2020: Fitzpatrick Voted For Establishing A Five-Year Grant Program To
Phaseout Large-Scale Driftnet Fishing And Adopt Alternative Fishing
Practices. In December 2020, Fitzpatrick voted for the Driftnet
Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act which would, according to
Congressional Quarterly, "require the Commerce Department to establish a
five-year grant program to facilitate the phaseout of large-scale
driftnet fishing and adoption of alternative fishing practices that
minimize the incidental catch of living marine resources. It would
authorize grants to driftnet fishing permit holders to cover fees
associated with a surrendered permit; forfeiture of previously purchased
driftnet fishing gear; and purchase of alternative gear that minimizes
incidental catch. It would also allow the department to collect fees
from operators of charter vessels for recreational Pacific halibut
anglers in certain areas and use such fees to administer halibut fishing
quota and conservation programs." The vote was on passage. The House
passed the bill by a vote of 283-105. The bill was vetoed by President
Trump and Congress never voted on overriding the veto. [House Vote 242,
12/10/20; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/10/20;
Congressional Actions, S.
906]
2018: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Reauthorizing The Magnuson-Stevens Act
Through FY 2022 And Gave More Authority To Local Fishery Management
Councils And The Fishing Industry For Setting Overfished Fisheries Are
Restored. In July 2018, Fitzpatrick voted against a bill that
reauthorized and modified Magnuson-Stevens. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "This bill reauthorizes the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act through FY 2022 and modifies the law to
provide greater authority to regional fishery management councils and
the fishing industry in setting the conditions under which overfished or
depleted fisheries are to be restored. Under the measure, the current
10-year requirement for rebuilding overfished or depleted fisheries
would be eliminated, and fishery councils could instead set rebuilding
periods to shorter time frames more reflective of the individual
species' ability to recover. It modifies various requirements regarding
'catch limits' for specific species included in fisheries management
plans and prohibits fisheries councils in four regions from implementing
any new 'catch share' program unless it has been approved by an industry
referendum vote; it allows such programs to be implemented in the other
four regions only if a majority of those eligible to participate in the
fishery first petitions the department. The measure also extends state
management for recreational fishing of the red snapper fishery in the
Gulf of Mexico out to 9 nautical miles from the coast and includes
numerous provisions to improve the data collection on fisheries that
subsequently is used by regional councils to develop their fisheries
management plans. The measure authorizes $397 million a year through FY
2022 for federal activities to carry out the law (equal to the FY 2013
authorization, the last year it was authorized). For FY 2017, a total of
$538 million was appropriated to carry out the law, according to the
Congressional Budget Office." The vote was on passage. The House passed
the bill by a vote of 222 to 193. The Senate took no substantive action
on the legislation. [House Vote 321,
7/11/18; Congressional
Quarterly,
6/26/18;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
200]
2024: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Allowing The Use Of Lead Tackle When
Fishing On Federal Land. In April 2024, Fitzpatrick voted against ,
according to Congressional Quarterly, "the bill that would prohibit the
Interior and Agriculture departments from banning the use of lead
ammunition or tackle on federal lands or waters that are under their
jurisdiction and made available for hunting or fishing. It also would
prevent the departments from issuing regulations relating to the level
of lead ammunition or tackle being used on these lands. The prohibition
on such bans would not apply to regulations in cases where an applicable
department determines a decline in wildlife is triggered by the use of
lead ammunition or tackle, or when the regulations against lead are
consistent with state policy. It also would not apply if regulations
against lead are consistent with an applicable policy of the fish and
wildlife department of the state where the federal land or water is
located." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote
of 214 to 201. [House Vote 167,
4/30/24; Congressional
Quarterly, 4/30/24;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
615]