing fishermen from Massachusetts to North Carolina is the urgent need for increased research and hard, scientific data in order to implement fair and effective fisheries management policies."

Fines for violations under the Magnuson-Stevens Act currently go into the Asset Forfeiture Fund of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The rerouting of the funds to the council would help fund research on fish stocks and would address problems with the Asset Forfeiture Fund, he said. Keating noted the Commerce Department's inspector general found last year the fund was used for items such as cars for federal agents, a $300,000 luxury vessel for use by government employees and coverage of trip expenses to conferences in distant locations.

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