News |
Putting fish over politics |
|
Remarkable things can happen when key stakeholders and leaders in
Washington find common ground for a common good. An excellent case in
point is the congressional effort to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, a landmark conservation measure
signed into law by President George W. Bush five years ago this
January.
In the mid-2000s, we had arrived at a point where our marine fisheries management system just wasn't working in many parts of the country. The clock was ticking to reform our nation's primary law for governing U.S. ocean fish. Disputes among main constituencies were many, but one thing was clear to virtually all - business as usual was no longer an option. With numerous vital commercial and recreational fish stocks severely depleted, action was needed to help them recover and prevent others from facing the same fate. Everyone knew the way forward wouldn't be easy, but something had to be done. A coalition came together at the last minute to pass the legislation. With vital support from the White House, the group spanned traditional partisan lines and included leaders from conservation as well as the commercial and recreational fishing communities. Read the complete opinion piece in The Kansas City Star
|
|||
|
|
||
HASTINGS: Time to improve the Endangered Species Act
May 18, 2012 - When the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was signed into law in 1973 by President Nixon, he spoke about the importance of preserving “the rich array of animal life with which our country has been blessed.” I believe that goal is as important today as it was back then. However, after nearly 40 years, it’s time to take a fresh, honest look at the law and consider whether there are ways it could be improved to do a better job of protecting and recovering species.
