Blog

Courtesy of NAA:

Long considered the “third rail” of politics, Congressional action to update the Endangered Species Act have been few and far between. However, in the current Congress the National Aquaculture Association (NAA) has strongly supported a variety of bills in House and Senate to update and modernize the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that include but are not limited to:

• HR 2503, Saving America’s Endangered Species Act.  The NAA’s support letter was cited during a House Natural Resources Committee hearing.  HR 2603 and four other bills were passed out of committee and are awaiting House action. Please see https://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=402373.
• Efforts led by Senator John Barrasso, Chair, Committee on Environment and Public Works, to update and modernize the ESA. Please see https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases-republican?ID=D10FBBBD-8886-4E0F-950B-A24DE5726CE4.
• Efforts by the Congressional Western Caucus, chaired by Rep. Paul Gosar, to pass out of House Natural Resources Committee today nine additional bills to modernize the ESA. Please see https://westerncaucus.house.gov/issues/issue/?IssueID=14890.

In addition, the NAA recently submitted letters in support of proposals by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service to amend their regulations when 1) listing or delisting species by including an economic impact analysis, recognize state and private efforts to protect, conserve and recover at-risk species, and 2) to streamline and expedite ESA required permit consultations amongst the agencies.

If you would like more information or to receive copies of the NAA’s comment letters, please contact the NAA Office at 850-216-2400 or naa@thenaa.net.