Jim Saxton: “Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4840 reauthorizes the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Management Act through fiscal year 2005. This bill…”

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4840 reauthorizes the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Management Act through fiscal year 2005. This bill will extend the successful Federal-State fishery management partnership with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The commission, Mr. Speaker, is made up of representatives from each of the Atlantic coastal States. Under the Act, the Federal Government can implement a moratorium on fishing in State waters if States do not comply with the plans written by the commission. The commission's greatest success is notable in the recovery of the Atlantic striped bass, Mr. Speaker. The striped bass suffered a population crash in the late 1970s for a number of reasons, including over-fishing. Today, for fishermen in the mid-Atlantic region, including those in Ocean County, New Jersey, which is part of the district I am privileged to represent and all along Long Beach Island, this comeback has resulted in the greatest fishing on the East Coast. Mr. Speaker, as a matter of fact, just a short time ago, last week, I had a nice group of folks join me on a 10-mile beach walk; and as we walked up the beach on Long Beach Island, there were surf fishermen after surf fishermen in quest of the Atlantic striped bass and, I might add, with some success.”