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Fisheries Management Act Clears House Resources Committee
by Mary Jane Williamson

May 18, 2006—Alexandria, VA—The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) applauds the action of the House Resources Committee which voted yesterday to send H.R. 5018, the American Fisheries Management and Marine Life Protection Act, to the full House. The Committee’s action brings important improvements to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and moves the reauthorization of the bill one step closer to completion. The Magnuson-Stevens Act is the over-arching law governing American fisheries and fishing-related activities in U.S. waters.

Richard W. Pombo (R-CA), chairman of the House Resources Committee, introduced the Act with Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Rep. Don Young (R-AK). Rep. Pombo’s bill, as amended in the Committee, emerged more closely resembling the Senate Commerce Committee’s approved bill sponsored by Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK), Committee Chairman.

“In 1996, significant strides were made for marine fisheries with the passage of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.,” said ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman. “Yesterday’s action by the House Resources Committee continues to build on that success.”

H.R. 5018 has important provisions for recreational angling, including more equitable allocation of fisheries for anglers; improvements in fisheries data collection and increased funding for the collection process; and establishing guidelines before marine protected areas can be created. The House bill differs from the Senate bill in that it does not include provisions to create a national registry of recreational anglers, however, it does authorize funding to improve the National Marine Fisheries Services’ Marine Recreational Fishing Survey Statistics Program.

“On behalf of the tackle industry, we are looking forward to passage of this important piece of legislation and we thank Representative Pombo for his leadership on this reauthorization,” said Gordon Robertson, ASA vice president and lead for Government Affairs.

The American Sportfishing Association is the sportfishing industry’s trade association, uniting more than 650 members of the sportfishing and boating industries with state fish and wildlife agencies, federal land and water management agencies, conservation organizations, angler advocacy groups and outdoor journalists. The American Sportfishing Association safeguards and promotes the enduring social, economic and conservation values of sportfishing.

 

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