Lynn N. Rivers: “I rise in support of the goal of this particular amendment which is to increase funding to the National Weather Service…”

“I rise in support of the goal of this particular amendment which is to increase funding to the National Weather Service but in strenuous opposition to the ultimate outcome which would cut funding from the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission and their strong record on lamprey eradication. For those not familiar with this particular species, they are a primitive eel-like fish who in their lifetime can, by attaching to fish and feeding on their body fluids, kill 40 or more pounds of fish. By the 1950's lamprey predation in the Great Lakes greatly reduced the number of lake trout, whitefish and other desirable species in the Great Lakes and the once thriving fisheries were devastated. This is of tremendous economic impact to the Great Lakes. Generations of Americans and Canadians have grown up enjoying fishing in the Great Lakes and estimates place the total annual income value of the Great Lakes fisheries at up to $4 billion. Over 2.5 million Americans fish the Great Lakes, another 83,000 adult Canadians fish the Great Lakes and these sport fishermen stimulate over $3 billion in economic activity for the region and support roughly 54,000 jobs. By the same token a thriving commercial fishery is estimated to bring in an additional $300 million annually to both countries and employ thousands. So the continued work on keeping this predator at bay is tremendously important.”