For Immediate Release: Contact: Michael Doebley
May 23, 2002 (609) 294-3315

RFA to Congress:
Recreational Parity on Fishery Council a Priority

In 1976, when the Magnuson Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act was written into law,
lawmakers recognized the importance of fair and
balanced representation for both commercial and
recreational interest on the eight regional fishery
management councils. Unfortunately, the wording
addressing this issue (16 U.S.C. 1852 Section 302) was
ambiguous and allowed a politically charged
appointment process to circumvent any semblance of
balance on the majority of the Councils. The
Recreational Fishing Alliance is asking for an
amendment in the pending reauthorization that would
change the wording to require parity in the
distribution of seats held by recreational
representatives on all eight Councils.

“The lack of parity between the two resource user
groups has lead to failed management plans and slowed
efforts to rebuild fisheries by Councils dominated by
certain commercial fishing interests,” said Jim
Donofrio, Executive Director of the RFA. “Councils
with a more balanced voting membership have a better
track record of halting overfishing and rebuilding
stocks, something that benefits both commercial and
recreational interests in the long run.”

The appointment process can remain basically unchanged
with each state within a Council district provided a
seat for its director of marine fisheries or his
delegate. However, the persons holding the remaining
seats, which are selected from a list of qualified
candidates provided by the Governors of member states
by the Secretary of Commerce, would have to conform to
a provision requiring equal representation of voting
members. To accomplish this a wording change in the
Act requiring the Secretary to assure parity is
necessary. Properly crafted, the amendment will not
diminish a governor’s purview in providing candidates,
but it will mandate that final selections be made with
balance as a major consideration. It will also remove
the onerous political pressure placed on the Secretary
when making final selections.

“The RFA is working with a number of key members of
the House and Senate to see such an amendment become
part of the reauthorization process,” Donofrio added.
“Recreational fishermen and the multi-billion dollar
industry that exists to provide goods and services to
them see this as critical to improving the performance
of the Council system in managing fisheries for
sustainability and for the greatest economic benefit
to the nations.”

For more information on this and other pressing issues
call 1-888-JOIN RFA.