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Hey thats me. The following comments and my involvement in the MSA debates is not done on behalf of any organization that I serve or represent.
The US Congress is one year into the debate over reauthorization of the Magnuson Stevens Act. I testified before the US Senate last Spring suggesting that instead of allowing more time to end overfishing (a scientific term) and extending rebuilding timelines that congress focus more on subjects like mandating that the economic impact of recreational fisheries be considered in management plans, that forage species contribution to healthy fishy stocks be included in management plans and that the ever so slow roll out of the MRIP recreational data collection plan be accelerated.
The first draft of what will be many versions over the next year was written by US Rep "Doc" Hastings and in my opinion it has many flaws. I decided to join the press call so that recreational subjects would be included the debate.
Yes, there were environmental groups involved but there is no secret that I will work with pretty much any group that shares common goals that benefit the recreational fishing community. Pew has backed our North East fight over the effects being felt by the Atlantic Herring and Mackerel mid water trawlers. EDF has backed efforts of for hire captains in Southern New England trying to establish electronic reporting so their fleet can reduce uncertainty in recreational catch data and hopefully access a higher portion of available allocation.
The current language in MSA has allowed enough flexibility for Gulf of Maine Cod to be in a rebuilding plan for 20 straight years and that has HURT recreational fishing in New England. Wait until you hear what is about to happen to recreational Haddock fishing. (rolling eyes now).
Many people that don't have the time to actually attend the technical meetings and gain an inside understanding of how the plans work feel the work "flexibility" is going to get us more fish. Sorry but it won't work the way this draft legislation is proposing.
I agree with the comments that environmental factors such as seals need to be addressed however this legislation also ignores these factors as well.
I will say that it's not really worth getting into a huge public debate of this draft as it is well known that Alaska Sen Begich is due to release his version any day and there are at least four other versions also being released in the coming months.
Next September or so we will likely have great debates over this but since my name got posted here I decided I would chime in at least one time.
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