I greatly appreciate the interest that Chairman Studds and 

 Chairman Manton and Mr. Andrews from the committee have 

 shown in coming here on this trip, and of course my colleagues 

 from the Northwest. Congresswoman Unsoeld has been a leader on 

 many of these issues, and Congresswoman Furse for their sincere 

 hard work already on behalf of what I think are some of the key 

 economic issues for us here in the Northwest; and that Mr. Wyden 

 would take time to join us this morning is an additional benefit to 

 the concerns of all of us in the Pacific Northwest. 



As of today, as was mentioned, the Merchant Marine and Fisher- 

 ies Committee has held four hearings on the reauthorization of the 

 Magnuson Act. I think we have heard as many opinions as we have 

 heard testimonies from individuals, and I am sure that that will 

 continue. 



We are not alone in the Northwest in our concerns over the way 

 the reauthorization process and bill will be made, but I am sure 

 that our issues can be addressed. The legal backing of the Magnu- 

 son Act really did expand the fishing industry into what became a 

 multi-billion dollar industry, and this is, I think, a very important 

 point for us to realize as we continue to look at the reauthorization 

 of this Act. Thousands of jobs are at stake, thousands of families' 

 incomes are at stake, and that is why we should, in looking at this 

 process today, take particular concern to the accountability of the 

 council process in the public eye. 



Is this council system really conducive to management schemes 

 that are fair and equitable to all fishermen as written in the na- 

 tional standard number four? 



The Magnuson Act clearly states that our American fishermen 

 deserve the benefit from this national resource. We are losing a sig- 

 nificant portion of our at-sea fleet now, and I do not believe that 

 this was what the Act intended. The long-term sustainability will 

 only continue through a management process that works and 

 works well with predictability. 



Mr. Chairman, I have a copy of a position paper on some of these 

 points that I think represents a significant step in coalitions work- 

 ing together on this Act. I want to congratulate the Alaska Crab 

 Coalition, the American Factory Trawler Association, the Ameri- 

 can High Seas Fishery Association, the Fishing Vessel Owners As- 

 sociation, and the Mid-water Trawlers Cooperative for putting this 

 together, and I would respectfully request that it become part of 

 our official record. 



[The information may be found at end of hearing.] 



Ms. Cantwell. The other issue that we are here to address 

 today, the Northwest salmon, is again a very critical economic 

 issue for us in the Northwest. Those testifying this morning are 

 some of the key players that will either give us the ability to act or 

 cause the inaction on how we best preserve this great resource. We 

 must take decisive action or we are in danger of losing the battle 

 on salmon. 



Mr. Chairman, I again want to thank you and the committee 

 members for the willingness to understand how important these 

 issues are economically to us in the Pacific Northwest and look for- 

 ward to having you take the second leg of this journey up to Seat- 

 tle. 



