May 29, 2015 — The Garden State Seafood Association, a statewide organization promoting the interests of the commercial fishing industry and seafood consumers in New Jersey, last week joined with 150 businesses, organizations and individuals on the East, West and Gulf coasts to express support for the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee’s work on reauthorizing the act that regulates U.S. fisheries.
The changes that H.R. 1335 will make to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act have been debated for years by numerous groups including commercial, recreational and environmental interests. Chairman Don Young, R-Alaska, and the House Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans has completed its work on the bill, which is expected to go to full House next week for approval.
The legislation will reform certain elements of the law to restore flexibility to the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and to adjust certain specific problematic regulations that have not proven to function as intended since they were added or amended in the last reauthorization a decade ago.
The Garden State Seafood Association’s central objective is to ensure that our marine resources are managed responsibly, and that all of the people in New Jersey, anglers, commercial fishermen and seafood consumers, have fair access to enjoy the bounty of New Jersey’s rich coastal and offshore waters, now and for generations to come
We are not alone in our desire to make changes to the current law. The National Marine Fisheries Service is currently revisiting numerous aspects of the law through a separate rulemaking process where they will change and clarify National Standards, which are key elements of the law. In addition the Council Coordinating Committee, which consists of the chairs, vice chairs and executive directors from each regional fishery management council, reached consensus on the following issues:
Read the full opinion piece at the Asbury Park Press