New language was added last weekend to the bipartisan bill, launched by Congressman Walter Jones that would allow the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to continue spending on development of the controversial fishery management regimens. The changes were added by staffs of the House and Senate Appropriations committees.
The main dispute over catch shares is between green interests and the small fishing boats and waterfront businesses. According to the information the catch share budget is $36 million, a small fraction of the scale of modern American government spending. In fact, both Democrats, was more about flagging down the administration’s rush to steer fisheries toward a commodities market, with fishermen buying, selling, leasing or trading “shares” of tightly allocated catch limits among themselves or to larger boat and corporations and outside investors.
The government now says that NOAA Fisheries would be wise to take heed to the opposition of fishermen, the public and the Congress to their catch share agenda; we’re not going away. The next few weeks brought intense lobbying of the Senate, which was thought to be cooler to the amendment.
NOAA chief Lubchenco said that one fifth of her $5.5 billion NOAA budget proposal goes toward fisheries. She went out of her way to emphasize that catch shares are a voluntary choice, made by regional councils that include members from the industry. But U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, a New Hampshire Republican, would have none of it. He said that fishermen in my state don’t consider it voluntary, and don’t like the program. They feel it’s putting them out of business.
