From Oceana:
Today, more than 200 scientists from across the United States sent a letter urging Congress to protect the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), which is the primary law governing marine fisheries management in U.S. waters. The letter, led by Dr. Andrew Rosenberg of the Union of Concerned Scientists, criticizes “legislative efforts that would weaken science-based management of U.S. marine fish populations.” Specifically, the letter calls out H.R. 200, the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, which was introduced earlier this year and would weaken or eliminate science-based management requirements and reduce the quality of science used in management decisions.
did ol’ Andrew talk much about the money he would lose if they were to re-authorize the act? Perhaps did he mention how is involvement with the implementation of sector management and ‘science based’ management made him an extremely wealthy man and despite its abject failures he’ll support status quo to protect his golden goose? The current management system only benefits the large draggers (who, by the way, are causing and have always caused the lions share of the problems) and the scientists while the fish, small-scale fishermen and industry as a whole suffer. By the Time the ‘science’ gets to the ‘management’ and something is enacted, the biomass has usually changed enough to have the opposite effect than intended. But hey, 200 scientists?! You guys better put that shit up…how could that be bad?