86 



tantly, a rebuilding program must established a level that rebuilt fishing stocks at 

 a steady pace, yet maintain the maximum amount of job opportunities. 



Bycatch / Waste I Gear 



I request the elimination of the amendment's language which attempts to reduce 

 bycatch to insignificant levels approaching zero. Instead, I recommend modification 

 of the bycatch policy, as such, "* * * to reduce bycatch to the minimum extent prac- 

 ticable, based upon existing demonstrated technological developments." I do support 

 the Subcommittee Staffs' recommendation that during the preparation of FMPs, 

 councils would be required to note bycatch fisheries and develop reduction methods/ 

 measures. 



Due to the interrelationship of bycatch, which is either directly or indirectly relat- 

 ed to fishing gear, I support the continual gear or conservation engineering studies. 



I support the concept of positive incentive programs to avoid bycatch and waste, 

 and strongly recommend working with entire fishing communities to achieve this 

 goal. Gear research will play the most significant role in the restoration of our re- 

 source stocks during the next decade anatherefore, for the future of all renewable 

 stocks. More so, I support the ability to determine technological changes that are 

 evolving within the harvesting community and I must have the ability to anticipate 

 gear changes/impacts on present and future management measures. 



Prepared Statementt of Nelson R. Beideman, Executive Director, Blue Water 



Fishermen's Association 



On behalf of the members of Blue Water Fishermen's Association (BWFA), I ex- 

 tend our appreciation to you for including Highly Migratory Species issues in this 

 Field Hearing and your continued interest in these international resources. These 

 species are important to many commercial and recreational fishermen, not only here 

 in New England but along the eastern seaboard. 



We appreciate your foresight and effort to secure the "1990 HMS Amendments". 

 We encourage your continued support and ask that you resist any changes that 

 would reduce the effectiveness of tne existing program or reduce the fair protections 

 to US fishermen provided by the 1990 Amendments. 



Presently, all US Fisheries face difficult decisions as Congress proceeds to reau- 

 thorize the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MFCMA) and 

 the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA). Many issues have been raised and reau- 

 thorization discussions are on-going. We have attached preliminary discussion 

 items, while we wait to review draft bills from both the House and Senate Fisheries 

 Committees. 



BWFA has suggested additional HMS amendments (attached) to Senate Com- 

 merce Committee Staff that would enhance participation in the Secretarial Manage- 

 ment Process, and to establish comparable reporting and conservation provisions for 

 other users of these internationally shared resources. We appreciate the continued 

 cooperation of your staff in developing these amendments. 



Again, thank you for your active interest in these issues. We look forward to 

 working with you throughout this year's legislative process to reauthorize the 

 MFCMA and the ATCA. 



MAGNUSON ACT REAUTHORIZATION DISCUSSION ITEMS: HIGHLY MIGRATORY SPECIES 



SECTION 



Implement procedures to discourage non-compliance with International Rec- 

 ommendations 

 Although this reauthorization may be too late to affect the ICCAT North Atlantic 

 Swordfish Stock Recovery Program for 1994, Congress should establish monitoring 

 and enforcement procedures ensure that access to U.S. markets does not provide in- 

 centives to circumvent conservation and management recommendations for species 

 under international management agreements to which the U.S. is a party. This may 

 prevent similar problems of overfisning international fish stocks in the future and 

 offset the economic hardship to U.S. fisnermen who bear more than their fair share 

 of the conservation burden. 



Plan Development Teams 



Despite repeated requests from both recreational and commercial fishermen, 

 NOAA has failed to establish a plan development process which involves interested 

 parties in open public discussion and review of issues and scientific evaluations. The 

 present ad hoc process does not provide adequate public involvement in developing 



