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THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. I AM JERRY SCHILL, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 



OF THE NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS A TRADE GROUP 

 REPRESENTING THE COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY IN NORTH CAROLINA. I 

 AM ALSO A MEMBER OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL. 



THE DISCUSSION DRAFT THAT I RECEIVED TO PREPARE FOR THIS HEARING ON 

 ATLANTIC COAST INTERJURISDICTIONAL FISHERIES MANAGEMENT REFERS 

 FREQUENTLY TO THE MAGNUSON ACT. OUR MAIN CONCERNS WITH BOTH THE 

 MAGNUSON ACT AND THE INTERJURISDICTIONAL BILL ARE VERY SIMILAR. 



THE GIST OF AN INTERJURISDICTIONAL BILL IS THAT ALL EFFORTS TO FOSTER 

 COOPERATION AMONG THE STATES HAVE FAILED. WE VEHEMENTLY DISAGREE! 

 IT MIGHT BE SAID THAT ALL EFFORTS HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED TO FOSTER 

 COOPERATION AMONG THE VARIOUS BUREAUCRATS AND THEIR 

 CORRESPONDING FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES. BUT TO EXTEND THAT TO 

 INCLUDE THE SO-CALLED "USER" GROUPS IS AN ABSOLUTE FALLACY. 



OUR ORGANIZATION IS 41 YEARS OLD, AND I HAVE SERVED IN MY PRESENT 

 POSITION FOR ALMOST 6 YEARS. THE ATLANTIC STATES MARINE FISHERIES 

 COMMISSION IS 51 YEARS OLD. YET, UNTIL MARCH OF 1992, OUR GROUP NEVER 

 RECEIVED ANY TYPE OF COMMUNICATION THAT WOULD INDICATE WE WERE ON 

 A MAILING LIST. 



IN MAY OF 1992, I ATTENDED THE SPRING MEETING OF THE ASMFC AS A VOTING 

 MEMBER BY PROXY. I WAS AMAZED AT THE LACK OF ATTENTION GIVEN TO 

 THEIR "COMPACT", WHICH IS PUBLIC LAW 539 PASSED BY THE 77TH CONGRESS 

 AND AMENDED BY THE 81ST CONGRESS ON AUGUST 19, 1950. 



