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ever, 110 progress has been made toward resolving Canada's compliance with the 

 present ICCAT Swordfish Recovery Recommendations. 



The primary goal of US industry continues to be to have Canada reduce its 1994 

 swordfish quota to 1302 MT then join with the US to seek multinational solutions 

 to prevent expansion andlor the development of highly migratory species fisheries 

 on fish stocks that ICCAT has scientifically determined to be fully and over-ex- 

 ploited. 



[Miscellaneous information may be found in the committee files.] 



Prepared Statementt of Henri Francios, Port Agent, New Bedford, MA, 

 Seafarers International Union of North America 



My name is Henri Francios, Port Agent for the Seafarers International Union of 

 North America which represents 85,000 men and women involved in fishing, marine 

 transportation, and other marine-related occupations. Here in the port of New Bed- 

 ford — the largest fishing port on the eastern coast of the United States — the SIU 

 represents some 450 people who earn their living harvesting fish for the American 

 people. I thank the members of this distinguished committee for coming to our port 

 and giving the SIU and myself this opportunity to testify. 



This is a difficult time for fishermen. Many individuals are suffering economic 

 hardship because of depleted fish stocks and tough fishery management regulations. 

 Our neighbors and friends have been illegally seized and arrested by the Canadian 

 Government. But despite these daily hardships, fishermen recognize the importance 

 of focusing on the bigger picture of the Magnuson Act and the broad rules which 

 guide fishery management in the United States. However, I trust that you — the rep- 

 resentatives of the American people — have listened to our daily concerns and have, 

 and will continue to, provide us with the assistance we need to weather these crises. 



I would like to use this opportunity to focus on Just a few of the critical issues 

 regarding the Magnuson Act which are vital to the fishermen of the SIU. 



• First of aU, I would urge the Senate not to impose any new taxes or "user fees" 

 on the already troubled fishing industry. It would be sadly ironic to give us financial 

 assistance with one hand, only to take away more with the other. Any new user 

 fee will simply mean broad-based financial ruin for New Bedford and hundreds of 

 other fishing conrununities. 



• Another issue of grave concern is that of so-called individual transferrable 

 quotas or ITQ's, and what we here in New Bedford are concerned about, permit con- 

 solidations. These issues are very similar. In effect, the New England groundfish 

 plan gives each boat a certain number of days at sea to fish. Some want to be able 

 to buy out other fishermen's permits and "consolidate" them in order to fish more 

 days. The SIU strongly opposes this. 



Just like the ITQ's, where fishermen are given a small amount of quota they can 

 either fish or sell, permit consolidations will mean massive unemployment as finan- 

 cially well off companies and individuals will "comer the maricet" on these fishing 

 rights. The SIU, on the other hand, wants to see a system where all fishermen can 

 get by until the current fishery crisis passes. The SIU advocates a management sys- 

 tem that allows fishermen to do what they know and love: earn their living at sea. 



The SIU has testified before the Senate that Congress should put a moratorium 

 in place on new ITQ plans until a study can be done of the ITQ program for Atlantic 

 surf clams and ocean quahogs and of the Pacific halibut ITQ plan. I am informed 

 that your committee is considering such a ban on ITQ's and urge you to pass that. 

 However, the SIU strongly believes that neither the Secretary of Commerce or the 

 National Marine Fishery Service should be in charge of the study. 



The fishery bureaucrats do not have the training to study the social and economic 

 devastation caused by the surf clam ITQ's. Further, the agency has many individ- 

 uals who see ITQ's as a way to expand their budgets and increase their control over 

 the industry. The SIU requests that any study be done by an independent Gk)vem- 

 ment ageno'. 



• The SIU also believes that many of the problems Congress has been hearing 

 about from the environmental community are based on the realities of years past. 

 While it is true that overfishing is currently a problem, this problem did not emerge 

 overnight. 



Given that the first priority of the Magnuson Act was to "Americanize" the fish- 

 eries, it is not surprising that during the act's first decade, conservation was not 

 given full priority. Even today the industry suffers from the failure to manage fish- 

 eries efiectively and efforts to increase the U.S. fishing fleet. 



