The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, which governs all fishing in federal waters, is an extremely long and complex statute. However, no part of the law is more important than the ten so-called “National Standards” which set forth the principles that shall govern its implementation. Those national standards are brief, and go into no […]
Early this month the House of Representatives, pretty much on straight party lines, voted out H.R. 1335, the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act. First, let me start by saying that most of the recommended tweaks to federal fishery management law in this piece of legislation are just bad for anglers. […]
Red snapper are one of those fish that often gets labelled as “iconic.” It’s hard to put a finger on exactly why this is so — maybe it’s because they’re big and bright red… or because they fight like hell on the line… or even because they are one of the tastiest fish in the […]
In the face of serious threats to our nation’s fisheries, fishermen, conservationists, and scientists are coming together to influence policy-makers, educate the public about where our seafood comes from, and support family fishermen and the habitat on which they depend. From author Paul Greenberg’s American Catch to the makers of The Breach documentary about wild […]
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 has been a success. The number of overfished stocks has never been lower in the law’s 40 year history. It’s not perfect by any means, and Congress is reviewing the Act to consider changes, as it does every 10 years. In my view, there are ways […]
On April 24, the National Marine Fisheries Service announced ground fish regulations that included a prohibition on recreational possession of cod in the Gulf of Maine through at least April 30, 2016. The impact of this announcement is that what I grew up calling “deep sea fishing” has collapsed. Party boat operators from the historic […]
The fishing season for summer flounder, locally known as “fluke,” has just opened up here in New York. The waters are cooler than they should be in mid-May, so the fluke were still pretty sluggish, but even so, opening day saw anglers catch a reasonable number of fish. In New York, fluke less than 18 […]
Gulf of Mexico fisheries support an estimated $22.6 billion in seafood, commercial fishing and recreational fishing activity. That’s why Gulf residents pay close attention when a proposed bill in Congress threatens the marine resources we rely on. H.R. 1335, the “Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act,” would weaken the management of […]
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