KRITFC Testimony - Hearing on Amending & Reauthorizing the Magnuson Stevens Act
“Alaska Natives have been stewards of this resource for at least 12,000 years”
What happened? On November 16th, 2021 the US House of Representatives Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife held a hearing to discuss proposed bills to amend and reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). Mary Peltola, Executive Director of the Kuskokwim River Intertribal Fisheries Commission testified.
What is the MSA? Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) is the main law guiding marine fisheries management in the US. It was originally passed in 1976, the act was amended in 1996 and 2007 to address overfishing and overcapacity. In 2021, three proposed bills could amend the MSA:
HR 59: Proposed by Rep. Don Young. To amend the MSA to provide flexibility for fishery managers and stability for fishermen, and for other purposes.
HR 4690: To reauthorize the MSA.
HR 5770: To improve the management of forage fish.
KRIFTC Testimony: Mary Peltola provided testimony regarding the negative impact of the MSA on the Kuskokwim fisheries: “Even in this rich and productive ecosystem, our current system of fishery management under the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) is failing". In her testimony, Mary Peltola made the following points:
Climate Change: MSA must be amended to better include climate change considerations which will provide direction to the Councils to consider and assess climate change impacts on fisheries.
Inclusion of Tribes in Decision-Making Process: In its current form, the MSA only includes the word “subsistence” once and the system excludes Native American people and traditional knowledge. Alaska Native Tribes do not have a designated seat on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council or representation on the Council Advisory Bodies.
Inclusion of Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge: The MSA does not require nor make space for the inclusion of Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge. “James Nicori of Kwethluk, one of four KRITFC InSeason Managers, said that the migratory birds, specifically the Canadian Geese, were in high abundance that year and he predicted we would meet or exceed our escapement goal of 110,000 Chinook salmon, even with additional opportunities to harvest subsistence salmon. KRITFC stood with James Nicori’s Traditional Knowledge and supported additional harvest opportunities. James’ predictions, grounded in Traditional Knowledge, have held true from 2017 to 2021.”
Reduce Bycatch: KRIFTC supports removing language from the MSA with the goal of re-orienting the MSA towards its original purpose of reducing bycatch.
Comments by Rep. Young: Rep. Don Young attended the hearing. Rep. Young spoke in favor of the MSA and the North Pacific Fisheries Council in its present form. Rep Young also supported the proposal to reserve some seats on the Council for Alaska Native Tribes but cautioned that the current proposed bill did not give any authority to the Council seats.
What’s next? The representatives will get to work negotiating with other representatives to build support for their bill. In particular, Rep. Huffman (Chair) and Rep. Young indicated their interest in formulating a bi-partisan bill.
”Fun” Hearing Fact: Rep. Huffman, the Chair of the subcommittee, encouraged viewers at home to play a drinking game whenever the representative from Louisiana said the words “red snapper”. Watch for yourself: https://youtu.be/qG-i6dKCJM8?t=7637
References:
Natural Resources Committee. Legislative Hearing - November 2021.
https://naturalresources.house.gov/hearings/hybrid-wow-legislative-hearing_november-16-2021
Pacific Fishery Management Council. Fact Sheet: The Magnuson-Stevens Act. October 2021.
https://www.pcouncil.org/fact-sheet-the-magnuson-stevens-act/
Peltola, Mary. Written Testimony of Mary Sattler Peltola Executive Director, Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. November 2021.
https://naturalresources.house.gov/imo/media/doc/Updated%20Peltola%20Testimony%20-%20WOW%20Leg%20Hrg%2011.16.21.pdf
