January 2, 2019 — Revisions to federal fishing regulations that have received widespread praise from competing interests are drawing a more cautious reaction from one commercial fishing group.
Members of the National Coalition for Fishing Communities, which represents commercial fishermen in communities along all U.S. coasts, says it wants to ensure the Modern Fish Act does not diminish the nation’s main fishing law, which awaits reauthorization by Congress.
The group says the Magnuson-Stevens Act does need reforms but that its main protections against overfishing have worked well and need to be maintained.
“Any Magnuson-Stevens re-authorization should include two goals,” said David Krebs, president of Ariel Seafoods Inc. in Destin, Florida and a board member of the Gulf Coast Seafood Alliance, said in a coalition news release. “The 10 national standards must be maintained, and provisions should be included to ensure balance between commercial and recreational interests on the eight fishery management councils.”