Congressman Andy Harris raised concerns on Apr. 15 about a delay by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in implementing updated recreational fishing measures, saying it could negatively affect Maryland’s Eastern Shore economy.
The issue centers on proposed fishing measures developed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which were submitted to NOAA more than eight months ago. According to Harris, NOAA waited until just three weeks before the start of the recreational fishing season to inform stakeholders that these new rules would not be put into effect this year, instead reverting to older regulations.
Harris said, “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.” He also said he has received feedback from constituents who are worried about how this delay will impact their livelihoods. “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,” Harris said.
Harris is currently serving in Congress representing Maryland’s 1st district after replacing Frank Kratovil in 2011 according to public records. He has served in Congress since 2011 following previous service in both chambers of Maryland’s state legislature as noted by official congressional biography. Born in New York City in 1957, Harris is now 66 years old and lives in Cambridge according to biographical information. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1977 as reported by Johns Hopkins University.
Observers say that delays such as these can have significant consequences for local economies that depend heavily on seasonal industries like recreational fishing. The outcome of congressional review may determine how similar situations are handled by federal agencies going forward.
