On the recordDecember 12, 2012
I rise to engage in a colloquy with my colleague from the State of Alaska, Ms. Murkowski, and my colleague from the State of Washington, Ms. Cantwell, regarding a provision in H.R. 2838, the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2012, that deals with two great fisheries of the Bering Sea. The American Fisheries Act--AFA--regulates one of the single greatest fishery resources in the world: Alaska Pollock. This fishery produces over 2 billion pounds of product in most years and is sustainably harvested, thanks to standards set under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Amendment 80 to the Bering Sea Groundfish Fishery Management Plan regulates fishing for other species of groundfish like Pacific cod, Atka mackerel and yellowfin sole and while smaller than the AFA fishery, it still ranks among the major fisheries of the world.
