[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 209 (Thursday, December 21, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S8261]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. Whitehouse):
  S. 2264. A bill to amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act to add Rhode Island to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Rhode Island 
Fishermen's Fairness Act along with my colleague, Senator Whitehouse. I 
am also pleased that my colleagues, Representatives James Langevin and 
David Cicilline, will be introducing a companion measure in the House 
of Representatives.
  Our legislation will give Rhode Island voice and voting 
representation on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC), 
which manages some of the most important fish stocks for our State's 
commercial fishing industry--chief among them squid. Indeed, the 
National Marine Fisheries Service reported that Rhode Island led 
Atlantic States in the harvest of squid in 2016, bringing in 22.5 
million pounds and helping make Point Judith, Rhode Island one of the 
most productive and valuable commercial fishing ports in the United 
States. For years now, Rhode Island's landings of stocks managed by the 
MAFMC have outpaced the landings of those managed by the New England 
Fishery Management Council, where Rhode Island is represented. 
Moreover, Rhode Island has a larger stake in the Mid-Atlantic fishery 
than many of the States that currently hold seats on the MAFMC.
  Because so much is at stake for our State in every decision the MAFMC 
makes, our bill would expand the MAFMC by two seats in Order to ensure 
that Rhode Island will have the minimum number of seats guaranteed to 
other States on the council. It will allow Rhode Island to continue to 
have representation on the New England Fishery Management Council, 
where it still has significant interests. This proposal is not 
unprecedented. In fact, it is modeled on a provision of the 1996 
Sustainable Fisheries Act that added North Carolina to the MAFMC in 
1996 while allowing it to retain its membership on the South Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council.
  Mr. President, this is a commonsense proposal and one that my 
colleagues and I will be working to advance either on its own or as 
part of the reauthorization the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act.
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