Congressman Harris Warns NOAA Delay Threatens Eastern Shore Fisheries and Local Economy

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01), Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA, sent a letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) raising concerns about a delay in implementing updated recreational fishing measures and the impact on Maryland's Eastern Shore economy.

The proposed measures were developed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and submitted more than eight months ago. NOAA waited until just three weeks before the start of the recreational fishing season to notify stakeholders they would not be implemented and is now reverting to outdated measures.

Statement from Congressman Harris:

"NOAA waited until just weeks before the season to reverse course on these proposed measures, leaving small businesses and watermen on Maryland's Eastern Shore dealing with the fallout at a critical time.

I've heard directly from constituents across the Eastern Shore who are concerned about this delay. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will be reviewing NOAA's handling of this closely as part of the FY27 funding process. NOAA must act immediately to correct this failure and ensure it does not happen again."

Full text of the letter can be viewed here.

For media inquiries, please contact Michella Carter at [email protected]