America’s seafood industry leaders are opposing a new bill introduced by Sen. Elizabeth Warren and other Democrats, which aims to revive the Chevron doctrine. This legal principle, established in the 1980s, mandates that courts defer to federal agencies’ expertise when regulations are challenged. The Supreme Court recently overturned this doctrine, siding with fishermen who argued it allowed the government to impose unauthorized rules on their industry.
Fishermen, particularly in New England, are concerned that reinstating the Chevron doctrine would give excessive power to federal agencies, harming their industry. They cite the recent failure of the Vineyard Wind turbines off Massachusetts as an example of the dangers of bureaucratic control. The wind project, a joint venture receiving substantial tax breaks, faced criticism after a turbine blade broke, scattering debris into the ocean.
Groups like the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) and the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) argue that fishermen, not bureaucrats, should have the authority to protect their livelihoods and marine environments. Critics of the bill, including Steve Forbes and Elaine Parker of the Job Creators Network Foundation, claim it undermines small businesses and expands federal government power at the expense of local expertise and autonomy.