[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 79 (Wednesday, May 10, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1605-S1606]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. Whitehouse):
  S. 1508. 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. Madam President, today I am introducing the Rhode Island 
Fishermen's Fairness Act along with my colleague Senator Whitehouse. I 
am also pleased that my colleague Representative Magaziner will be 
introducing a companion measure in the House of Representatives.
  Our legislation will give Rhode Island a 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 2022, bringing in 31.5 
million pounds and helping make Point Judith, RI, 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. Moreover, 
it will join States like Florida

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and Washington which all have representation on more than one fisheries 
management council.
  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 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act.
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