{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://jones.house.gov/press-release/jones-applauds-bluefin-tuna-quota-increase", "JONES APPLAUDS BLUEFIN TUNA QUOTA INCREASE", "2014-12-05", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "NC", "Walter Jones", "J000255", "jones.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Greenville, NC \u2013 Today, Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) thanked U.S. administration officials for heeding his call to fight for U.S. fishermen and secure an increase in quota for western Atlantic bluefin tuna.\u00a0 The issue was decided in Genoa, Italy last month when the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) \u2013 the international body which manages Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks and of which the United States is a key member \u2013 decided to increase the quota from the existing 1,750 metric tons, to 2,000 metric tons, for each of the next two years.\nFor decades U.S. fishermen have been living under depressed quota levels in order to help rebuild the stock.\u00a0 However, earlier this year ICCAT scientists released new data showing that the western bluefin stock is more than twice the size suggested in previous assessments and is now more than rebuilt.\u00a0\u00a0 They also concluded that the western Atlantic quota could be increased from the existing 1,750 metric tons to up to 2,250 metric tons without hurting the stock.\u00a0 In a letter sent in October, Jones urged U.S. fisheries administrators to \u201cfollow the science and do all you can at the November ICCAT meeting to secure an increase in the western bluefin quota to 2,200 metric tons.\u201d\u00a0 While ICCAT\u2019s ultimate decision to increase the quota to 2,000 metric tons instead of 2,200 metric tons was less than preferred, it was still welcome news.\n\u201cAfter years of steep quota reductions, U.S. bluefin tuna fishermen have more than done their part,\u201d said Congressman Jones.\u00a0 \u201cThe economic costs to them, their families, and the communities they support have been severe.\u00a0 Now that science shows the stock is fully rebuilt, I am pleased to see that their sacrifice will not go unrewarded.\u201d\nIn a letter sent to administration officials today, Jones thanked them for their assistance is securing the increase.\u00a0 He also encouraged them to continue to follow the science and work to secure additional quota increases at future meetings. See Congressman Jones' letter to the administration below.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://jones.house.gov/press-release/jones-applauds-bluefin-tuna-quota-increase"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0828948579728603, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}