Five years ago this month, President George W. Bush signed legislation revising and reauthorizing the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) into law, requiring strong measures to end and prevent overfishing.
Thanks to the foresight and leadership of President Bush and a bipartisan group of congressional leaders, science-based annual catch limits that protect ocean populations will be in place around the country early this year. This is a historic milestone in our nation's fishing history and will help keep marine species plentiful and fishermen on the water.
Although we haven't won the battle against overfishing yet, we have turned a corner and are beginning to see many of our important stocks rebound. Continued support for a strong MSA and its conservation measures will help prevent overfishing and ensure that we have healthy oceans and fresh local seafood for years to come.