113th Congress Hearing Archives

Full Committee Oversight Hearing on "Reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act"

Wednesday, September 11, 2013 | 10:00 AM 1324 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515

Tags: Federal Lands , Full Committee , Oversight , Fisheries

Full Committee

Oversight Hearing on:

"Reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act"

Member Statements:

The Honorable Doc Hastings
Chairman

Archived Video Webcast:

Witnesses and Testimony:

PANEL I

Samuel Rauch
Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries
National Marine Fisheries Service
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Dr. Patrick J. Sullivan
Co-Chair
Committee on Evaluating the Effectiveness of Stock Rebuilding Plans
of the 2006 Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act
Ocean Studies Board
The National Academies
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Richard B. Robins
Chairman
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
(Truth in Testimony Form)

PANEL II

Dr. Ray Hilborn
Professor
University of Washington
School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Rod Moore
Executive Director
West Coast Seafood Processors Association
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Vito Giacalone
Policy Director
Northeast Seafood Coalition
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Jeff Deem
Recreational Fishing Alliance
(Truth in Testimony Form)

John Bruno
Professor, Department of Biology
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Chris Dorsett
Director
Ecosystem Conservation Programs
Ocean Conservancy
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Background:

This is the fourth oversight hearing that has been held this year on the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which expires at the end of Fiscal Year 2013. The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act is the primary statute governing fishing activities in Federal waters and expires at the end of Fiscal Year 2013. Some of the specific issues raised during these hearings include: basing annual catch limits on better science; requiring participant approval of new catch share programs; allowing rebuilding flexibility for certain fisheries; using NOAA enforcement funds to acquire better fisheries information; requiring decisions on commercial fisheries disaster assistance in a timely manner; and requiring better transparency for the activities and decisions of the regional fishery management councils.