November 19, 2013 — The Gulf Seafood Institute (GSI) has authorized a position paper detailing the organizations platform on the upcoming reauthorization of the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). The position paper has been presented to the House Resources and Senate Commerce Committees during recent meetings on Capitol Hill.
The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard is in the process of holding a series of hearings on MSA to review perspectives from different regions across the country. A recent hearing focused on the southeast region, including the Gulf of Mexico.
The Gulf Seafood Institute is expanding its current MSA platform as it continues to work with policymakers on issues affecting the Gulf coast seafood community.
“U.S. fish populations are rebuilding and fish abundance is improving,” said Johnny Greene, an Alabama charter captain and member of the GSI board. “Since 2000, thirty-two fish stocks in the U.S. have been rebuilt meaning that routine stock assessments conducted by fishery scientists indicate that the abundance of the stock is above the maximum sustainable yield.”
According to Green, GSI, which seeks to bolster fisheries science and research helping to preserve the Gulf seafood resource and contribute to the longevity of the industry overall, supports legislation reauthorizing the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.