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Congressmen Ed Markey and Barney Frank ask FTC Chair to Address Seafood Mislabeling |
Congressmen Ed Markey and Barney Frank ask FTC Chair to Address Seafood Mislabeling |
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WASHINGTON - Massachusetts Congressmen Ed Markey and Barney Frank directed questions to the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission in the wake of a recent Boston Globe investigation into the mislabeling of seafood.
According to the Congressmen, "Mislabeling ... results in consumers' unknowingly eating imported species offish, which directly undermines our localfishermenwho provide fresh, safe, and sustainable seafood. Americans enjoy eating domestic seafood because they can have great confidence in its quality and sustainable catch practices. The practice of deceptive mislabeling is not only attack on consumers, but also the American seafood industry that employs hundreds of thousands of Americans. While there are multiple U.S. laws that aim to ensure that seafood is caught in a sustainable and responsible manner, many market-driven conservation efforts depend on consumers' ability to make informed choices to buy particular species or fish harvested using sustainable fishing practices. This effort becomes nearly impossible when fish are mislabeled and undermines the work and incomes of law-abiding fishermen.Advertising and selling seafood that is mislabeled is not only dishonest, and potentially dangerous, but also would likely be deemed as "unfair and deceptive acts or practices" under Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTCA)" Read the letter from Congressmen Markey and Frank
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HASTINGS: Time to improve the Endangered Species Act
May 18, 2012 - When the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was signed into law in 1973 by President Nixon, he spoke about the importance of preserving “the rich array of animal life with which our country has been blessed.” I believe that goal is as important today as it was back then. However, after nearly 40 years, it’s time to take a fresh, honest look at the law and consider whether there are ways it could be improved to do a better job of protecting and recovering species.






