By Richard Gaines
Congressman Barney Frank has tentatively scheduled a caucus of East Coast lawmakers for next Thursday to discuss the challenge of modifying the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the primary federal law governing America's fisheries.
Frank told the Times last week he planned to make a push to bring flexibility into the act in light of decisions by the New England Fishery Management Council to reduce scalloping effort despite the health of the fishery.
"We have a reasonable chance, not quite 50-50," said Frank.
The caucus would be closed to the public, while the participants consider strategies. It could be postponed if Congress recesses beforehand.
Frank said the effort was justified because of the unrequired harm being done to the fishing communities along the Atlantic coast by regulators who misinterpret the legal principle imbedded in the Magnuson-Stevens Act to balance ecological with economic and sociological interests.
"We're reaching out to everyone," said Bruno Freitas, Frank's chief of staff. He said U.S. Sen. John Kerry and Congressman John Tierney, who represents Gloucester, "are on board."
Frank is one of about two dozen congressmen and senators who have signed on to the Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act, filed in the U.S. House by Congressman Frank Pallone of New Jersey. The Senate version was filed by Charles Schumer of New York.
Environmental lobbies have organized to prevent any change to Magnuson which mandates catch limits and the creation of rebuilding plans for having overfished species recovered by 2014.
In a related development, the Alabama-based Conservation Cooperative of Gulf Fishermen announced a national demonstration of recreational and commercial fishermen and their families for the steps of the Capitol on Feb. 17 to protest the impact Magnuson has had on fishing communities.
The demonstration is sponsored by a number of organizations.
"The overly restrictive management requirements created by the RMSA based on nonscientific arbitrary deadlines are forcing anglers off the water, eliminating commercial fishing, preventing consumers from purchasing locally caught fresh seafood, destroying small family businesses, increasing unemployment, and adversely affecting coastal communities," said Bob Zales of the Cooperative of Gulf fishermen.
He said details of the march will be announced.
Richard Gaines can be reached at 978-283-7000, x3464, or via e-mail at rgaines@gloucestertimes.com.
