On the recordDecember 19, 2012
It is signed by 35 Republicans and 9 Democrats. It could not be more bipartisan. We are trying to deal with a real problem here, and it is a recurring problem. Our historic New England ground fiduciary is facing significant cuts in our catch limits because our populations are not rebounding the way that scientists anticipated they would. Something out there is causing this failure to rebound and unprecedented environmental changes very related to the environmental changes that whip up giant storms like Sandy are at the heart of this. One last quote, and then I will yield back to my colleagues who are engaged in this colloquy. Where we are is a big body of water called the Northeast Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem which is tracked by NOAA, and it extends from the Gulf of Maine all the way down to Cape Hatteras on our Atlantic coast. Here is what NOAA reports: During the first six months of 2012, sea surface temperatures in the Northeast Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem were the highest ever recorded . . . above-average temperatures were found in all parts of the ecosystem, from the ocean bottom to the sea surface and across the region. There is a real physical rationale and reason for the disaster that we are seeking a remedy for in our home State industries that are being so grievously stricken.
