April 30, 2020 — Seafood suppliers in the U.S could benefit if Congress approves a USD 120 billion (EUR 111 billion) stabilization fund, proposed on 29 April by the Independent Restaurant Coalition.
During a Zoom “town hall” meeting, thousands of independent restaurant owners and prominent chefs, including José Andrés and Andrew Zimmern, urged Congress to create the stabilization fund for the 500,000 independent restaurants across the U.S.
April 30, 2020 — Lawmakers from the U.S. state of Massachusetts sent a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross on Wednesday, 29 April, citing their “frustration and concern” over the lack of action on a USD 300 million (EUR 274.1 million) relief package for American fisheries that Congress passed a month ago.
In the letter, U.S. Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, along with U.S. Reps. Seth Moulton and Bill Keating, sent Ross a list of five questions regarding the aid that was part of the USD 2.2 trillion (EUR 2.01 trillion) CARES Act. President Donald Trump signed the bill into law on 27 March.
April 30, 2020 — US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey on Wednesday joined a growing chorus of voices calling “for the immediate release of federal guidance” for how fishery participants can access $300 million (€276.6 million) in emergency funds promised through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES).
In their letter to US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, the Massachusetts lawmakers, both Democrats, stated “bureaucratic inefficiencies” are behind the failure to distribute the funds.
“The Commerce Department needs to issue guidance as soon as possible so that fisheries aid can reach those who desperately need it,” the letter reads.
April 30, 2020 — The following was released by The Office of Senator Susan Collins (R-ME):
U.S. Senator Susan Collins raised the concerns of Maine’s seafood industry directly to President Donald Trump today, urging him to quickly release the $300 million for assistance to fishermen and businesses along the seafood supply chain that was included in the CARES Act. As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins helped to secure this critical relief provision in the final legislation.
“When you signed the CARES Act into law on March 27, Maine fishermen and the diverse supply chain businesses with which they work were encouraged by the inclusion of $300 million in assistance specifically for their sector,” Senator Collins wrote to President Trump. “I worked with a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues to secure this crucial funding. It has been more than a month since you signed the bill into law, and to date none of these funds have been disbursed to those who desperately need this support. With each day that passes absent this assistance, the frustration and economic damage mount.”
“The Maine seafood industry and those who work within it are defined by resilience,” Senator Collins continued. “I am confident that this sector will demonstrate its resilience once again and emerge strong from this crisis – but these fishermen and businesses need immediate access to the help that Congress rightfully provided them in the CARES Act. I urge you to direct the Department of Commerce to release this much-needed assistance as soon as possible.”
Maine’s fishing industry has been under significant strain due to the closure of restaurants and the disruptions to trade resulting from COVID-19. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has estimated that nearly 70 percent of all seafood eaten in the U.S. is consumed in food service establishments. Senator Collins previously wrote to Commerce Secretary Ross, calling on him to release this $300 million in funding.
Click HERE to read Senator Collins’ letter to President Trump.
April 30, 2020 — For decades, the New England fishing industry has been on its heels. But now, there may a shortage of meat soon after several of the nation’s largest processing plants have been slowed due to COVID-19.
So, does a shortage of meat translate to a “windfall” for local fishermen? Roger Berkowitz, the owner of Legal Seafoods, said there are so many different factors that play into it. “If meat plants have been impacted, maybe we should stimulate the fishing industry to get more of this product out of the water,” he said, adding that because of federal regulations restricting catch amounts, the fish are there, but retailer markets are shut down.
“Ninety-five percent of the pollock, also haddock, has not been taken,” he said. “So in terms of regulation, we can utilize this.” haddock.”
April 29, 2020 — UPDATE: The following release has been updated with a new link to the letter, available HERE.
The following was released by Massachusetts Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, and Representatives Seth Moulton and Bill Keating:
Today, Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Representatives William Keating (MA-09) and Seth Moulton (MA-06) called for the immediate release of federal guidance for how fishery participants can access the designated $300 million in disaster assistance funding included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. In their letter to the Commerce Department, the Massachusetts lawmakers report that it appears to be bureaucratic inefficiencies that are behind the failure to issue guidance in a timely manner and ask when it will be issued, as well as when assistance will be distributed. The CARES Act was signed into law more than a month ago, and while other programs have already released funding to provide economic relief to various communities and industries, the Commerce Department has yet even to release guidelines for how disaster assistance can be accessed by struggling fishing and seafood businesses.
“This silence and delay poses a particular problem because fishery participants do not know how to determine whether they will be eligible for the CARES Act assistance,” write the lawmakers in their letter to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.“The Commerce Department needs to issue guidance as soon as possible so that fisheries aid can reach those who desperately need it.”
A copy of the letter can be found HERE.
In the letter, the lawmakers ask for responses to questions that include:
On April 2, Senators Markey and Warren led a letter urging the Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to act swiftly, equitably, and transparently in allocating fisheries disaster assistance funding. On March 23, Senators Markey and Warren, and Alaska Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan called on Senate leadership to include support for the fishing industry in coronavirus economic relief packages.
April 29, 2020 — Strict new rules are now in place for Alaska fishermen and their vessels to protect against and prevent the spread of covid-19 during the 2020 salmon season.
Effective April 24, Gov. Mike Dunleavy provided 11 pages of mandates that specifically apply to those who have not “agreed to operate under a fleet-wide plan submitted by a company, association or entity” representing them.
Developing Vessel Procedures and Performing Symptomatic Crew Assessment in the Midst of COVID-19.
Among other things, each independent skipper must sign a Health Mandate Acknowledgement Form prior to going fishing. They are required to maintain a written or time-stamped electronic log acknowledging that they will comply with the mandates, along with a clear description of which protective plan they are enforcing on their vessel. Skippers also must certify that crew members have been screened upon arrival and that they have completed self-quarantines.
April 29, 2020 — A group representing the fishing industry has written to New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, Maine Gov. Janet Mills and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker asking for a six-month pause in planning Gulf of Maine (GOM) offshore wind development amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The letter from the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) seeks to ensure that fishermen have a say in the early stages of any proposed projects, RODA executive director Annie Hawkins told The Center Square.
“The idea behind the letter was the Gulf of Maine is at the beginning of planning for offshore wind. Given how important it is to fishermen’s work routes and interactive site mapping, it has to be done when everyone can be at the table,” Hawkins said. “And right now, the fishing industry is dealing with their own things brought on by the pandemic.”
Hawkins said in other regions of offshore wind development, fishermen haven’t had enough of a voice in the planning process because work commitments often preclude them from being at meetings.
“What we’re seeing in other regions, fishing interests are brought in late in the game,” Hawkins said.
April 29, 2020 — Governor Mike Dunleavy’s administration released an extensive new health mandate laying out the latest guidelines for Alaska’s upcoming fishing seasons last week, amidst concerns of the spread of COVID-19 in rural areas of the state.
Health Mandate 17 – which went into effect on Friday, 24 April, and which will be reevaluated on 20 May – is designed “to ensure a safe, productive fishing season this year, while still protecting Alaskan communities to the maximum extent possible from the spread of the virus,” according to the document.
April 29, 2020 — Though the coronavirus pandemic has limited some seafood markets and lowered prices, SouthCoast fishermen are still going out on trips when the stormy weather isn’t keeping them ashore.
“We’re still going out, everything’s running right along for us,” groundfisherman Antonio Cravo and co-owner of F/V United States said on Monday.
Cravo, who is based in New Bedford, said the prices have dropped and he’s getting less money for the fish he catches, but it’s still worth going out on trips.
“We offloaded last night and just got paid today, the prices dropped, but it’s still worth it to keep going,” Cravo said,“We still get a paycheck, not as much, but we still get a paycheck to keep up with our bills.”