July 17, 2012 — A bipartisan group of Members of Congress from New Hampshire to Florida have written to Chairman Doc Hastings of the House Committee on Natural Resources asking that "with fewer than 30 legislative days remaining before the November elections … that the Natural Resources Committee take legislative action on fisheries management reform as soon as possible.' At a hearing held by the Natural Resources Committee last December, several Members of Congress including signers of this letter, raised a number of concerns that they asked be addressed before the next reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. In the letter, the Members also noted that "members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation's Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard announced their intention to hold hearings to begin reforming the flawed policies of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Management Act."
The text of the letter follows:
July 16,2012
The Honorable Doc Hastings
Chairman
House Committee on Natural Resources
1324 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Edward J. Markey
Ranking Member
House Committee on Natural Resources
1329 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Hastings and Ranking Member Markey:
With fewer than 30 legislative days remaining before the November elections, we again request that the Natural Resources Committee take legislative action on fisheries management reform as soon as possible. This is an urgent matter to us and the fishermen we have the privilege of representing. We write to you as Members of both parties and respectfully urge you to move this bipartisan effort forward expediently.
As was clear at the hearing the Committee held last December, our fishermen continue to face economic hardships as a result of the drastic policies set forth in the current Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Management Act. We believe that this should not be the case. Fishermen have a vested interest in participating in the rebuilding and conservation of fish stocks, but doing so must not come at the expense of the livelihood of those fishermen. By making sensible reforms to current fisheries law, such as some of those suggested at last December's hearing, fish stocks and the fishing industry can be rebuilt together.
It is our understanding that, last month, members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation's Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard announced their intention to hold hearings to begin reforming the flawed policies of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Management Act. It is positive that the Senate also appears to be recognizing the urgency of enacting such reforms.
Thank you for your consideration of our request.
Sincerely,
John F. Tierney (D- Massachusetts)
Walter B. Jones (R-North Carolina)
Timothy H. Bishop (D-New York)
Barney Frank (D- Massachusetts)
Frank C. Guinta (R- New Hampshire)
William R. Keating (D-Massachusetts)
Mike McIntyre (D-North Carolina)
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-New Jersey)
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Florida)