US Congressman Allen Boyd introduced legislation protecting the jobs of Gulf Coast fishers. (Photo: house.gov)

Legislation proposed to protect Florida fishing jobs

UNITED STATES
Friday, March 05, 2010, 03:20 (GMT + 9)

US Congressman Allen Boyd (D-North Florida) introduced legislation in the House of Representatives to protect the jobs of Gulf Coast fishers and boost the local fishing industry economic benefits to Gulf communities. The Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Fishery Protection Act would require a detailed analysis on the number of red snapper in the Gulf before the government can propose cuts in the number of days red snapper can be fished.

“This legislation will ensure that our fishermen’s jobs are protected from any unjust future closures and that the economies of our local coastal communities are never again put in jeopardy because of outdated or incomplete information,” said Boyd. 

The administration recently restricted red snapper fishing in large zones off Florida’s Atlantic coast due to suspected overfishing. Boyd’s bill would prevent this type of move without “proper review, accurate information and justifiable explanation.” 

“Our commercial and recreational fishermen depend on the ability to fish, and closing fisheries using inaccurate information is a direct affront to our livelihood,” stated Bob Jones, executive director of the Southeastern Fisheries Association.  

Boyd’s legislation calls for a congressional review of the federal government’s new restrictions on commercial, recreational and charter fishing in Florida, and requires the federal government to scientifically assess and accurately determine the number of red snapper in the Gulf. Specifically, the bill:

• Directs the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a study to assess the amount of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Fishery
• Prohibits the Department of Commerce from decreasing the number of fishing days without this assessment 
• Calls for the study to explicitly demonstrate the need for any reduction in the number of annual fishing days

“This legislation is a direct result of the countless conversations I’ve had with our local fishermen.  Many of these hardworking and dedicated individuals traveled by bus from North Florida to Washington just last week, and I was eager to meet with them, listen to their concerns, and discuss ways to prevent their livelihood from being unfairly imposed upon,” Boyd concluded.

Boyd also recently thwarted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from imposing injurious new regulations on Gulf oyster production through his Gulf Oyster Protection Act, which helped convince the FDA to dump its proposal to inhibit oyster harvesting in the Gulf Coast during May-November.

US Senator George LeMieux (R-FL) called on top officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Wednesday to immediately enhance the scientific methodology used gauge the health of Florida’s fisheries. LeMieux said current methods are flawed and breed closures and fishing bans that are harming Florida’s economy.

“This is not a situation that is going to be a problem six months from now, this is not a situation that is going to be a problem a year from now, this is a situation where right now families who have been fishing for generations are going out of business,” LeMieux affirmed.

Related articles:

- Fishers rally in Washington over fishing concerns
- New oyster ban proposal sparks opposition

By Natalia Real
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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