Vote "NO" on the Jones Amendment #548, prohibiting funding for certain fishery management programs
February 17, 2011
Statement by the South Atlantic Fishermen's Association; Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders' Alliance; an the Gulf Fishermen's Association.
Rep. Walter Jones has proposed Amendment #548 to H.R. 1 to prohibit funding to promote, advocate, or develop Limited Access Privilege Programs (LAPPs) in the Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, and New England Regional Fishery Management Councils.
LAPPs are specifically authorized by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act in 2007 and are an important tool in fishery management.
For example, in the Gulf of Mexico, the creation of a LAPP has lead to the revitalization of the red snapper fishery. Most recently, the Pacific implemented a LAPP for its groundfish fishery.
Our organizations represent fishermen in two regions – the South Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico – that would be adversely affected by the Jones Amendment.
The Amendment would hurt businesses by prohibiting fishermen from working with the Regional Councils to develop LAPPs that could improve the economics and conservation of a vital nation resource.
Small businesses such as commercial fishermen will not survive long under traditional management systems.
The Jones Amendment is not only bad policy – on an appropriations bill – but more importantly it could cost many fishermen their businesses, costing jobs and economic activity.
The fishermen in our organizations oppose the Jones Amendment and support the continued ability of the Regional Councils to pursue LAPPs as a management option.
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Protect fishermen and their right to development appropriate management systems for their fisheries. Vote "NO" on the Jones Amendment.