May 9, 2012 – The Obama administration would be barred from further restricting fishing catches along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts for at least a year under a measure the House passed early Wednesday.
The measure, co-sponsored by Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Panama City, would bar new "catch shares" on an array of fish, including summer flounder, red snapper and grouper.
The fishing industry has generally fought limits, saying quotas squeeze businesses and deprive coastal communities of billions in revenue.
"What I'm referring to here is nothing less than a battle to prevent freedom in our oceans," Southerland said on the House floor before the vote approving his proposal. His Panhandle district sits on the Gulf Coast.
The measure, an amendment to a fiscal 2013 bill funding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was adopted 220-191. The vote was largely along party lines, but several East Coast Democrats supported the measure. The spending bill is expected to pass this week before it heads to the Senate for consideration.
The debate comes as the government expands its efforts to prevent overfishing and prepares to issue a host of new fishing quotas.
Read the full story at Florida Today.