Saving Seafood

Sen. Dan Sullivan highlights final passage of second ocean cleanup bill

December 29, 2020 — Alaska Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan is highlighting the passage of his bipartisan legislation aimed at cleaning up plastic in the ocean and reducing sources of plastic pollution.

The bill, called Save Our Seas 2.0, builds on the first version of the bill, which was approved in 2018. This update was introduced by Sullivan and Democratic Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Bob Menendez of New Jersey.

Congress finalized the bill this fall, and President Trump signed it on Dec. 18.

“It’s an issue that everybody cares about, cleaning up the oceans,” Sullivan said during a recent teleconference with reporters. “It’s going to be huge for Alaska and our fisheries but really important for America. It puts our country in the lead again on this issue, and it’s a solvable issue. Ten rivers in Asia and Africa are estimated to be responsible for up to 80% of all the plastic pollution in the world, and this targets that.”

Read the full story at KTOO

Congress approves bill to train prospective fishermen

December 23, 2020 — A bill to establish the nation’s first ever federal program to train prospective commercial fishermen has passed Congress and awaits approval by the White House.

The Young Fishermen’s Development Act was passed unanimously by both the U.S. House and Senate, the Sitka Sentinel reported Monday. The law would provide grants to foster the growth of budding fishermen across the country.

The bill introduced by Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan in 2019 had bipartisan support, with co-sponsors that included Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Democratic U.S. Sen. Edward Markey, both of Massachusetts.

Read the full story at the Associated Press

Congress’ covid deal includes $300 million more for fishing industry

December 23, 2020 — A second round of aid for the fishing industry is emerged as part of the $900 billion emergency pandemic relief package approved Monday night by Congress.

“We got another $300 million for fisheries,” said Leigh Habegger, executive director of the Seafood Harvesters of America. The package is similar to the first Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act covid-19 emergency aid unveiled in May, although “the process may look a little bit different than it did in the first round,” she said.

The Paycheck Protection Program is being extended with rule changes to help smaller businesses. One change sought by Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, will allow the program to cover crew members paid as contractors or 1099 employees, said Habegger.

In addition seafood is also explicitly listed as eligible for purchase by the U.S Department of Agriculture for its domestic food assistance program, allotted $1.5 billion by the emergency legislation. The legislative language specifically notes the money is to purchase “food and agriculural products, including seafood” for distribution through public agencies and non-profit, charitable partners such as food banks.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

US Senate passes bill to help young fishermen get into industry

December 9, 2020 — A bill that would help the next generation of fishermen enter the business passed a major hurdle last week when the U.S. Senate passed the measure by a voice vote.

Sponsored by U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), the bill is fashioned after a U.S. Department of Agriculture program to aid new farmers and ranchers. Among the steps the legislation calls for is the establishment of competitive grants at state, local, tribal, and regional levels; the creation of a mentorship program that partners new fishermen with retirees and vessel owners; and the financial support for training and education in such areas as sustainable fishing practices and proper business protocols.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Murphy, Murkowski Applaud Final Passage Of Save Our Seas 2.0

December 3, 2020 — The following was released by The Office of Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK):

U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) applauded passage of Save Our Seas 2.0, legislation to combat marine debris. Murphy and Murkowski are both cosponsors of the bill, which was introduced and led by U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island) and Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey). The legislation includes a Murphy-Murkowski drafted provision that allows for the establishment of a new Genius Prize to fund the development of materials to replace single use plastic and innovations that remove and prevent plastic waste.

“The amount of plastic flowing into our oceans poses a huge problem. That’s why I was proud to work with Senators Sullivan, Whitehouse and Menendez on the bipartisan Save our Seas 2.0 Act, which will reduce the amount of plastic in our oceans at home and abroad,” said Senator Murphy. “I am also grateful the final bill includes language I drafted with Senator Murkowski to allow for the establishment of a genius prize to clean up marine debris and replace single-use plastics. There’s more work to do, but this bill is an important step in the right direction.”

“Alaskans depend on healthy oceans and coastlines to support the marine resources that so many of our communities depend on. Whether it’s for our fisheries, tourism, or subsistence activities—maintaining a healthy marine environment is essential to our everyday lives. I applaud Senator Sullivan for his leadership on legislation to eliminate plastic waste polluting our oceans and am pleased by the Senate passage of Save Our Seas 2.0, legislation that I cosponsored,” said Senator Murkowski. “The bill includes a provision of mine with Senator Murphy to fund a new Genius Prize, which would reward innovation and creative strategies to combat the growing issue of marine debris. By creating incentives for the development of projects to clean up our oceans and shorelines, as well as to replace or improve single-use plastics, we are taking important steps to ensure healthier ocean environments for generations to come.”

ALASKA: Reply All: Bristol Bay associations sign new letter to Dunleavy

October 30, 2020 — We’ll be setting our clocks back this weekend, but a passionate letter-writing exchange in Alaska is making this feel like a moment from the distant past. Unlike your average political correspondence, the parties involved in this exchange are laying pretty plain how they really feel.

This series of missives between Gov. Mike Dunleavy and two state legislators, Reps. Bryce Edgmon and Louise Stutes, is one component of the fallout of the controversial Pebble Tapes, in which activists posed as potential mine investors and recorded Pebble and Northern Dynasty executives Tom Collier and Ronald Thiessen bragging about the mining conglomerate’s use of the governor’s office to launder communications for the White House.

“Your letter does not address Pebble’s blunt characterization of you and others within your administration as acting behind closed doors on Pebble’s compensatory mitigation plan,” Edgmon writes in an Oct. 26 reply to the governor, which started with a September message from Edgmon and Stutes. “Similarly, we note that your letter does not address Tom Collier’s admissions that he interfered in Alaska’s election process. Silence on these points undercuts the integrity of state government in ways that go far beyond Pebble, and we urge you to speak to them.”

The letter recognizes Alaska Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan for making direct statements against the project after the Pebble Tapes called attention to their tendency to fade into the background when it came to Pebble.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Gross receipts: Fishing takes centerstage in Alaska’s Senate race

October 23, 2020 — Health care was the issue that pushed Dr. Al Gross to challenge Alaska Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, who is running for a second term. But fisheries has been the hot-button issue as this senate race draws to a close.

Gross, from Juneau, has fished his whole life. His mother was the first executive director of the United Fishermen of Alaska.

Sullivan has the backing of the United Fishermen of Alaska in this race, though that declaration came in June, before much of the political fallout that has put Gross within striking distance of the seat. Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers endorsed Sullivan on Oct. 7. Gross is endorsed by the United Tribes of Bristol Bay, which has been an outspoken and vehement critic of the proposed Pebble Mine.

An Oct. 10 debate between the candidates hosted by the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce and ComFish via Zoom saw Pebble Mine rear its head in the first 10 minutes.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

ALASKA: Al Gross and Sen. Dan Sullivan face off on fisheries in U.S. Senate debate

October 14, 2020 — The Kodiak Chamber of Commerce’s U.S. Senate debate is the only Alaska political forum of its kind devoted exclusively to fisheries. Saturday night’s showdown between Sen. Dan Sullivan and his challenger, Al Gross, had some heated exchanges.

“If this was a Nascar race, you would have corporate sponsor patches all over your jacket,” said Gross, who accused his Republican opponent of being beholden to special interests and rattled off a long list.

“The plastics industry. Big pharma. Big oil on your hat, and I’d save this spot right here in the middle for Pebble mine,” Gross said.

“The Pebble Mine is dead, and I’m going to keep it that way,” Sullivan fired back.

Gross referred to a secretly recorded video, in which the head of Pebble Mine claims Sullivan silently supports the mine.

Read the full story at KTOO

ALASKA: Sullivan and Gross battled it out on fisheries, Pebble Mine and Outside money in debut U.S. Senate debate

October 12, 2020 — After weeks of attack ads and snipes at each other in the media, U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan and challenger Al Gross laid into each other in real time during the 90-minute premiere debate in their race for a U.S. Senate seat.

The debate, hosted by ComFish Alaska and the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce, took place over Zoom and was centered around fisheries policy. The candidates early and often folded in central issues of the race, including campaign financing, the federal COVID-19 relief package and Pebble Mine.

Sullivan, the Republican incumbent, repeatedly characterized Gross as a threat to giving Democrats control of the Senate.

“He will … empower the radical left in the Senate, in the Congress,” Sullivan said in his closing remarks. “That has an anti-Alaska agenda. An agenda focused on shutting down fishing opportunities, more monuments, more Endangered Species Act designations. This is a huge threat to our state.”

Gross, standing outside and wearing a camo jacket, talked of his childhood in Southeast Alaska and growing up as a fisherman. He aggressively went at Sullivan for not denouncing the development of the Pebble Mine in Southwest Alaska earlier in the process.

Read the full story at the Anchorage Daily News

ALASKA: Sen. Sullivan says ‘No Pebble mine’ following release of secretly recorded videos of company executives and criticism by Gross

September 25, 2020 — Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan cemented his opposition to the Pebble mine on Thursday after secret recordings were released of the project’s now-former CEO and another executive describing their relationship with Sullivan and other Alaska politicians.

“Given the lies of Pebble’s leadership, the record needs to be set straight,” Sullivan said in a three-part Twitter post on Thursday afternoon.

The recordings were quickly used by Sullivan’s Senate challenger, Al Gross, in an ad accusing Sullivan of hiding his support for the mine from the public. Gross called for Sullivan to return campaign contributions from Pebble executives.

The series of Twitter posts by Sullivan included the long version of Sullivan’s views on Pebble, returning to his late August statement when he said a federal permit cannot be issued for the mine.

Read the full story at the Anchorage Daily News