Olympia Snowe

Promulgate an emergency regulation increasing the ACLs for groundfish--especially the five choke stocks--sufficient to minimize the risk of failure of the sector management while still preventing overfishing from occurring.

I believe we need to strike the appropriate precautionary balance in setting catch limits regardless of the economic circumstances facing a particular fishing community.

I reasoned that if strong controls on ending overfishing were front-loaded into rebuilding plans, and overfishing was avoided, that greater flexibility in the recovery process would follow.

When originally championed by Senator Olympia Snowe in the 1990s as part of the Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA), National Standard 8 was intended to provide the crucial, missing balance to those elements of the SFA that were focused…

I want to express my very profound appreciation to Senators Snowe and Kerry and other members of the Committee and Congress, and especially the Committee staff, for getting the job done on clarifying how the MSA rebuilding provisions will…

The socioeconomic effect of fishery management decisions is a key issue, Administrator Schwaab, that as you know I have constantly addressed this issue recently on this committee.

As you know, I was NOAA's Assistant Administrator for Fisheries when the Magnuson-Stevens Act was reauthorized in 2007.

I championed National Standard 8; to ensure that we do examine the economic impact of these regulations on the community and the fishing industry as a whole.

Just a couple of questions.

That's devastating. And that resulted in 130 jobs lost, and an American industry shattered.

Second, you also agree, from what you have said, that there have been some positive preliminary results under the sector-based approach, such as increased revenues.

Fishermen want sector management to continue, because it's an improvement compared to the fluctuations.

Extending the legacy as well of Senator Stevens, as Senator Kerry indicated, was the chair of this subcommittee for many years.

How will that happen? That's the other part of the question.

First of all, you think that we should stay the course in sector-based management. Is that correct?

The sector-based approach is working.

Clearly if we lose our fishing communities, we lose them forever.

I think both of our states share the legacy of the fishing industry and the traditions that are the hallmark of the states that we represent.

I think so because I have given tapes to show what it is like to see these trucks rumbling through these small towns.

I do not understand how so many other states can have waivers and the others are denied even the ability to opt into having a waiver program.

I mean, all of these trucks are going right through some very small towns. We have had accidents.

I have been fighting this issue for years, and my other colleague from Maine, Senator Collins, has as well.

I really do think it is important because it is more than 6 months, and so obviously we should have been able to move forward on that project.

I think there is a reversal of roles. The House is now offering amendments. The Senate is not allowed to in accordance with the traditions of the U.S. Senate.

Well, is that all relative? So, obviously, we have got to do a lot on all these programs.