At Democrats' request, House panel to hold second hearing on law revamp

E&E News
Phil Taylor
February 26, 2014

A GOP-backed proposal to update the top U.S. fisheries law will get its second House Natural Resources Committee hearing Friday, featuring witnesses invited by Democrats.

The discussion draft by committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) received its first hearing earlier this month, with testimony from Obama administration officials, fishery managers and other stakeholders.

While varying opinions were presented about the proposal, Democrats said they hadn't been able to invite their own witnesses. That led to the minority invoking a standing rule to force a second hearing on the legislation (E&E Daily, Feb. 5).

Since Hastings first announced in December that he had a proposal to revamp the 1970s-era Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, he has been criticized by ranking member Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) for not working toward reauthorization in a bipartisan manner. DeFazio has frequently said that was not the case with past amendments to the law.

Friday's hearing will bring in fishermen, managers, scientists and other stakeholders who are also affected by Magnuson-Stevens but have different perspectives from previous witnesses, he said.

"I look forward to having a balanced, real discussion on how we can improve existing law to protect our fisheries, allow them to flourish and provide for our coastal communities," DeFazio said in a statement.

The discussion draft has also been lambasted by environmentalists worried about a provision that would relax stock rebuilding timelines in the name of flexibility (E&ENews PM, Jan 31.)

For his part, Hastings has pointed out that his proposal is merely a draft and has not been officially introduced as legislation in the 113th Congress. At the first hearing on his draft, he said that was done to allow for public discussion, review and comment without having text "locked in stone."

"The intent is to seek feedback and listen to input," he said at the hearing.

Schedule: The hearing is Friday, Feb. 28, at 9:30 a.m. in 1324 Longworth.

Witnesses: Samuel Pooley, director of the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service; Dorothy Lowman, chairwoman of the Pacific Fishery Management Council; Zeke Grader, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations; and Bob Rees, north coast chapter president of the Association of Northwest Steelheaders.