Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Fighting for Our Fishermen
On Monday, I attended a special information session regarding
the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act that was held at the
Massachusetts State House. Fishermen,
legislative leaders, and industry experts provided compelling testimony that the
current system is an example of archaic and arbitrary rules and regulations that
have provided few benefits and great hardships at the expense of a once
thriving fishing industry.
For years I have advocated for better science to assess the
fish stocks off the Atlantic Coast. The
current fish assessment measures are antiquated, and do not provide an accurate
description of the groundfish populations.
Yesterday’s session afforded fishing advocates a great opportunity to
present their argument to Chairman Mark Beglich (D-Alaska), the Chair of the U.S.
Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard.
I am extremely thankful for the Chairman taking the time to
visit Massachusetts and hear from the people who are affected by the
regulations governing the fishing industry.
I would also like to thank U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren for
coordinating the hearing. Also in
attendance were U.S. Senator Ed Markey, Congressmen John Tierney, and Congressman
Bill Keating. With the help of fishermen, fishing advocates, federal officials,
and state officials working together, it is my hope we can enact real change
for effective measures and controls that foster responsible ways of sustaining
fish populations.
Please click here to read Gloucester
Daily Times Reporter Sean Horgan’s report regarding the information session.
