WASHINGTON — May 30, 2014 — House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA- 04) delivered the following opening statement (as prepared) at Thursday’s Full Committee markup of H.R. 4742, “Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act.”
“The Committee will now be considering HR 4742, the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act.
This bill will renew the Magnuson-Stevens Act that provides the fundamental framework for our Nation’s fisheries management. The last renewal, or reauthorization, of the Magnuson-Stevens Act was in 2006 and expired in September 2013.
The goal of HR 4742 is to strengthen and improve the Act through common sense reforms that increase management flexibility based on science, ensure greater government transparency, promote responsible fishing and prevent overfishing, improve fish data collection, and provide predictability and certainty for American jobs and local communities whose economic livelihoods depend on fishing.
The impact of fishing in many coastal regions – including in the State of Washington and in the Ranking Member’s state – help define that region. According to a recent report by NOAA, the U.S. seafood industry supported approximately 1.3 million jobs and generated $141 billion in sales impacts, $39 billion in income impacts, and $59 billion in value added impacts.
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