The Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act would reauthorize and recharge the Magnuson-Stevens Act—a promising sign for sustainable fisheries and coastal communities.
Our prized marine fisheries will have a better shot at enduring climate change and supporting healthy marine ecosystems with a new bill introduced today by Representative Jared Huffman (CA-2) and Representative Ed Case (HI-1). The Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act would reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act or MSA), our federal fisheries law, which has not been reauthorized since 2006.
The bill seeks to address the changing needs of sustainable fisheries and coastal communities. It would build on the MSA’s successes, plus recharge it to tackle challenges both old—like chronic overfishing—and new—like climate change and the havoc it is wreaking on marine ecosystems.
For more than 40 years, the MSA’s unique system of stakeholder-driven, science-based fishery management has shown us that prioritizing long-term fisheries sustainability works. But as fisheries stewards today, our job is far from complete. The most recent Status of Stocks report from NOAA fisheries showed some concerning trends for the health of U.S. fisheries. Looking at 460 federally managed fish stocks and stock complexes, the report showed a recent increase in the number of overfished stocks. Meanwhile, no stocks have been rebuilt to healthy levels in the previous year, and eight stocks have become overfished once again after being previously successful in rebuilding.
Despite historic successes in sustainable fisheries management, we have a lot of work to do to prevent the backsliding of fisheries conservation. Successful fisheries management in the face of climate change will require a renewed focus on sustainable catch levels and strong rebuilding measures. Other systemic challenges must also be addressed: nearly all fish stocks face habitat loss and degradation; many ecologically important species have been left poorly managed or unmanaged by any federal plan; and fisheries data systems require updating to ensure effective management and accountability.
The bill follows a yearlong, nationwide “listening tour” led by Representative Huffman—who serves as chairman of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife—as well as a public discussion draft, which generated robust discussion about priority policy issues currently facing our fisheries and coastal communities. The communities represented in this stakeholder-driven process included commercial fishermen, tribal members, recreational anglers and fishing guides, scientists, conservationists, seafood businesses, chefs, and local officials and fishery managers.
© Natural Resources Defense Council 2021