Marine Conservation Alliance Testifies at Senate Hearing

Diana Gish/KMXT

A senate field hearing on the "Strategic Importance of the Arctic in U.S. Policy" took place in Anchorage Thursday. David Benton of the Marine Conservation Alliance in Juneau offered testimony at the hearing. He endorsed the plan by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and by NOAA’s Fisheries service to put a freeze on the expansion of commercial fishing in federal Arctic waters.

— (Arctic Fishing 1 :50 "…comm.fisheries started.")

Benton also told the panel that its urgent to learn from and avoid fishing policy problems from the past.

— (Arctic Fishing 2 1:17 "…of interest to the U.S.")

Now that the U.S. commerce department has adopted the plan to halt expansion of commercial fishing in the Arctic, Benton feels that the U.S. is in a good position to work towards a cooperative international agreement.

— (Arctic Fishing 3 :21 "…in the high arctic.")

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