March 13, 2011 – Members of the Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard met with two heads of the National Marine Fisheries Service during the oversight hearing last week. Members of several fisheries user groups followed by outlining what they believed was wrong with the system.
User groups and some senators said the act is failing in some ways – especially where rebuilt and not-overfished species are concerned.
Opponents say closures on black sea bass are financially hurting the commercial and recreational sectors. The species has several closed seasons despite NMFS research that demonstrates the stock is healthy and not overfished.
Other species – such as cobia, wahoo and dolphin – are being targeted for annual catch limits when there has been no research on stock levels and no determination of whether the species are overfished.
"The problem is with the law and how it is written."
Read the complete story from The Virginian-Pilot.