Tell Congress: Don’t Turn Back the Clock on Federal Fisheries Management

The recently introduced “Modern Fish Act” could roll back many of the conservation gains we’ve made through the Magnuson-Stevens Act’s science-based approach to fisheries management, which has led to the successful rebuilding of many of our fish stocks.

Tell Congress now: Oppose S.1520, the Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act (Modern Fish Act) and keep the Magnuson-Stevens Act strong. Give our fishing communities a future of abundance. Learn More

More About S. 1520

Read an analysis of the bill.

Background

Just 30 years ago, many fish stocks were in big trouble. Because of overfishing, numbers had plummeted. Fishermen and their communities faced a future of empty boats and declining prospects.

Fortunately, good fisheries practices pulled us onto a better path; management under the Magnuson-Stevens Act has led to two-thirds of overfished stocks being rebuilt or making significant progress towards being rebuilt. With stocks rebounding, commercial and recreational fishermen – and the many communities and small businesses that depend on them – can count on a plentiful catch.

But some in Congress want to undermine this progress. They want to compromise the federal fisheries management process by adversely changing catch limits and how they are applied, muddying the waters between state and federal management, and allowing political and economic considerations to override science in management decisions. This move could leave the fate of our fisheries to special interests and weaken the tenants of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

We need to keep sound fisheries management practices in place! Let’s preserve our fish, their habitat and our fishing traditions for today’s commercial and recreational fishermen…and for their children and grandchildren.