Profiles In Fishing

What does the word "sustainable" mean to you?

To me, "sustainable" means to assure the reproductive capability of a species. We have established sustainability as an essential goal for all fisheries, both in the waters off our country and around the world. Healthy fisheries are important to our nutrition, economies, and to the way of life for many people. To assure that a fisheries resource is sustainable requires a collaborative effort between policymakers, scientists, and the public. I am proud of the strides that have been made in our state of Alaska to ensure our wild fisheries are sustainable. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council, which regulates the fisheries in the 200 miles off our coast, has made science the basis for all management processes. Today, Alaska's fisheries have no over-fished species. In fact, Alaskan fisheries have been singled out by leading conservation groups as a model for effective fish management.

What is your role in the sustainable management of U.S. Fisheries?

Preserving the reproductive capacity of our fisheries has been one of my top priorities. Years ago, I had the opportunity of working with my good friend Senator Warren Magnuson from Washington, to develop a comprehensive framework for managing our nation's fisheries. I wrote the first draft of the Fishery Conservation and Management Act, which was signed into law in 1976. The Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) extended our Nation's boundaries on the seas to protect our resources to the 200 mile limit. It created regional councils to underscore the importance of area-specific management. MSA was reauthorized earlier this year, expanding the areas affected by the original act and applying the successful management practices of Alaska to other regions. For example, MSA will now require that each management council follows sound science in planning and managing fisheries in its area. This reauthorization also requires an end to over-fishing.

Today to assure sustainability, I focus on addressing illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. This is an international problem threatening countless species of fish and marine mammals. The MSA reauthorization is designed to combat unregulated destructive fishing practices on the high seas. We must now work with the U.N. to halt these activities.

Why is your role so important?

My colleagues in Congress and I must make responsible decisions to assure our fishery resources will be available for generations to come, and make our nation a leader in establishing marine resource management as a worldwide priority.