Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, title XIV of this bill would give States and territories the authority to override Federal fishing rules in coastal waters of national parks, national marine sanctuaries, and some marine national monuments. This is simply not right. Places like Biscayne National Park, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, and Rose Atoll Marine National Monument belong to all Americans, not just to the fishing interests in Florida, Hawaii, and American Samoa. Protection of these special ocean places has overwhelming public support and is recognized by the scientific community as critical to making fisheries more productive. What is more, most of these areas do not even preclude fishing. California's national marine sanctuaries generate more than $140 million a year in economic impact from commercial fishing. Recreational anglers spend more than $100 million a year on fishing in the Florida Keys. I attended the public hearing in Homestead, Florida, last year on closing a very small part--less than 6 percent--of Biscayne National Bay for a marine national monument simply to bring the fish back, many fish that fishermen there hadn't seen in years. But fishing is not the only important use of these waters.…”