Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, as the Representative of the State with one of the largest exclusive economic zones in our country and as the Representative of the State that sits in the middle of the Pacific where we are seeing increasing overfishing, including the use of these techniques throughout our Pacific, I rise in very strong support of the Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act. This bipartisan legislation is necessary to transition fairly an important West Coast fishery away from the use of large mesh driftnets. I want to commend, in addition to Senator Feinstein and the Republican cosponsors, Congressman Lieu on our side for his work on the bill in the House. Yes, this fishery is small, with less than 20 participants, but it is one of the most destructive. The use of mile-long driftnets results in over 70 species caught in volume as bycatch. The problems with this practice are nothing new. Beginning in the 1980s, Congress and the Republican and first Bush administration recognized its destruction and worked together to reform the practice, culminating with the near complete global moratorium on the practice. Today, the large mesh driftnets that continue to be used in Federal waters along the West Coast are the last of their kind in the Nation. This bill closes that loophole and phases out the practice.…”