WASHINGTON – Today, Fisheries Forward, a coalition of leading ocean conservation organizations, applauded U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) for introducing a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the foundational law that governs American fisheries. The legislation, titled Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act of 2024, strengthens sustainable fishery management and makes necessary improvements to help them adapt to climate change, improve ocean health, and support coastal economies.

“Resilient fisheries are the backbone of coastal communities across the country and are fundamental to food, jobs, recreation, and the health of the ocean,” said Fisheries Forward. “While the Magnuson-Stevens Act is one of the most important tools for conserving U.S. fisheries, it has not been updated since 2007 and does not currently mention climate change. The Sustaining America’s Fisheries For the Future Act will help to sustain and strengthen our fisheries so these communities can thrive into the future.

“U.S. fishery management is still struggling to rebuild stocks and has not kept pace with the impacts of climate change. Fish are the foundation of a healthy ocean, affecting everything in the food web from whales and seabirds to coral and seagrass. When they’re overfished, it has cascading harmful impacts not only for our fisheries but also ocean health.

“The Sustaining America’s Fisheries For the Future Act provides new science-based tools to strengthen core conservation provisions and sustainable management so that communities can count on having resilient and abundant fisheries for years to come.

“We applaud Rep. Huffman’s leadership and commitment to prioritizing these vital improvements.”

In addition to Rep. Huffman, the bill is co-sponsored by Reps. James Moylan (Guam-AL), Ed Case (HI-01), and Mary Peltola (AK-AL).

About the Groups:
Fisheries Forward is comprised of ocean conservation organizations Ocean Conservancy, Oceana, Earthjustice, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Center for American Progress. These groups have worked closely together for over a decade to protect and advance conservation gains in U.S. marine fisheries policy and management.

Contact:
Meg Fosha
mfosha@signaldc.com