Letter to The Honorable Doc Hastings, Chairman House Committee on Natural Resources and The Honorable Edward J. Markey, Ranking Member House Committee on Natural Resources

Letter

Tierney Calls on House Leaders to Reform Fisheries Management Law

Congressmen John Tierney (D-MA) and Walter Jones (R-NC), joined by a bipartisan group or lawmakers, sent the following letter to Chairman Doc Hastings and Ranking Member Ed Markey today requesting that the House Committee on Natural Resources take legislative action on fisheries management reform as soon as possible. With fewer than 30 legislative days remaining before the November elections, time is running out to implement reforms that are critical to our fishing families.

Congressmen Jones and Tierney, along with others, have consistently urged the Committee on Natural Resources to move forward with this reform.

The Honorable Doc Hastings
Chairman
House Committee on Natural Resources
1324 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Edward J. Markey
Ranking Member
House Committee on Natural Resources
1329 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Hastings and Ranking Member Markey:

With fewer than 30 legislative days remaining before the November elections, we again request that the Natural Resources Committee take legislative action on fisheries management reform as soon as possible. This is an urgent matter to us and the fishermen we have the privilege of representing. We write to you as Members of both parties and respectfully urge you to move this bipartisan effort forward expediently.

As was clear at the hearing the Committee held last December, our fishermen continue to face economic hardships as a result of the drastic policies set forth in the current Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Management Act. We believe that this should not be the case. Fishermen have a vested interest in participating in the rebuilding and conservation of fish stocks, but doing so must not come at the expense of the livelihood of those fishermen. By making sensible reforms to current fisheries law, such as some of those suggested at last December's hearing, fish stocks and the fishing industry can be rebuilt together.

It is our understanding that, last month, members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation's Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard announced their intention to hold hearings to begin reforming the flawed policies of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Management Act. It is positive that the Senate also appears to be recognizing the urgency of enacting such reforms.

Thank you for your consideration of our request.

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