[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 68 (Friday, May 14, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E871]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       INTRODUCTION--WEATHER AND OCEANS RESOURCES REALIGNMENT ACT

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                            HON. JIM SAXTON

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 13, 2004

  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here today to introduce 
an important piece of conservation legislation, the Weather and Oceans 
Resources Realignment Act. This bill will transfer the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration to the Department of the Interior.
  An issue to which I have devoted a great deal of time and one that I 
feel is very important is the protection of the diverse range of fish 
stocks that inhabit our world's oceans, many of which are very close to 
disappearing forever. The National Marine Fisheries Service, the agency 
tasked with the protection of these species has failed to do so. I have 
never been able to comprehend why the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA) is housed within the Department of Commerce, 
which has nothing to do with the protection of our natural resources. 
For this reason, I have introduced this legislation, which simply moves 
NOAA to a more appropriate agency, Interior.
  Given the release of now three studies essentially stating that what 
I have been talking about is likely to happen, I am more convinced than 
ever that we need to take aggressive action immediately. Many of our 
oceans' fish stocks are now reportedly 90 percent depleted, meaning 
only 10 percent of the stocks that once existed remain. And many of 
these stocks are in grave danger of extinction if we proceed down the 
same path we are on now--that is, continue to study these stocks and do 
little to mitigate the damage that has already been done.
  The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, created from my Oceans Act of 
2000, released it's report in April of this year, with many of the same 
findings. We need to take immediate aggressive steps to prevent the 
disappearance of these fish species, before it's too late. These 
studies should be a wake-up call that the process through which our 
world's fisheries is managed is broken and needs to be fixed.
  The National Marine Fisheries Service has demonstrated repeatedly 
they are incapable of doing the job they have been tasked with as the 
primary federal agency responsible for monitoring and protecting our 
Nation's fisheries. To place them within the Department of the Interior 
would serve to strengthen the two agencies goals of resources 
conservation.
  This is an issue that resonates with anyone who has ever been to the 
beach in States like New Jersey, or watched a television program 
involving the deep blue sea. And given that 50 percent of the 
population of the United States lives within 100 miles of a coast, 
there are many who are personally affected by this issue. We have a 
unique opportunity to do something amazing and I think we owe it these 
wonderful resources that are our oceans to do all we can to bring them 
back to a healthy and sustainable level, for future generations.

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