Saving Seafood

House committee passes act giving FWS authority over certain endangered species

May 18, 2018 — A U.S. House of Representatives committee has given its approval to a bill that proponents claim would eliminate redundancies in the Endangered Species Act and put the Fish and Wildlife Service in charge of safeguarding fish that migrate between fresh and ocean waters.

The Federally Integrated Species Health (FISH) Act passed the Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday, 16 May by a 22-14 vote. It now proceeds to the House floor.

Currently, endangered species responsibilities are shared between FWS, which resides in the Interior Department, and the National Marines Fisheries Service, which is under the purview of the Department of Commerce. U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert (R-California), the bill’s primary sponsor, said it doesn’t make sense for two agencies to share oversight.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

 

US lawmaker rekindles talk of moving NOAA endangered species power to Interior

April 13, 2018 — WASHINGTON — Legislation that would have the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) hand its Endangered Species Act (ESA) authority over salmon and other fish to the Department of Interior (DOI) got a little dust kicked up around it on Thursday.

US representative Doug Lamborn, a Colorado Republican, suggested lawmakers take a fresh look at the Federally Integrated Species Health Act (FISH Act), HR 3916, at the beginning of a nearly two-hour hearing of the Natural Resources Committee’s panel on water, power and oceans that he chairs. The hearing was intended to discuss the fiscal 2019 budgets for NOAA and other agencies.

“Whether it comes to offshore fishing or management of fish species listed under the Endangered Species Act, NOAA has been a source of frustration for many of our constituents over the years,” Lamborn said. “… Both [Interior’s] Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA have direct jurisdiction over the ESA and have struggled to harmonize their views on protected species management. It’s time for a holistic approach on managing these species.”

Read the full story at Undercurrent News