161 



high time that the users of this resource pay a fee because fishing is not a right, 

 it is a privilege. 



The Magnuson Act bust be amended to allow for a user-fee mechanism that will 

 offset the costs of management. This is not a tax, but a user-fee that is earmarked 

 for fisheries conservation, research and maintenance. In order that this user-fee 

 plan can be implemented, we recommend a standard national registration program 

 for all vessels that fish in federal waters, This would serve to provide a standard 

 data base in order that resource user-fees could be assessed. 



Unfortunately, in the North Pacific, the user-fee plan that was amended to the 

 Magnuson Act in 1990 has yet to be implemented. This plan is critical to provide 

 a funding mechanism to maintain the federal observer program. The North Pacific 

 Fishery Management Council approved the plan in June, 1992. Yet, at this timed 

 NOAA general counsel is reluctant to approve the plan based on legal concerns. 

 There must be an equitable user-fee plan that will serve to offset the costs of con- 

 servation and management. 



Interestingly, a time not to long ago, the State Department successfully collected 

 access fees from nations wishing to Tish in U.S. federal waters. Failure to pay the 

 fee resulted in the denial of a fishing permit. Later, as joint-venture fisheries devel- 

 oped, the access fee and the price for the fish was paid by foreign vessels that 

 worked with U.S. catcher vessels. When the fisheries became "Americanized", we 

 dropped the user-fee concept altogether. And now, oddly, we have no method of col- 

 lecting a fee to fish, nor do we nave total consensus from the fishing industry to 

 help pay the costs. 



CONCLUSION 



The Magnuson Act has the framework to become an effective conservation ori- 

 ented law. Adjustments will need to be made in order that the Act adequately ad- 

 dress conservation concerns. By updating the law to keep pace with the present sta- 

 tus of U.S. fisheries, the health oi the marine environment may be restored and the 

 economic stability of coastal communities from Alaska to Maine could be main- 

 tained. 



As a nation that boasts the largest EEZ in the world, and as a region that boasts 

 the largest fishery in the nation, we have reason to be concerned about the future 

 of fish. We also have learned from our antiquated management practices of the past 

 and we are poised to reform our ocean policies. Alaska s fisheries are not an inex- 

 haustible resource, but they can be renewable and sustainable if we take immediate 

 steps to include ecological concerns at all levels of living marine resource manage- 

 ment. 



The fishing industry and the environmental community are working together to 

 ensure that our compatible goals of sustainable ecosystems and the fisheries that 

 depend on them are maintained for the long-term. We are committed to advocate 

 sustainable fishing practices and we welcome more comprehensive science to im- 

 prove our understanding of the oceans. 



Thank you for considering our views. We will look forward to working with your 

 throughout this reauthorization process. 



Q 



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 Q 



1993 BSAI GROUNDFISH DISCARD, KOTK SOLE FISHERY 



AMOUNT (MT) 



RETAINED 

 32% 



RETAINED VS DISCARD 



RSOL 



■TOTAL GROUNDFISH DISCARD 

 IN ROCK SOLE FISHERY . 



