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Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) announced today that the House Appropriations Committee has approved $700,000 he requested for the Partnership for Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Science, Inc. (PMAFS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service's James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory at Sandy Hook. The funding was included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Crime, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.
Pallone secured $400,000 for the Partnership for Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Science, Inc. (PMAFS). PMAFS is a research initiative in both New Jersey and New York that will address science issues relevant to improving the understanding of summer flounder recruitment, population demographics and discard mortality. PMAFS will design and implement, in collaboration with federal and state regulatory partners along the east coast, a science research program addressing these most urgent data limitations restricting improved management of summer flounder in the Mid-Atlantic.
"Summer flounder is one of the most important recreational fisheries in the Mid-Atlantic area," Pallone said. "This funding will provide valuable research into summer flounder recruitment, population demographics, and discard mortality that will be helpful to both the commercial and recreational fishing communities in New Jersey. I will continue to fight for these funds as this legislation works its way through the Congress."
The House Committee on Appropriations also approved $300,000 for the James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory. The lab is currently working on cutting-edge research on Bluefin Tuna stock identification, as well as preparing background data on essential fish habitat under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act for the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Regional Councils. The lab is also involved in identifying critical inshore coastal habitat for commercial and recreational fishery species for the Mid-Atlantic and Southern New England states.
The legislation now heads to the full House for its review. The new fiscal year officially begins on October 1, 2008.
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