July 12, 2018 — The U.S. House of Representatives voted 222-193 Wednesday to pass HR 200, Alaska representative Don Young’s update to the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), but only after he removed the most controversial provision in the bill.
The legislation, called the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, now awaits a companion in the Senate with which it can be conferenced.
In a statement celebrating his victory, Young boasted that his state is the nation’s leader in commercial fishing.
“The North Pacific is the gold standard of fisheries management, and in Alaska the fishing industry is crucial to our local economies and livelihood,” said Young after the vote. “…My bill will update MSA to ensure a proper balance between the biological needs of fish stocks and the economic needs of fishermen and coastal communities.”
The vote broke down almost along partisan lines, with 212 Republicans and just nine Democrats voting for the bill, while 15 Republicans and 178 Democrats voted against it.