My legislation, H.R. 59, would make a number of improvements to the MSA in order to ensure a proper balance between the biological needs of fish stocks and the economic needs of fishermen and coastal communities.

Just because reducing bycatch for the industry has a cost or may reduce harvest, I don't believe we can use that as an excuse any longer.

We are heartened by the forward-thinking solutions presented in the Sustaining America's Fisheries for the Future Act.

I believe that adding two tribal seats will allow Alaska Native people, who have the longest dependence on these resources, a say in management.

The current MSA is not deserving of any changes as it was fine-tuned by time honored Statesmen such as Congressman Young, Senator Inouye, Senator Magnuson, and Senator Stevens.

I would like to say I wrote the bill with a lot of good staff help. Me and Gerry Studds, he was the Chairman, and we saw the problems we were faced with at that time of foreign fishing fleets invading our waters all the way up to 12 miles…

If I hadn't passed my bill, you wouldn't be sitting there. I remember that back in 1976.

I have heard you mention the term 'climate change.' I advise everybody, yes, climate is changing.

Actions are working--and need to support sustainable, healthy fisheries for all.

But the big thing is, it doesn't do any good to get on the board or the council if they don't have the authority.

I fear that this will only make the world's fishery problems worse.

It was the 'Alaska model' that guided the reauthorization processes.

Forty-five years ago, Congressman Don Young teamed up with Congressman Gerry Studds to sketch out the framework for a new federal fisheries law.

I want to write it--whatever we do, we have to write it somehow that we get the job done for sustainable yield of the species for the benefit of the communities also along that line for the sustainable.

I want to acknowledge and express appreciation for the work of Congressman Young, who was not only instrumental in framing what I view as one of the most successful conservation statutes ever written, the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

I am appreciative of Rep. Huffman for including it in his bill and working with the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) to do so.

I would like to focus my remarks today on one primary point, and that is that the regional stakeholder-driven framework of the Magnuson Act has been a remarkable success.

I do believe that it has worked well. Can we improve on it? Yes.