Saving Seafood

SEN. ED MARKEY: Fighting for fishermen during COVID-19

June 15, 2020 — Our historic and robust fishing industry is among the hardest-hit sectors of our state’s economy, in the fourth month of this pandemic. The “Sacred Cod” that has hung in the Massachusetts statehouse since the 1700s has seen the fishing industry go through many crises, but this one has been unique.

Restaurants have shuttered and large export markets have been disrupted. Fishermen have lost access to critical points of sale and sources of income. With a decreased demand for fresh seafood, many boats sit idle in port. Meanwhile, boat payments are due and families need to be fed.

In the U.S. Senate, I have been fighting on a bipartisan basis alongside Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Alaska senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan to secure dedicated economic assistance for the fishing and seafood industries in COVID-19 economic relief packages. Thankfully, this bi-coastal effort got results. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, enacted into law on March 27, included $300 million in assistance for fishery participants and $9.5 billion for affected agricultural producers.

Read the full opinion piece at the Gloucester Daily Times

Markey and Warren Seek $500M in Additional Fisheries Aid

June 8, 2020 — U.S. Sens. Edward J. Markey and Elizabeth Warren on Friday called on U.S. Senate leadership to include $500 million in additional fisheries assistance in the next coronavirus recovery package.

In their June 5 letter, the senators said $28 million in fisheries assistance already allocated to Massachusetts should be supplemented as the pandemic continues to affect demand through the summer month’s peak harvests.

“Compared to the previous five-year average, in March and April of this year, Massachusetts bivalve shellfish landings lost 60 percent of their value, lobster landings lost 40 percent of their value, recreational head boats have been completely shut down, and seafood processors have lost their usual restaurant market,” the letter stated.

In Massachusetts, four sectors – commercial fishing, aquaculture, seafood processing, and for-hire recreational fishing – expect pandemic-related losses of 35 percent, leading to approximately $500 million in lost revenue over the year, the letter said.

“The $28 million in CARES Act fisheries assistance allocated to Massachusetts is not sufficient to help the four fisheries sectors survive revenue losses beyond April, and the pandemic is far from over,” the two wrote.

Read the full story at WBSM

Senators Markey and Warren, and Reps. Moulton and Keating React to $28 Million in Fisheries Disaster Aid for Massachusetts

May 8, 2020 — The following was released by The Office of Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.):

Today, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced its plan for distributing $300 million of fisheries disaster funds appropriated in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. NOAA announced that each fishing state, territory, and tribe would receive a maximum allocation of $50 million and a minimum allocation of $1 million. Massachusetts received $28 million, the third-highest award. In 2018, $647.2 million of seafood was landed in Massachusetts, the second-highest amount of seafood landed in any state. For 19 consecutive years, New Bedford has been the highest grossing port in the country. Massachusetts is second to only California with more than 87,000 jobs in the commercial fishing and processing industry and 10,000 jobs in the recreational fishing industry

“The $28 million in aid for Massachusetts should only be the beginning. With Massachusetts’s position as home to the highest grossing port in the country, additional aid will be needed to address and match the critical role the Commonwealth plays in our fishing economy,” said Senator Markey. “While the amount allocated for Massachusetts is lower than anticipated and requires explanation, it will help out struggling fishermen who are suffering during the pandemic. I will continue to fight for more support for this historic and robust industry in upcoming coronavirus relief packages.”
 
“Massachusetts fishermen were struggling long before the pandemic hit, and this much-needed relief is an important first step toward keeping our fishermen and their families afloat as they confront this crisis and grapple with the economic slowdown it has brought to the fishing community,” said Senator Warren. “This allocation will be helpful to our fishermen during this difficult time, and I’ll keep fighting alongside my delegation partners to support the fishing and seafood industry.”
 
“Like all small businesses, the men and women of the Commonwealth’s fishing industry have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Keating. “This disaster assistance will begin to assist the industry as they recover from the effects of the pandemic, and I will continue to fight in the House as we look to further aid the fishing industry and the thousands of Massachusetts families it supports in the coming months.”  
 
“Fishermen are hurting. Things were already tough because of the trade war and they got a lot tougher when restaurants closed because of the pandemic,” said Rep. Moulton. “Government’s strength is measured by the ability to serve the people it represents. I hope this brings some peace of mind to the state’s fishermen.”
 
The Massachusetts lawmakers, led by Senator Markey, have championed the swift, equitable, and transparent allocation of financial aid to fishery participants and secured a $20 million USDA procurement of Atlantic seafood. On April 29, Senators Markey and Warren led a letter demanding immediate release of federal guidance on how fishery participants can access this $300 million in CARES Act funds, and identifying bureaucratic inefficiencies that were behind the failure to issue this guidance in a timely manner. On April 2, Senators Markey and Warren led a letter urging the Department of Commerce and 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. Also on March 23, Rep. McGovern led Chairman Richard Neal (MA-01), James P. McGovern (MA-02), and Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08) in calling on House leadership to include fishing disaster assistance in relief packages.

USDA Agrees to Buy $20M in Atlantic Seafood Under CARES Act

May 6, 2020 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture this week decided to include Atlantic seafood in certain government food assistance purchases, and now federal coronavirus funding will support USDA purchases from the East Coast commercial fisheries.

The Agricultural Marketing Service announced yesterday that it will purchase $20 million in Atlantic haddock, pollock, and redfish under the USDA Section 32 program.

It’s good news for a sector hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic, members of Massachusetts’ congressional delegation said today. U.S. Sens. Edward J. Markey and Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Reps. William Keating and Seth Moulton have been pushing the USDA for weeks to include the fisheries in agricultural purchasing funded by the Coronavirus Assistance, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

The Massachusetts lawmakers wrote to the USDA in April and May to urge the inclusion of domestic and East Coast seafood companies in the $9.5 billion awarded by the CARES Act to help affected agricultural producers, and today they sent a celebratory press release.

Read the full story at WBSM

USDA to spend USD 70 million in COVID-19 relief funds on domestic seafood

May 5, 2020 — The U.S Department of Agriculture announced on Monday, 4 May, it had purchased USD 470 million (EUR 433.4 million) worth of agricultural products as part of its COVID-19 response, with nearly 15 percent of that spent on seafood products.

According to a USDA release, the USD 70 million (EUR 64.6 million) in seafood, along with the remaining agricultural goods, will go to the department’s Section 32 program, which purchases surpluses and directs their use in children’s nutrition and disaster relief programs.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Senators Markey and Warren, and Reps. Moulton and Keating Secure Historic USDA Procurement of East Coast Seafood with Coronavirus Recovery Funding

May 5, 2020 — The following was released by The Office of Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.):

Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Congressmen William Keating (MA-09) and Seth Moulton (MA-06) applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) announcement to include Atlantic seafood in additional Section 32 food purchases made available in part by the Coronavirus Assistance, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The USDA Section 32 program has historically overlooked East Coast seafood. However, the Agricultural Marketing Service announced yesterday that it will purchase $20,000,000 in Atlantic Haddock, Pollock, and Redfish. These purchases will help East Coast seafood producers that have been devastated by the ongoing effects of the pandemic. The Massachusetts lawmakers have championed the federal government taking this step, writing to the USDA in April and May to urge the inclusion of domestic and East Coast seafood companies in the deployment of the $9.5 billion awarded by the CARES Act for affected agricultural producers.

“Atlantic seafood and our seafood industry have long been overlooked by USDA purchasing and they are finally get the attention and resources they need through these food purchases,” said Senator Markey. “Our fishermen are suffering during this pandemic and these purchases will help them stay afloat.”
 
“I’m glad the USDA will be providing this much-needed relief to Massachusetts fishermen, who were already struggling before this pandemic hit,” said Senator Warren. “The fishing and seafood industry are a key part of the Commonwealth’s history, economy, and future, and we must support our fishing community during this difficult time.”
 
“I am pleased to see that the USDA has finally recognized the important role that North Atlantic seafood plays in maintaining the nation’s food supply,” said Rep. Keating. “These purchases will not only help to support our fishing industry during these trying times, but will also provide highly nutritious, sustainable food for families in need across the nation.”
 
“Fishermen are hurting. Things were already tough because of the trade war and they got a lot tougher when restaurants closed because of the pandemic,” said Rep Moulton. “Government’s strength is measured by its ability to serve the people it represents. I hope this brings new business and peace of mind to America’s fishermen.”

Massachusetts congressional delegation urges feds to include seafood in food aid purchases

May 4, 2020 — Members of the all-Democratic Massachusetts congressional delegation are pushing to include East Coast seafood in purchasing agreements funded by the federal Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.

Sens. Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren and Reps. William Keating and Seth Moulton said in a letter Friday to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue that when the U.S. Department of Agriculture begins its purchasing programs intended to assist those the pandemic has affected, the USDA should include domestic seafood.

Purdue in April announced that the USDA would be making about $19 billion in purchases through the coronavirus assistance program, the lawmakers said.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Bangor Daily News

Senators Markey and Warren, and Reps. Moulton and Keating Urge USDA to Include East Coast Seafood in Purchase Agreements Established with Coronavirus Recovery Funding

May 1, 2020 — The following was released by The Office of Senator Edward Markey (D-MA):

Today, Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Congressmen William Keating (MA-09) and Seth Moulton (MA-06) urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to include East Coast seafood in purchasing agreements funded by the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) and the Section 32 program. On April 17, 2020, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that the USDA would be making $19 billion of purchases through the CFAP, $873.3 million in agricultural purchases for food banks through the Section 32 program, and $1.5 billion for food bank administrative costs and purchases. USDA announced that the CFAP would support farmers and ranchers, and maintain the integrity of the food supply chain, but did not clarify whether seafood would be included in these purchases. USDA has included seafood in past procurement programs, and the lawmakers urge it to do so again in its response to the coronavirus crisis. In their letter, the Massachusetts lawmakers ask if there are additional USDA programs that will buy seafood products to provide assistance to producers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, and whether the USDA is currently in conversations with seafood producers from the East Coast to purchase seafood. East Coast seafood producers have been devastated by the ongoing effects of the pandemic.

“When USDA begins its purchasing programs intended to assist those whom the pandemic has affected, USDA should include domestic seafood,” write the lawmakers in their letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. “East Coast seafood producers can offer a wide variety of seafood that currently does not have a market, and which should be included in purchases made for this program.”
 
A copy of the letter can be found HERE. 
 
On April 3, the lawmakers wrote a letter urging the inclusion of domestic and East Coast seafood companies in the deployment of the $9.5 billion awarded by the Coronavirus Assistance, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for affected agricultural producers.

Lawmakers question status of USD 300 million fisheries aid

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.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Elizabeth Warren demands government sort out $300 million aid package for fisheries

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.

Read the full story at IntraFish