Loading
Steve Phelps, owner and head chef at one of the most prestigious restaurants in the region, doesn't consider himself a political person.
But Phelps, owner of Indigenous in Sarasota, spent a day recently in Washington, D.C., where he met with senators, representatives and political aides. Phelps was part of a small group of chefs and restaurateurs who headed to the capital to talk about proposed changes to the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Established in 1976, it's the principal federal law that governs marine fisheries, written to prevent overfishing, rebuild overfished stocks, increase long-term economic benefits and ensure a sustainable supply of seafood. “There are a few proposals out there that would undermine all the science we know,” Phelps tells Coffee Talk. “Those changes would take us back 40 years.”
Phelps and the others had their day in Washington June 11, during Capitol Hill Ocean Week. Two proposed bills in particular, say Phelps and his cohorts, would modify, or water down, the rules of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Proposals include providing regional fishery management councils the authority to relax seasonal timelines and adjust catch limits when environmental conditions and unusual occurrences could potentially interfere with bringing fish back.
Phelps says the consequences would be harsh if the law's regulations are watered down. He made his case before multiple officials, including Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep Charlie Crist, D-St. Petersburg, former Florida governor. (One politico who Phelps didn't meet with in D.C. is Florida Gov. Rick Scott, one of many high-level diners to have eaten at Indigenous.)
The proposed changes to the Magnuson-Stevens Act could hit the House floor by late July. “I've been known as having the best fish in town,” says Phelps. “If they make these changes, I'll be known as the place that used to have the best fish in town.”
Your free article limit has been reached this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited digital access to our award-winning business news.
Join thousands of executives who rely on us for insights spanning Tampa Bay to Naples.
