Paul leads team to stop anti-Gulf legislation PDF Print E-mail
Paul leads team to stop anti-Gulf legislation Bill will stop new rules that hurt shrimpers, red snapper fishermen
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, April 28, 1998

WASHINGTON, DC - Crafted by US Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), legislation with bipartisan support has been introduced which will stop a harmful new rules recently instituted by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) that are detrimental to the Gulf's shrimping and red-snapper fishing industries.

The new agency rule requires ByCatch Reduction Devices on the shrimping industry, and potential reductions in the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) on red snapper fisheries. Further, the NMFS has told Rep. Paul's office that federal agents will be placed on fishing vessels to monitor activities.

"These rules are unconscionable and reflect hostility towards a productive industry which is so very important to the Gulf Coast economy," said Paul. "Despite the bad science and bad economics of these rules, the Department of Commerce and the NMFS are moving forward, and so I have decided to act."

Knowing that the promulgation of the rule was a possibility, Rep. Paul several months ago drafted legislation to stop the rules if they went into effect. During the 104th Congress, the Contract with America Advancement Act was passed, which allows Congress to revoke certain agency rules within 60 legislative days of promulgation.

Paul has officially introduced the legislation, HR3757, as permitted under the law. A bipartisan team of Congressmen representing the Gulf Coast region are signing on to the measure. At the time of introduction, there were 10 original cosponsors to the legislation.

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