David Jolly: “I want to compliment the chairman for a bill that invests responsibly in law enforcement, space science research, ocean…”

“I want to compliment the chairman for a bill that invests responsibly in law enforcement, space science research, ocean and marine resources, and weather sciences. I also want to thank the chairman for his support of an innovative data collection initiative in this bill to improve fish stock assessments and research of the fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. As we discussed in many of our hearings, we as a nation need to utilize all tools and technology and work with all fisheries sector participants, including recreational, for-hire, and commercial, that provide the most accurate assessment of the health of our fish stocks, including the red snapper species so critical to our quality of life in Gulf States like Florida and Texas as well as our regional economies. This innovative data collection initiative will better enable the National Marine Fisheries Service and the regional council to make more informed decisions about the length of various fishing seasons. Mr. Chairman, without constantly improving and accurate and quantifiable data, data that is believed to reliably reflect the fisherman's experience on the water, our commercial and recreational fishermen, alike, find it difficult to understand decisions by government to shorten fishing seasons and limit catches.…”