Alaska fishermen. (Photo Credit: ASMI)
UNITED STATES
Monday, August 04, 2014, 10:10 (GMT + 9)
The latest draft version of the Magnuson-Stevens Act has just been released by the US Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard for public review and comment.
This draft proposes changes to fisheries management including new fees, sustainability standards, and a possible national marketing effort, Alaska Journal of Commerce informed.
The act, which is up for reauthorization, and both the House and Senate have released amended versions, provides the framework for fisheries management in federal waters from three to 200 miles offshore.
Besides, it authorizes the regional fishery management councils, including the North Pacific Fishery Management Council that makes decisions for federal waters offshore from Alaska.
“This shorter, revised draft incorporates many comments from Alaskans and others around the nation who responded to our initial discussion draft in April,” Senate Committee on Oceans, Fisheries and Coast Guard chairperson Mark Begich pointed out.
And the senator added: “I hope the public will review these changes and get back to me soon so we can advance to the next step in the process. That’s why I posted the revised draft online — so everyone has the opportunity to review it and send their comments to my office or to the committee website.”
The act would include the following amendments, among others:
- Councils would be enabled to charge a fee for management programs that allocate a percentage of the total allowable catch (TAC) among sectors;
- A report on a North Pacific Observer fund and other funds supported by fishery fees;
- The use of money received from law enforcement by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA) to pay for stock assessments, surveys and other data collection efforts necessary for managing fisheries;
- Analysis of recreational fisheries and stock assessments to be completed at least every five years;
- The acknowledgement that some fisheries may be depleted from causes other than overfishing;
- More flexibility in the rebuilding timelines for depleted fisheries;
- Harvest reductions are not specifically allowed to be implemented over time to lessen the economic impact of the restrictions;
- More consideration of subsistence fisheries and their incorporation into management decisions, adding references to tribal governments throughout;
- A decision on disaster declarations to be made within 90 days after an economic impact estimate is received;
- The allocation of 10 per cent of any new Arctic fisheries to the Community Development Quota;
- A directive to the US Secretary of Commerce to consider a national seafood marketing programme, including possible funding mechanisms;
- Certain standards for information about fish, making it illegal to falsify fishing records and labels;
- Increase of the penalties for civil and criminal violations of the act.
Comments to NOAA Fisheries are accepted through 15 August and the public has until 19 September to comment to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its intent to protect salmon and habitat at Bristol Bay by imposing tough watershed restrictions on large mines in the region.
The EPA has scheduled a series of seven public hearings starting 12 August in Anchorage, followed by meetings throughout the Bristol Bay region.