Today, U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, introduced two amendments to S. 2363, the Sportsmen's Act of 2014. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) indicated last week that the Sportsmen's bill would be on the Floor this week; however, he has postponed debate.
"In Louisiana, the Sportsman's Paradise, we share a deep respect and appreciation for the abundant natural resources in our state, and it is a top priority for me to conserve them while also protecting our public access to them," said Vitter. "My amendments to the Sportsmen's Act will increase transparency within the Regional Fishery Management Councils to hold them accountable to their mandate of protecting the interests of anglers, and also grant Gulf States more direct control over the red snapper fisheries. When it comes to thousands of livelihoods and businesses that are impacted by the red snapper fisheries, I trust the States much more than the federal government."
Vitter's first amendment would bring transparency to closed meetings of the Regional Fishery Management Councils (RFMC), including new requirements for detailed minutes and transcripts. Vitter's second amendment grants States management authority of the red snapper fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
Recently, Vitter wrote an op-ed in the Houma Courier entitled, "Protecting Red Snapper Fishing." He has also been conducting attentive oversight of the Gulf of Mexico RFMC and their continuing efforts to update the decades-old allocations for the red snapper fisheries.
In 2013, Vitter introduced the Offshore Fairness Act, which would extend the offshore jurisdiction for fishery management for states from Louisiana to Virginia. Vitter's bill would put the states in charge of red snapper management until each state's governor certifies that NOAA's stock assessments are complete and based on sound science.
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