January 28, 2021 — The following was released by the West Coast Seafood Processors Association, the Midwater Trawlers Cooperative, and the Oregon Trawl Commission:
On the same day the Biden Administration announced the Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, the fishing and seafood industry welcomed President Biden’s commitment to healthy oceans and inclusion of the industry as a key stakeholder group to discussions about conserving 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.
Fishermen and seafood processors are the backbone of many coastal communities, ensuring the stability of thousands of local seafood jobs coastwide. West Coast fisheries, including groundfish, pink shrimp, Dungeness crab, salmon, albacore tuna and Pacific hake, represent some of the best examples of sustainable fisheries management in the world. They emphasize a transparent stakeholder-driven process through both the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and state fishery management agencies.
“We appreciate that President Biden has committed to a science-based process with meaningful stakeholder engagement,” West Coast Seafood Processors Association Executive Director Lori Steele said. “Thankfully, our Council process already provides us this very solid foundation. We are looking forward to continuing to work with our Council partners, and we stand ready to engage with the Biden Administration to ensure the long-term health of our oceans.”