Commercial Fishermen: Partisan House Bill Threatens Future Health of U.S. Fisheries

Commercial Fishermen: Partisan House Bill Threatens Future Health of U.S. Fisheries

Fishing Communities Coalition Expresses Concern Over Deeply Flawed Magnuson-Stevens Act Legislation

Washington, DC – The nation’s leading organization of small-boat, conservation-minded commercial fishermen expressed serious concern with Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) reauthorization legislation (H.R. 200), which was reported out of the House Natural Resources Committee yesterday. The Fishing Communities Coalition (FCC), whose members represent more than 1,000 commercial fishermen, criticized a partisan process that resulted in bill language that would undermine decades of proven, sustainable fisheries practices.

“Rather than putting forward a bipartisan, consensus federal fisheries bill, H.R. 200 takes an outmoded approach to fisheries management that will have dire consequences for our fisheries, fishing communities and millions of Americans who enjoy seafood,” said Ben Martens of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association (MCFA), who testified before the committee in September. “It is deeply unfortunate that this legislation was marked up before a consensus, bipartisan agreement could be reached on legislation with such far-reaching impacts for fishing communities across the nation.”

“The Magnuson-Stevens Act is a success story – built on a foundation of cooperation and long-term thinking. In its current form, however, this bill makes several damaging changes to the MSA, including exempting some fisheries from annual catch limits and rebuilding requirements, while weakening strong core conservation provisions,” said Eric Brazer of the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance. “We look forward to working with legislators on both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate to address these serious concerns as the process moves forward.”

The FCC is concerned H.R. 200 would

Weaken National Fisheries Standards

  • H.R. 200 does not constitute a genuine national fisheries policy, as it creates different rules for different regions. For example, when it come to the vital issue of catch shares, the bill bans new catch shares in some regions, requires a referendum to enact them in other regions and fails to address the issue in others. In FCC’s view, the same rules should apply nationwide

Undermine Accountability

  • H.R. 200 exempts some fisheries from annual catch limits and rebuilding requirements – and overall weakens the strong conservation provisions that are the bedrock of the MSA.
  • H.R. 200 seeks to give recreational fishermen more access to fish, but does not require them to be accountable for what they catch. FCC has proposed mandatory reporting so that managers know how many fish were taken.

SMALL FISHING GROUPS GAIN ACCESS TO FEDERAL FINANCING SUPPORT

SMALL FISHING GROUPS GAIN ACCESS TO FEDERAL FINANCING SUPPORT

FCC Scores Big Win for Small-Boat Fishermen and their Communities

Washington, DC – Small-boat fishermen and community-based fishing organizations just received a big boost in their struggle to finance rights to catch fish in federally managed waters.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued a proposed rule that would provide financial assistance to community fishing associations, permit banks and community quota banks to purchase fishing quota and other harvesting rights. Since 2012, members of the Fishing Communities Coalition (FCC) have worked with Congress to change the law to ensure that community-based fishing associations could access a key loan program to finance harvesting rights for young and beginning fishermen.

The new rule implements changes to the Fisheries Finance Program (FFP) made by the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-120). Prior to the change, loans for the purchase of harvesting rights were limited to fisheries in Alaska.

“This is a major positive change that will give younger fishermen and smaller fishing operations a chance to build their businesses for the future,” said John Pappalardo, FCC President and CEO of the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance. “Financing community quota banks has been a huge challenge for our member fishermen, so having FFP loans available as a potential source of funding is a powerful change for the better.”

After the 2015 law was passed, members of the FCC met with NMFS personnel to provide information on how various quota banks were created and how they work.

The new rule does not waive the economic soundness test applied by NMFS to all FFP loans. Like other FFP loans, lending for harvesting rights is subject to a loan limit of 80 percent of the actual cost. Harvesting rights loans can carry a 25-year term and be used to purchase new rights or refinance debt associated with the prior purchase of harvesting rights.

“This new rule represents a major victory for fishing communities and small-scale fishing businesses across the nation,” Pappalardo continued. “FCC members in Alaska, Maine and Massachusetts have already created community quota banks – and this new rule will allow more fishermen to build a career on the water.”

 

COMMUNITY FISHERMEN: SCIENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT KEY TO FUTURE OF OUR FISHING COMMUNITIES

COMMUNITY FISHERMEN: SCIENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT KEY TO FUTURE OF OUR FISHING COMMUNITIES

As Senate Panel Examines Fisheries Science, FCC Members Emphasize Positive Impact of Magnuson-Stevens Act on Fishing Families and Local Economies

Washington, DC – As a key Senate panel examined fisheries science in a hearing Tuesday, members of the Fishing Communities Coalition (FCC) underscored the tremendous economic benefits science-based fisheries management has yielded for fishing communities across the country and urged lawmakers to strengthen these critical provisions as Congress considers reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA).

“Strong science-based fishery management under MSA has been critical to rebuilding and maintaining fish stocks, including the Atlantic Sea Scallop, which is vital to the livelihoods of so many Cape fishermen,” said John Pappalardo, CEO of the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance. “We urge Congress to build on the progress that has been made since this critical law was enacted over four decades ago. There is too much at stake to turn back.”

Since 2000 alone, 41 fish stocks around the country have been rebuilt under MSA. These hard-earned successes have produced substantial economic and social benefits and ensured a safe and sustainable seafood supply for our nation.

“Through a powerful combination of sustainable, science-based fisheries management and close collaboration with America’s fishing industry, the MSA has yielded remarkable results from coast to coast,” said Linda Behnken, an Alaska commercial fisherman and Executive Director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association. “Congress can secure the future of fishing communities by building on this success – including frequent stock assessments, better data collection across all sectors and policy designed to meet the needs of small-scale fishermen.”

Tuesday’s meeting of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard was the fourth in a series of hearings on MSA reauthorization. 

Last summer and this fall, representatives of four FCC member organizations from Alaska to the Gulf to Maine have testified before House and Senate committees on MSA reauthorization, including Linda Behnken of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, Shannon Carroll of the Alaska Marine Conservation Council, Ben Martens of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association and Bubba Cochrane of the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance.

COMMUNITY FISHERMEN OFFER ROADMAP TO SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES

COMMUNITY FISHERMEN OFFER ROADMAP TO SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES

In House Testimony, FCC Representative Ben Martens Outlines Commercial Fishing Priorities for Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization

Washington, DC – In testimony before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans, Ben Martens, Executive Director of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association (MCFA), a founding member of the Fishing Communities Coalition (FCC), called on Congress to stand by the historically successful legislation and make it even more effective in protecting and building sustainable fisheries nationwide.

“While we believe the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) is working well, reauthorization presents an opportunity to build on the foundational principles of the law that have brought so many of America’s fisheries back from the brink,” said Martens. “Our priorities include strong science-based decision-making, improving fishery data collection, ensuring accountability from all harvesters of the resource and better protecting our vital commercial fishing communities.”

The FCC has submitted a legislative package (see testimony for details) reflecting the shared priorities of more than 1,000 small-boat, community fishermen as Congress considers reauthorization of the MSA.

In his testimony, Martens made it clear that while the MCFA and FCC do not support existing legislative proposals (H.R.200 and H.R.2023) in their current form, the organizations support certain provisions of these bills and stand ready to work with Congress to build on the successful track record of the MSA.

“We look forward to working with Congress to find a path forward for reauthorization that does not compromise or roll back the great progress we have seen to date,” added Martens. “The future of Maine’s fishing communities and countless others across the country depend on it.”

The FCC’s legislative package focuses on six priority areas:

  • Council Accountability, Transparency and Public Process
  • Financing of Fisheries Monitoring Programs
  • Recreational Fishing / Catch Limits
  • Improved Forage Fish Management
  • Strengthening Fishing Communities
  • Supporting the Next Generation of Commercial Fishermen

Martens’s testimony comes less than two weeks after Captain Bubba Cochrane of Galveston, TX, a commercial fisherman and President of the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance, an FCC member, testified on MSA reauthorization before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard.