Press Release
Former Fisherman Brings Ocean Conservation to Land of 10,000 Lakes - Urges Support for Fisheries Recovery Act, Cosponsored by Representative Betty McCollum (D-4th)
By Push Services, [email protected]
MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- When Phil Kline began his twenty-six
year fishing career in Eureka, Calif., he never imagined that he would
choose to prematurely switch jobs. He had intended to fish until he was much older.However, because there weren't enough fish to make a living -- due to overfishing and continuing habitat destruction -- he decided to join other concerned fishermen and conservationists to take action. The federal government eventually realized the problems that had been created and declared a federal disaster one year later.
Mr. Kline will be visiting the Minneapolis metro area as part of "Fish
and Tell," a forum for America's fishermen to talk to the media about their
profession and the challenges they face, from Wednesday, February 6 through Friday, February 8.
"I could still make a living fishing in my home waters off California,
but the reality is I would be impoverished with not enough fish to pay the
bills. Those fish that I would be catching would be the fish that are necessary to rebuild the fish stocks so the harbor in Eureka can, once again, support a prosperous fishing fleet," says Kline. Eureka's bottom fish fleet has dwindled from a fleet of hundreds of vessels in the 1980s to only a handful today.
Kline also believes that the effects of overfishing can be felt farther
inland, since the variety of fish available for consumer purchase is
decreasing while the price is rising. "It's easier and cheaper to catch a
fish that is plentiful than a fish that is depleted. Many of our most
popular fish are now very rare and very expensive."
The condition of ocean fish stocks also will affect Minnesota
economically, as the state ranks 5th out of the 50 states in the number of
jobs supported by sport fishing, with Florida, Texas and California ranking
first through third, respectively. Money spent by Minnesotans on
recreational fishing totaled almost one billion dollars in 1996 according to statistics prepared by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. This figure includes local recreational fishing, money spent on equipment and vacations to coastal states to fish in salt water. Minnesota is also home to Normark Corporation, one of the world's leading tackle manufacturers and corporate headquarters for Genmar, which is parent company to a bunch of fishing boat manufacturers, including such big names as Hatteras and Wellcraft.
Representative Betty McCollum is a cosponsor of the Fisheries Recovery Act of 2001, H.R. 2570, which would reform federal fisheries management by putting the conservation of fish first. H.R. 2570 will stop overfishing, minimize the catching and killing of non-target ocean life, protect fish habitats, protect marine ecosystems and improve fisheries data. Reforming federal fisheries management is one way of assuring the livelihoods of America's fishermen and fishing communities as well as the continued availability of sustainable fish to consumers.
Federal mismanagement is not a concern that is limited to California:
fishermen from Florida, Alaska, Oregon and Massachusetts will be traveling inland as part of "Fish and Tell;" taking the message of the importance of ocean conservation to Denver, Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago.
The Marine Fish Conservation Network is a national coalition of more
than 130 commercial and recreational fishing associations, environmental organizations, aquariums and marine science groups dedicated to promoting the long-term sustainability of marine fish, representing more than 5 million people.
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