July 19, 2018 — A local environmental nonprofit is speaking out against proposed changes to federal fishing regulations outlined under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
The law has regulated fisheries in the U.S. since 1976. It was amended in 1996 and 2007 to help rebuild fish populations and prevent overfishing.
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a partisan bill with largely Republican support called H.R. 200 – Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act that could give regional fishery councils more freedom to set catch limits.
Jennifer Felt, ocean campaign director for Conservation Law Foundation, said the change could threaten years of progress.
“These new regulations established by this bill would give the (management councils) the legal flexibility to set even looser standards, and we know that this will only compound the problem for fish like Atlantic Cod that are already on the brink,” Felt said.