Bycatch provisions

I agree with the July 18 editorial that fishing bycatch is a problem we need to address in the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Act. While the editorial discussed the bycatch provisions in the Senate Magnuson bill, it didn’t mention that the House bill, which I am cosponsoring, also includes bycatch proposals.

Bycatch is one of the more difficult problems in fishery management, and one that I believe is best addressed through initiatives involving fishermen themselves in the solution. This is the approach we take in HR 5018.

The bill requires a list of fisheries with the most urgent bycatch problems, and the development of new fishing gear or gear modifications to help minimize bycatch. Importantly, the bill calls for this work to be done in cooperation with fishermen, and it authorizes $10 million a year to fund grants for this purpose.

The bill also authorizes the establishment of bycatch reduction incentives, including the possibility of bycatch quotas and efforts to promote the use of low bycatch gear. The bill leaves the details to be worked out by the Regional Fishery Management Councils to ensure that the bycatch reduction strategies have input from affected fishermen and are workable.

My hope is that this will lead to programs that reduce bycatch, and provide incentives for bycatch – when it can’t be avoided – to be retained rather than thrown away (and possibly used, for example, in food programs benefiting the needy).

The vote on the House bill will be in September, after which negotiators from each chamber will work out a final version. Because this issue is included in both bills, it is virtually certain the final bill will include some bycatch provisions, and I will do all I can to see that the issue is covered in the most meaningful way possible.

Barney Frank

Member of Congress

Massachusetts

4th District

Washington, D.C.