Oppose H.R. 5018, the American Fisheries Management and Marine Life Enhancement Act, if strengthening amendments are not adopted
09/07/06

U.S. House
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative:

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is the independent political voice for the environment.  Each year, LCV publishes the National Environmental Scorecard, which details the voting records of Members of Congress on environmental legislation.  The Scorecard is distributed to LCV members, concerned voters, and the press.

LCV urges you to vote against H.R. 5018, the American Fisheries Management and Marine Life Enhancement Act, unless strengthening amendments that truly fix this seriously flawed bill are adopted.

H.R. 5018 reauthorizes the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the primary law governing the management of our nation's ocean fisheries.  Two national blue ribbon commissions, hundreds of scientists, and millions of Americans have called on Congress to strengthen the Magnuson-Stevens Act, yet H.R. 5018 contains several provisions that would undercut current law.  We are deeply concerned that H.R. 5018 creates loopholes in the requirement to rebuild depleted fish populations; allows fishery managers to limit public input and fails to require a full range of alternatives be considered when making fishery management decisions; fails to ensure that federal managers comply with annual fishing limits; and fails to ensure independent scientific input in the fishery management process.

The manager’s amendment should be rejected because it only partially fixes the bill’s rollbacks and shortcomings, while creating more problems such as allowing continued overfishing.  Regardless of whether the manager’s amendment is adopted, we urge you to oppose H.R. 5018 unless amendments that truly fix this bill are adopted.  LCV has scored votes on waiving environmental laws and weakening conservation provisions on numerous occasions, and the Political Advisory Committee will strongly consider this vote in compiling LCV’s 2006 Scorecard.  If you need more information, please call Tiernan Sittenfeld or Nat Mund in my office at (202) 785-8683.

Sincerely,

Gene Karpinski
President, LCV