June 25, 2018 — A hotly debated bill that would revamp the key law that governs how the federal government manages fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere off the nation’s coast is headed for a vote Tuesday in the U.S. House of Representatives.
It’s called the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, or H.R. 200. It’s also referred to as the Modern Fish Act.
Its author, Rep. Don Young, says the bill would update and improve the Magnuson Stevens Act, the primary law that guides federal fisheries regulators.
“Reauthorizing the MSA will ensure a proper balance between the biological needs of fish stocks and the economic needs of fishermen and coastal communities,” Young said after the House Natural Resources Committee approved his bill in December. “MSA has not been reauthorized since 2006. It is long past time for this Congress to act and support our nation’s fisheries.”
Sport-fishing groups support the bill, saying it would give greater flexibility to states and regional boards to manage fisheries off their coasts and could lead to greater access for anglers.