This week, Congress will be voting on an amendment that will dramatically affect the fate of fishermen and seafood consumers alike. This critical amendment, introduced by North Carolina Congressman Walter Jones, would stop the government from creating certain new catch shares programs. Catch shares are a controversial form of fisheries management that rewards those who fish the fastest and hardest at the expense of small to mid-sized fishing operations.
Catch shares supporters are working hard to kill the amendment and give our fisheries over to big business the way that factory farms have been given over to big agriculture companies at the expense of small farmers. Ultimately, this industrialization of our seafood industry hurts not only smaller business but also consumers, who suffer from a poorer quality, more consolidated food system.
Because there is so much at risk and so many supporting catch shares on behalf of big business, my consumer advocacy group, Food & Water Watch, has joined with the Organic Consumers Association, Slow Food USA and Family Farm Defenders to ask Congress to support Jones’ amendment to end certain new catch shares programs. We are urging Congress to step in and stop the federal government under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) reckless implementation of catch share programs.
Read the complete blog by Food and Water Watch at The Hill.