Political Quotes

“In the panhandle of north Florida, red snapper is a way of life. Thousands of commercial fishermen and charter boat captains depend on a healthy catch to make a living. Tens of thousands of recreational fishermen spend their free time and are personally invested in fishing, and hundreds of restaurants serve red snapper to hundreds of thousands of visitors to the area every year. Seafood is a $7 billion industry the Gulf, and red snapper is a big part of it. Like any valuable asset, we need to preserve our fisheries for future generations. I applaud the chairman and the ranking member for opening this dialogue about how we can improve current law, protect our ocean resources, and best serve our constituents. Unfortunately, I think this bill falls short in its current form. My constituents tell me there are more red snapper in the Gulf than there have been in a long time. I think that shows, at least in part, that this law is working, but I also hear of widespread distrust of the system and of the data that the system produces. In that regard, Magnuson isn't working nearly as well as it could, and I want to recognize some of the healthy reforms in this bill that could improve the situation.…”