U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe and Congressman Barney Frank yesterday released a letter asking for the National Academy of Sciences to weigh in on the "economic and ecological consequences" of committing to the full recovery of all fish stocks at the same deadline as required by federal law.
"We would like to see an independent, scientific analysis of the Magnuson-Stevens Act's 10-year rebuilding timeline mandate to determine whether it is appropriate and attainable standard," Snow and Frank wrote to Jane Lubchenco, who heads the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The letter from Maine Republican and Massachusetts Democrat was dated Tuesday.
The letter was distributed to the media yesterday — a week before recreational and commercial fishermen from three coasts are planning to meet on the steps of the Capitol in Washington, D.C., to lobby to convince Congress to clarify Magnuson language that requires the end of "overfishing" for all stocks by a 10-year deadline.