Policy News
On October 11, AFS Policy Director Drue Winters shepherded marine fisheries experts, Drs. Tom Miller and Cynthia Jones, around D.C. for robust discussions with NOAA Fisheries and Congressional staff on policy considerations for re-authorizing and amending the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA). Context: Over the last several years, Congress has made attempts to amend the MSA. In... Read More
On Monday, Sept. 24, U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo ruled in favor of environmental, public interest and fishing groups who filed suit against the national Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, two years ago to block efforts to establish aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico. In January... Read More
The Interior Department released an “open science” policy this week that is similar to the controversial policy issued by EPA in the spring in furtherance of the Trump Administration’s efforts to increase transparency and accountability in federal decision making. The four-page order signed by Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt directs the department to “utilize and prioritize... Read More
The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (H.R. 4647) – legislation that would dedicate $1.3 billion annually towards the conservation and monitoring of at-risk species at the state level – has just reached 100 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives. The American Fisheries Society has been working in concert with partner conservation organizations to secure co-sponsors. The... Read More
AFS joined with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the Wildlife Management Institute, and The Wildlife Society in a letter to congressional appropriators to express support for the Cooperative Research Unit (CRU) program at the U.S. Geological Survey as they finalize the FY2019 Interior Appropriations bills. The organizations requested funding for the CRUs at... Read More
A new marine fisheries policy was approved by the AFS Governing Board Atlantic City in August to inform the proposed Congressional re-authorization and amendment of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Management Act, the federal law that governs fisheries management in offshore waters. A special committee of prominent marine fisheries experts led by co-chairs, Tom Miller, University of... Read More
This week, the House Natural Resources Committee advanced the Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act, a bill that seeks to fund the maintenance backlog on national parks, wildlife refuges and public lands. The American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society urged the committee to consider funding for proactive fish and wildlife conservation. More than... Read More
A new marine fisheries policy was approved by the AFS Governing Board Atlantic City in August to inform the proposed Congressional re‐authorization and amendment of the Magnuson‐Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA), the federal law that governs fisheries management in offshore waters. Early this year, AFS President Steve McMullin empaneled a special committee of... Read More
For Immediate Release August 13, 2018 Contact: Martha Wilson [email protected] (202) 445-9514 AQUACULTURE: FARMING THE FUTURE American Fisheries Society symposia delve deeper into modern aquaculture (Atlantic City, NJ) August 13, 2018 – Fisheries scientists and professionals from around the country and around the world will gather in Atlantic City from August 19-23 for the annual... Read More
In mid-July, Senator John Barrasso (R.-Wyo.), Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released a “discussion draft” of a bill that seeks to amend the Endangered Species Act. The committee held a hearing on July 17 to explore the proffered changes. The bill is largely based on the recommendations of the Western Governors Association for... Read More
