TELL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE: PROTECT OUR FISHERIES

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) is the primary law governing U.S. marine fisheries management. Undermining this legislation would undo years of successful work to manage the health of our nation’s fisheries.

We must ensure our oceans and fisheries remain healthy by acting now.

Tell your representative to protect our oceans by supporting the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

petition text

Dear {contact_data~salutation},

As you know, in the 49 years since the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) was passed, the statute has been a hallmark of cooperation, bipartisanship, and science-based management.

Unfortunately, there is an effort underway to move our fisheries management system backward, ultimately threatening the protection of our nation’s fisheries and the communities that depend on them. In recent years, there have been proposed changes to our nation’s cornerstone fisheries law that aim to gut some of the vital conservation provisions that have been instrumental in ensuring that marine fish remain an abundant natural resource for this generation and for generations to come.

Since 2000, 50 fish stocks have been rebuilt, and NOAA’s most recent Status of Stocks report for 2023 again confirmed that approximately 94% of all stocks or stock complexes did not exceed their annual catch limits. In the most recent Fisheries Economics of the United States report from 2022, commercial and recreational fisheries in the United States generated 2.3 million jobs throughout the national economy. In addition, commercial and recreational fishing together generated $321 billion in sales impacts, and $148.9 billion total toward our gross domestic product (GDP). Several regionally important stocks, such as Atlantic sea scallops, and Pacific widow rockfish, are still caught today thanks to management measures instituted under the MSA. These successes are due to the MSA’s effectiveness in halting overfishing, rebuilding fish stocks, and protecting our precious ocean resources.

However, forty-seven fish stocks, 18% of all stocks with a known overfished status, remain overfished. The overfished status of 48% of stocks is still unknown to the agency. Additionally, 21 fish stocks, or 6% of stocks with a known overfishing status are subject to overfishing. The overfishing status of 28% of stocks is still unknown to the agency. Estimates have calculated that if all U.S. fish stocks were rebuilt, we would see an increase in revenue of $31 billion and an additional 500,000 jobs.

Since the MSA’s inception, fishermen, government officials, and policymakers from both political parties have worked together to craft the best possible fishery management laws and implementation plans.  Any Congressional attempts to weaken or eliminate these strong conservation standards could spell disaster for our fisheries and ocean ecosystems.

The MSA’s unique system of stakeholder-inclusive, science-based fishery management has a legacy of demonstrable success, both in improving the health of fish populations and in providing more stability to the commercial and recreational fishing industries. Please vote no on any bills that jeopardize the health and sustainability of our oceans. We must ensure that our oceans, and the fishing communities that depend on them, are sustainable for the future.

Their health depends on you.

Sincerely,

{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}

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