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Representative Bradley Byrne

Representing the 1st District of Alabama

House Committee to Hold Hearing on Red Snapper Mismanagement

Dec 3, 2014
Press Release

Congressman Bradley Byrne (AL-1) and other members of the House Natural Resource Committee will hold a hearing on Thursday to examine the management of the Red Snapper fishery in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans & Insular Affairs hearing will include a witness from Alabama. Chris Blankenship, the Director of the Marine Resources Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, will testify before the Committee at the request of Congressman Byrne.

Byrne said: “I am pleased the Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on the Red Snapper issue this week. I think it is very important that we keep up the pressure on this issue, which has been a top priority of mine since coming to Congress.

“We have made some real progress on finding a solution to this issue over the past year, including having my language included in the Magnuson–Stevens Reauthorization Act, which passed out of the committee earlier this year.

“I’m especially pleased the hearing will include testimony of a witness from Alabama, Chris Blankenship. It is really important that Alabama voices continue to be heard on this issue, and I am pleased Mr. Blankenship will speak on behalf of Alabamians before the United States Congress.”

Congressman Byrne has been an outspoken critic of the mismanagement of the Red Snapper fishery in the Gulf of Mexico. The first piece of standalone legislation Congressman Byrne introduced in Congress was the Supporting New Avenues to Protect our Fisherman’s Resources (SNAPR) Act. Congressman Byrne has advocated for repealing Section 407(d) of the Magnuson–Stevens Act, which mandates quotas on Red Snapper fishing. Byrne also supports extending Alabama’s state water boundary to 9 nautical miles from shore, effectively giving the state more control over its resources.

The hearing will take place Thursday, December 4th, at 9:00 AM CT.  The hearing is open to the public and a live video stream will be broadcast at http://naturalresources.house.gov/live.