[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 87 (Tuesday, June 2, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E813]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    STRENGTHENING FISHING COMMUNITIES AND INCREASING FLEXIBILITY IN 
                        FISHERIES MANAGEMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. JAMES R. LANGEVIN

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, June 1, 2015

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1335) to 
     amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
     Management Act to provide flexibility for fishery managers 
     and stability for fishermen, and for other purposes:

  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Chair, I rise today deeply disappointed that the 
Magnuson-Stevens reauthorization before us does not follow in its long-
held tradition of thoughtful bipartisanship.
  The bill before us would roll back protections our citizens enjoy 
under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species 
Act, the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, and the Antiquities Act. This 
bill would remove requirements that prevent overfishing, thereby 
preventing us from enjoying the benefits of healthy fisheries. We 
cannot simply wish for more fish in the ocean, we must create the 
conditions that make it possible.
  Magnuson should promote innovation and responsible flexibility, while 
ensuring we have the resources to obtain the best data possible to make 
informed decisions about one of our most precious economic and food 
resources--our fisheries.
  This is the kind of flexibility my bill, the Rhode Island Fishermen's 
Fairness Act, would provide. My bill would create two new spots for 
Rhode Island on the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council.
  Rhode Island lands more Mid-Atlantic-regulated species than any other 
state in the Mid-Atlantic region besides New Jersey. Our circumstance 
parallels that of Florida and North Carolina, which each have voting 
membership on two different fishery management councils.
  The decisions of the Mid-Atlantic Council directly affect the success 
of Rhode Island's fishing industry and the ability of our fishermen to 
maintain their businesses, and they deserve a say in how those 
resources are managed.
  We all believe that Magnuson can be improved. The last Magnuson 
reauthorization was a bipartisan and widely supported bill. I am sorry 
to say that this bill does not follow the same path, and it is not a 
bill I can support.
  I look forward to working with Mr. Grijalva and my Republican 
colleagues on a bipartisan product which includes provisions our 
fishermen need and support, like H.R. 2541, the Rhode Island 
Fishermen's Fairness Act.

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