Washington

Senator Snowe released the following statement: WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recognizing the ongoing plight of the New England groundfishing industry, U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe, Ranking Member on the Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard today, in a letter, urged Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to exercise his authority under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) and implement emergency regulations to increase the 2010 annual catch limits (ACL) for fish stocks in the New England multispecies fishery, also known as the groundfishery. On May 1, 2010, the groundfishery will begin operating under a management structure knows as “sectors” and will be forced to adhere to catch limits for some species that have been reduced by as much as 75 percent from 2009 levels. Senator Snowe drafted the letter with Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.), and they were joined in this request by 21 of their House and Senate colleagues. “Past regulatory structures have managed this fishery in a way that works for neither the fish nor the fishermen, and without emergency Secretarial action, we will doom sector management to the same failure,” said Senator Snowe. “Many of the annual catch limits the agency has imposed for 2010 are based on science that is imply insufficient to provide a valid population estimate, yet they will unquestionably lead to a premature closure of this fishery and an economic disaster for our coastal communities. The 2010 ACL of pollock, for example, is just one quarter of the 2009 catch limit, and some fishermen have reported that the amount of pollock they caught in a single tow last year would exhaust their share of the species, shutting them out of the fishery for the rest of the season. We cannot ask our fishermen to operate in an environment where the first tow they make could literally be their last.” Section 305(c) of the Magnuson Stevens Act as last amended in 2006 gives the Secretary of Commerce the authority to promulgate emergency interim measures if he finds that an emergency exists. The letter makes the case that the drastic cuts to ACLs for 2010 constitute such an emergency. “This Administration has made a concerted push for more catch share systems, like sector management. As one of the first such systems to go into effect since the issuance of NOAA’s draft catch share policy, I’m sure the agency agrees with my desire to see sector management succeed,” added Senator Snowe. “Therefore I hope the Secretary will give this request serious consideration and come up with concrete solutions that will pave the way for a smooth transition to this new system and a sustainable future for the fishery.”   The entire Senate delegations from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York joined Senator Snowe and Rep. Frank in sending the letter today, along with 13 U.S. Representatives. The signatories were: Senators Olympia Snowe (R, Maine), Susan Collins (R, Maine), Jeanne Shaheen (D, NH), Judd Gregg (R, NH), John Kerry (D, MA), Scott Brown (R, MA), Jack Reed (D, RI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D, RI), Chuck Schumer (D, NY), and Kristen Gillibrand (D, NY); and Representatives Barney Frank (D, MA), John Tierney (D, MA), Chellie Pingree (D, ME), Michael Capuano (D, MA), Jim Langevin (D, RI), Joe Courtney (D, CT), Timothy Bishop (D, NY), Peter King (R, NY), James McGovern (D, MA), Patrick Kennedy (D, RI), Carol Shea-Porter (D, NH), and Paul Hodes (D, NH).      

NEW BEDFORD — New England's congressional delegation Thursday went over the heads of NOAA officials and appealed directly to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke for relief from sharp commercial fishing restrictions that will take effect May 1, one week from Saturday.

Ten senators and 13 members of the House informed Locke that he, as secretary, has the legal authority to impose emergency rules changes without running afoul of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

Meanwhile, the House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife heard testimony on the predicted economic trouble coming from new rules that are expected to decimate commercial fishing in the Northeast.

[read the SouthCoastToday story in full]

 

 

 

BOSTON—Nearly two dozen members of Congress are asking the U.S. Department of Commerce secretary to take emergency steps to increase fishing catch limits before the Northeast switches to a new way to manage the fishery.

Under the new system, in effect May 1, fishermen working in groups called "sectors" are allowed to catch a certain amount of each species of groundfish, such as cod and flounder. If the sectors exceed their limit on any species, they must stop fishing for all species.

In the letter to Commerce Secretary Gary Locke dated Wednesday, the lawmakers said catch limits for some fish, such as pollock, are so low, that fishermen could exceed their sector's limit in one tow of their nets.

[read the AP story in its entirety]

 

 

 

Brian Rothschild, the chief marine science advisor to the New England commercial fishing industry, Thursday described the impending start of the groundfish catch share system as an "experiment" conceived in blithe ignorance that is on track to wreak unnecessary cultural, social and economic havoc.

But the May 1 launch of the regime will not be delayed, NOAA administrator Jane Lubchenco announced. Lubchenco made her decision public in a letter to New Bedford Mayor Scott Lang, who had — along with other elected officials — been urging the postponement.

The new system scheduled to debut May 1 has ratcheted down allocations to remove pressure of any kind on rebuilding stocks. "Risk aversive" was Rothschild's characterization of the approach taken by the federal fisheries management bureaucracy.

[read the Gloucester Daily Times story in full]

 

 

 

Ten Senators and thirteen House Members representing northeastern states today released a letter sent to Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, urgently requesting him to immediately increase catch share limits slated to go into effect on May 1st.  In addition, the twenty-three lawmakers requested a meeting with Locke at the earliest possible time in order to discuss the issue.

The pending implementation of Amendment 16, known as catch shares or sector management, could have a devastating effect on the fishing industry in the Northeast.  The program would slash the total fish catch from the 2009 levels on what are known as "choke stocks" —  pollock, Gulf of Maine winter flounder, southern New England yellowtail flounder, Gulf of Maine cod, and Georges Bank yellowtail flounder.  In past years, New England annual groundfish catches earned as much $313 million annually.  By 2007, the value of the catch had dropped by over two-thirds to $92 million.  The new Amendment 16 limits would push annual income even lower.

The Secretary of Commerce is granted emergency powers to amend the catch share program under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA.)  

"This is as tough a time economically as we've ever seen for working people and it's been especially brutal for our fishermen," said Senator John Kerry.  "We need immediate action to ease the burden of the new federal fishing regulations on our fishermen and their families.  I look forward to meeting with Secretary Locke and NOAA Administrator Lubchenco to find appropriate ways to increase fishing limits and maintain progress toward a sustainable fishery.  I will also continue to work for federal funding to improve stock assessments, to help our fishermen with the new regulations and to implement a voluntary permit buyback for those who are interested."

"Moving to catch shares is a controversial step that will cause some turmoil in the fishing industry under the best circumstances. Increasing the catch limits would reduce this turmoil," said Congressman Barney Frank.   "I do not understand what argument there is for not taking this step, and I urge those who are seeking acceptance of the catch share decision to recognize that it is in their interest to see that it is implemented with as little harm to fisherman as is possible."

"Our fishermen deserve an economically viable and ecologically sustainable future for their families and businesses," said Congressman John F. Tierney. "Given the upcoming implementation of the catch-share system and its uncertain impact on the fishing community, I have joined my colleagues in requesting immediate action that would ease the effects of the new fishing regulations. I will continue to fight for support for fisherman so that they will have the opportunity to succeed."

The twenty-three members of Congress expressed deep concern that the way the catch share program is structured could lead to the closing of the entire northeast fishery.  For example, under Amendment 16, when fishermen catch just one quarter of the 2009 harvest level of pollock, they will be shut down for the year for all other species.  

In addition, the letter expresses support for a vessel and permit buyback that would provide fishermen planning to leave the industry a means to do so while avoiding bankruptcy.  The letter also requests an increased commitment to funding for scientific research on fisheries.

 

LIST OF SIGNATORIES

 

MASSACHUSETTS

Senator John Kerry

Senator Scott Brown

Congressman Barney Frank

Congressman John Tierney

Congressman James McGovern

Congressman Michael Capuano

 

RHODE ISLAND

Senator Jack Reed

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

Congressman Jim Langevin

Congressman Patrick Kennedy

 

MAINE

Senator Olympia Snowe

Senator Susan Collins

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree

Congressman Michael Michaud

 

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Senator Jeanne Shaheen

Senator Judd Gregg

Congressman Paul Hodes

Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter

 

NEW YORK

Senator Charles Schumer

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

Congressman Timothy Bishop

Congressman Peter King

 

CONNECTICUT

Congressman Joe Courtney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife, led by Del. Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-GU), held an oversight hearing on "A Community Perspective on Catch Shares ."

WITNESSES:

Panel 1:

Captain David T. Goethel
Fishing Vessel Ellen Diane
Julian Magras
Chairman of the Board
St. Thomas Fishermen's Association

Captain Wayne Moody
Fishing Vessel Capriccio

Jefferson Angers
President
Center for Coastal Conservation

Panel 2:

James Donofrio
Executive Director
Recreational Fishing Alliance

Bob Dooley
President
United Catcher Boats

Brian Rothschild, Ph.D.
Montgomery Charter Professor of Marine Science and Technology
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Captain Terry Arnold Alexander
Fishing Vessels Jocka and Rachel T 

Opening Statement:
Chairwoman Madeleine Bordallo