Senator Snowe Says New Law Will Enhance Management of New England's Historic Groundfish Industry

Press Release

The International Fisheries Clarification Act, introduced by Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard, in December of 2009, was signed into law today and will allow regulators to manage fish stocks shared by U.S. and Canadian fishermen in a more sustainable fashion.

"For too long, our fishery managers have been placed at a competitive disadvantage in negotiating catch limits with their Canadian counterparts because of an erroneous interpretation of the law," said Senator Snowe. "With the enrollment of this legislation into law, I expect the National Marine Fisheries Service and the New England Fishery Management Council to act swiftly to reopen negotiations with Canada and develop new catch limits under this agreement that will level the playing field for the hard-working members of the New England groundfish industry beginning with the next fishing year which starts in May 2011."

The Magnuson-Stevens Act, which provides legislative underpinning for nearly all U.S. fishery management measures, permits fisheries managed under "international agreements" to have rebuilding periods that extend beyond the 10-year timeline that domestic stocks are subject to. However, the U.S. Department of State has stated the bilateral "understanding" between the U.S. and Canada fails to meet the criteria to be considered an "international agreement." This ruling has hindered U.S. negotiations with Canada, as the 10-year timeline does not exist in Canadian law. Although Canada manages its stocks to maintain a rebuilding trajectory, their catch limits often far exceed those in the United States.

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