A trio of U.S. senators have introduced legislation that would require NOAA Fisheries to consider the impact of climate change on fish distribution in setting commercial fishing quotas.
“This legislation addresses outdated fishing requirements and ensures that climate change conditions like rising water temperatures that shift fish stocks are prioritized in fishery management plans. Our changing climate has seriously altered our oceans, forcing fishermen to travel far distances to earn a living or throw back valuable fish,” U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) said in a release.
In addition to Blumenthal, the legislation is backed by U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts).
The Supporting Healthy Interstate Fisheries in Transition (SHIFT) Act would direct the U.S. secretary of commerce to investigate indications that a fishery stock has moved from one regional fishery management council’s jurisdiction into another’s and then work with both councils to determine how the stock should be managed moving forward.
“With the SHIFT Act, we will make sure fishery management plans accurately reflect the drastic impacts of climate change – bolstering our local fishermen and raising the tides for our state’s blue economy,” Blumenthal said.
According to the lawmakers, warming waters have pushed fish stocks farther north, forcing commercial fishers to travel farther in response to harvest them and confusing regional jurisdiction.
“Connecticut’s fishing industry is so important to our state’s economy, but it’s being held back by outdated, decades-old federal laws that don’t allow our fishermen to adapt to an unpredictable and fast-changing climate,” Murphy said. “This bill will modernize our fisheries management laws for the 21st century – allowing our fishermen to stay ahead of fish migrations, maximize their catch, and reduce their costs – and bring us one step closer to our goal of a sustainable, blue economy for Connecticut.”
The legislation has been endorsed by several conservation groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Ocean Conservancy, Oceana, Pew Charitable Trusts, American Saltwater Guides Association, Earthjustice, Environmental Defense Fund, and the National Audubon Society.
"As marine fisheries shift and transform in response to climate change, there is an urgent need for policy guidance on how to best conserve them and support fishing communities for the long term. The SHIFT Act would respond by updating management frameworks to keep pace with shifting fish stocks, reduce user conflicts, and promote precautionary management of emerging fisheries. These solutions have a key role in securing a resilient future for our fisheries,” NRDC Senior Attorney Molly Masterton said in a release.
The SHIFT Act isn’t the only piece of U.S. legislation concerning current fishery management council jurisdictions.
Earlier this year, lawmakers from the state of Rhode Island introduced the Rhode Island Fishermen’s Fairness Act. If passed, the bill would give Rhode Island fishers a seat on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC). According to Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation, the state leads Atlantic states in commercial squid landings, accounting for 30.7 million pounds in 2023. However, the commercial squid fishery is under the jurisdiction of MAFMC, which Rhode Island is not a part of.
“Every decision the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council makes has a big impact on the livelihoods of Ocean State fishermen and the state’s economy. Ensuring that Rhode Island has a voice and voting power on the council is a critical issue of fairness that I’ve led the charge on for years,” U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) said in a release earlier this year.
Rhode Island lawmakers have been pushing for a voice on the council for decades, but they’ve struggled to find enough support in Congress to pass the legislation into law.
