WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) today announced bipartisan legislation to clarify the status of the U.S.-Canada Transboundary Resources Sharing Understanding and give the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) greater flexibility in the management of groundfish stocks covered by the Understanding.
“Earlier this fall, negotiations between the U.S. and Canada broke down over catch limits of yellowtail flounder, leaving our fishermen to face potentially devastating consequences in both the groundfish and scallop industries,” said Senator Snowe. “The Magnuson-Stevens Act properly recognizes that fisheries managed under international agreements must include an added degree of flexibility to account for international fishing effort which U.S. regulators cannot control. Since the Administration has failed to acknowledge that the U.S.-Canada Transboundary Resources Sharing Understanding is, in fact, an international agreement, Congress must step in and correct this erroneous interpretation.”
The Magnuson Act permits fisheries managed under “international agreements” to have rebuilding periods that extend beyond the 10-year timeline that domestic stocks are subject to. However, the U.S. Department of State has stated the bilateral “understanding” between the U.S. and Canada fails to meet the criteria to be considered an “international agreement.” This ruling has hindered U.S. negotiations with Canada, as the 10-year timeline does not exist in Canadian law. Although Canada manages its stocks to maintain a rebuilding trajectory, their catch limits often far exceed those in the United States.
The Snowe initiative would close this loophole and clarify that the U.S.-Canada Understanding should be considered an international agreement, allowing groundfish stocks to be managed effectively and sustainable for the benefit of U.S. and Canadian fishermen and consumers without jeopardizing the long-term viability of fish stocks.