[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 105 (Thursday, July 14, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S4612]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. Whitehouse):
  S. 1371. A bill to amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act to add Rhode Island to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today, along with my colleague Senator 
Whitehouse, I am introducing the Rhode Island Fishermen's Fairness Act 
of 2011.
  For nearly a decade, I have worked to correct a serious flaw in our 
fisheries management system, which denies the fishermen of my state a 
voice in the management of many of the stocks that they catch and rely 
upon for their livelihoods.
  The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
established eight regional fishery management councils to give 
fishermen and other stakeholders the leading role in developing the 
fishery management plans for federally regulated species. As such, the 
councils have enormous significance on the lives and livelihoods of 
fishermen. To ensure equitable representation, the statute sets out the 
states from which appointees are to be drawn for each council.
  Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the State of Rhode Island was granted 
voting membership on the New England Fishery Management Council, NEFMC, 
as NEFMC-managed stocks represent a significant percentage of landings 
and revenue for the State. However, while Rhode Island has an even 
larger stake in the Mid-Atlantic fishery it does not have voting 
representation on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, MAFMC, 
which currently consists of representatives from New York, New Jersey, 
Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina.
  Rhode Island's stake in the Mid-Atlantic fishery is hardly 
incidental. According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, NOAA, data, Rhode Island accounts for approximately a 
quarter of the catch from this fishery, and its landings are greater 
than the combined total of landings for the States of New York, 
Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. In act, 
only one State, New Jersey, lands more MAFMC regulated species than 
Rhode Island.
  This legislation offers a simple solution. Following current 
practice, the Rhode Island Fishermen's Fairness Act would create two 
seats on the MAFMC for Rhode Island: one seat appointed by the 
Secretary of Commerce based on recommendations from the Governor of 
Rhode Island, and a second seat filled by Rhode Island's principal 
state official with marine fishery management responsibility. To 
accommodate these new members, the MAFMC would increase in size from 21 
voting members to 23.
  Pursuant to a provision included in the Magnuson-Stevens 
Reauthorization Act of 2006 at my request, the MAFMC reported to 
Congress on this issue in 2007 and confirmed that there is a precedent 
for this proposal. As the report notes, North Carolina's 
representatives in Congress succeeded in adding that State to the MAFMC 
through an amendment to the Sustainable Fisheries Act in 1996. Like 
Rhode Island, a significant proportion of North Carolina's landed fish 
species were managed by the MAFMC, yet the State had no vote on the 
council.
  With mounting economic, ecological, and regulatory challenges, it is 
more important than ever that Rhode Island's fishermen have a voice in 
the management of the fisheries they depend on. I look forward to 
working with Senator Whitehouse and my other colleagues to restore a 
measure of equity to the fisheries management process by passing the 
Rhode Island Fishermen's Fairness Act.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1371

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Rhode Island Fishermen's 
     Fairness Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The findings are as follows:
       (1) Rhode Island fishermen participate in fisheries managed 
     by the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) and the 
     Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC).
       (2) Rhode Island currently has voting membership on the 
     NEFMC under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
     Management Act but does not have voting membership on the 
     MAFMC.
       (3) Rhode Island lands more MAFMC-managed stocks than any 
     other MAFMC member except the State of New Jersey.
       (4) A higher percentage of Rhode Island's commercial 
     landings (by weight or value) traditionally have come from 
     species that are managed by the MAFMC as compared to species 
     managed by NEFMC.
       (5) MAFMC has found that Rhode Island's circumstance 
     parallels that of Florida and North Carolina, which each have 
     voting membership on two different fishery management 
     councils.

     SEC. 3. ADDITION OF RHODE ISLAND TO THE MID-ATLANTIC FISHERY 
                   MANAGEMENT COUNCIL.

       Section 302(a)(1)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
     Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1852(a)(1)(B)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by inserting ``Rhode Island,'' after ``States of'';
       (2) by inserting ``Rhode Island,'' after ``except North 
     Carolina,'';
       (3) by striking ``21'' and inserting ``23''; and
       (4) by striking ``13'' and inserting ``14''.
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