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Statement of 



Jay L. Rasmussen 



Director, Oregon Coastal Zone Management Association 



before the 



Subcommittee on Fisheries Management 



Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries 



U.S. House of Representatives 



August 10, 1993 



Portland, Oregon 



Mr. Chaiiman and members of the Subcommittee. I am Jay Rasmussen, executive director of 

 an organisation comprised of 41 coastal local governments in Oregon, an organization of coundes, 

 cities, ports, and soil and water conservation districts. I deeply appreciate this opportunity to 

 convey the shared concerns of Oregon coast residents and businesses over several current federal 

 fishery management trends, particularly regarding Pacific whiting. It is a pleasure to note that 

 Congresswoman Furse from Oregon is a member of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee 

 and has assisted in providing this field hearing opportunity. 



This past year's efforts to set an allocation for the Pacific whiting fishery certainly have not 

 given coastal residents much confidence in "our ability to effectively manage and conserve our 

 nation's fishery resources." Let me illustrate by contrasting the two approaches to managing 

 Pacific whiting taken by fishery management agencies for the 1993 season. The first approach is 

 that taken by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) which studied, discussed, 

 considered, documented, and finally made a judicious recommendation to the U.S. Department of 

 Commerce. The second approach is that taken by the Department of Commerce in its review and 

 eventually, in its disapproval of most of the Council's recommendation. Here the process 

 foundered in confusion, secrecy, and unproductive delay. The differences in these approaches— 

 and the economic and social trauma resulting form the Commerce Department's untimely 

 disapproval of the PFMC reconrmendation-have prompted call for a reform of the process and of 

 its governing laws. The 67th Oregon Legislative Assembly's memorial to Congress contain these 

 recommended changes. 



