March 22, 2016 — (Saving Seafood) —Rep. Tom MacArthur (NJ-03) is calling on Congress to prohibit the use of any funds to be used for designating national marine monuments, in a letter sent today to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science.
Rep. MacArthur writes that the current process of declaring national marine monuments relies on a century-old law, the 1906 Antiquities Act, that gives the Executive the authority to declare monuments by fiat, without any consultation. According to the letter, this process is undemocratic, and ignores the valid economic concerns of fishing communities, many of whom have already taken steps of their own initiative to maintain the ecological conditions of the areas in which they make their living.
“The diversity of interests encompassed at the shore necessitates a balanced democratic and scientific approach to our conservation and management that involves all of the relevant stakeholders,” writes Rep. MacArthur
Rep. MacArthur also states in his letter that the Antiquities Act provides no incentive for government officials to consult with state and local officials who know these resources best, which he contends is essential for sound resource management.
“To achieve management balance and buy-in from affected stakeholders and to adequately protect those areas that are most unique, we must not ignore the technical expertise of the fishing community and local and state wildlife officials and their willingness to apply sound conservation ethics to the resources they are privileged to access and proud to bring to the consumer,” he writes.