WASHINGTON — The Pew Environment Group and 44 national, regional and state conservation groups today pressed congressional leaders to oppose “The Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2009,” saying the legislation would allow overexploitation of vulnerable fish populations.
This bill is designed to weaken the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the nation’s primary law governing management of U.S. ocean fish which was reauthorized in 2006. The proposed legislation would allow fishery management councils to ignore requirements for rebuilding depleted fish populations to healthy levels in as short a time as possible, depending on the biology of the fish species.
In a letter sent today to Congress, Pew, along with 44 other conservation groups, warns that this legislation would thwart crucial provisions by letting fishery managers put short-term economic benefits before long-term economic sustainability. The bill also would indefinitely delay the environmental and economic benefits of critical rebuilding actions.
“The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that depleted fish populations be rebuilt as quickly as biologically possible,” said Lee Crockett, director of Federal Fisheries Policy at the Pew Environment Group. “But shortsightedness and political pressure has kept too many fish populations from reaching healthy, sustainable levels. If this bill were enacted, it would guarantee that many of our coastal fisheries would not be restored in our lifetime.”
For a list of all the national, regional and state conservation groups opposed to the bill and to read the letter to Members of Congress, go to www.endoverfishing.org.
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