Saving Seafood

FLORIDA: Tampa Bay area Congress members reintroduce legislation for fishing industry relief

June 10, 2021 — A group of Tampa Bay area Congress members has reintroduced legislation seeking tax relief for Florida fishers.

The bill, known as the Fishing Equipment Tax Relief Act, would equalize the tax rate for portable, electronically aerated bait containers with the parts used to assemble them. The legislation is a bipartisan effort, sponsored by U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Charlie Crist, Vern Buchanan and Stephanie Murphy.

“Florida’s dynamic recreational and commercial fishing industry is vital to our economy and an essential part of the Florida way of life,” Bilirakis said in a statement. “The industry has faced many challenges over the past few years. Our bipartisan bill will offer important tax-equity in the fishing business, and represents an important economic boost as the recreation industry continues to recover.”

Currently, portable, electronically aerated bait containers are taxed at a rate of 10% if sold assembled, but the parts used to make the containers are taxed at a rate of only 3% when sold separately, according to a news release. The lawmakers supporting the bill argue that this tax rate penalizes small businesses that manufacture bait containers.

“The Sunshine State is the fishing capital of the world,” Crist said in a news release. “As an avid boater and fisherman, I know just how important fishing is to our economy, culture, and way of life. This bill will provide much needed tax relief to Florida’s fishing industry, safeguarding our small businesses, and keeping our economy strong and vibrant.”

Read the full story at Florida Politics

Rep. Dan Webster Brings Back Sustainable Shark and Fisheries Trade Act

February 7, 2019 — U.S. Rep. Dan Webster, R-Fla., has brought back his proposal for the U.S. Commerce Department to increase regulation on the international shark trade.

Towards the end of last month, Webster brought back his “Sustainable Shark and Fisheries Trade Act” proposal which is being backed by cosponsors from both sides of the aisle including fellow Florida Republican U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Matt Gaetz and Ted Yoho.

“As a Floridian and member of the House Natural Resources Committee, responsible oversight of our nation’s wildlife, environment, and fishing industry is one of my priorities,” Webster said when he unveiled the proposal. “American fishermen have made sacrifices to rebuild and sustain our shark populations. In the United States, we hold high standards for conservation and fishery management. ”

The bill “would require any country that seeks to export shark, ray, and skate to the US to first demonstrate it has a system of science-based management to prevent overfishing and a prohibition on the practice of shark finning” and ensure other nations “must also receive certification from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that its fisheries management policies are on par with US practices” and  modifies the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act.

“By holding imports to the same standards that domestic fisheries already meet, this bipartisan legislation levels the playing field for our fishermen and helps maintain vibrant and economically-viable fishing communities, both on U.S. shores and around the world,” Webster’s office insisted.

Read the full story at the Sunshine State News

Dan Webster’s Sustainable Shark and Fisheries Trade Act Championed in Senate by Marco Rubio, Lisa Murkowski

May 1, 2018 — At the end of last week, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, announced they would champion in the Senate U.S. Rep. Dan Webster’s, R-Fla., proposal for the  U.S. Commerce Department to increase regulation on the international shark trade.

Last month, Webster, who is the vice chairman on the U.S. House Water Power and Oceans Subcommittee, unveiled the “Sustainable Shark and Fisheries Trade Act” which modifies the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act. The proposal has support from both sides of the aisle with three members of the Florida delegation–Republican U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis and Bill Posey and Democrat U.S. Rep. Darren Soto–as original cosponsors of the proposal. Since then, four Florida Republicans–U.S. Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart, Neal Dunn, Tom Rooney and Ted Yoho–have thrown their support to the bill as cosponsors.

Rubio announced that he would sponsor the bill in the Senate.

Read the full story at the Sunshine State News

 

Shark trade bill gains industry, conservationist support

March 22, 2018 — A new bipartisan bill introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives on 13 March would require new certifications for countries importing shark, ray, and skate parts and products to the United States.

H.R. 5248, the Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act, would require all countries importing products related to sharks, rays, and skates obtain certification by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Certification would require evidence that the country has conservation policies, management, and enforcement in place that is comparable to similar programs in the U.S.

The bill was introduced to the house by Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL) and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) along with co-sponsors Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL), and Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL). The goal, according to Webster and Lieu, is to promote the science-based regulations the U.S. has had in place for years while leveling the playing field between U.S. fisherman and their overseas competition.

“Fishing is a long-standing profession and treasured American pastime, and particularly important in Florida,” Webster said.  “This bill recognizes the sacrifices American fishermen have made to rebuild and sustain our shark populations. It encourages other nations wishing to export shark products to the United States to the same high standards for shark, skate, and ray conservation and management we apply to fishermen here.”

The bill has already garnered supporters from within the industry. Bob Jones, the executive director of the Southeastern Fisheries Association, said the bill represents “A better way forward.”

“This legislation goes a long way toward combating the threats facing global shark stocks by promoting the successful model of American shark management,” he said.

Other industry supporters include the Garden State Seafood Association, Directed Sustainable Fisheries, and the North Carolina Fisheries Association.

Conservation groups also support the bill. A coalition of more than 40 organizations including the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, have begun a campaign to support the passage of the Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

 

Dan Webster Champions Sustainable Shark and Fisheries Trade Act

March 21, 2018 — U.S. Rep. Dan Webster, R-Fla., is leading three other members of the Florida delegation in wanting the U.S. Commerce Department to increase regulation on the international shark trade.

Last week, Webster, who is the vice chairman on the U.S. House Water Power and Oceans Subcommittee, unveiled the “Sustainable Shark and Fisheries Trade Act” which modifies the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act. The proposal has support from both sides of the aisle with three members of the Florida delegation–Republican U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis and Bill Posey and Democrat U.S. Rep. Darren Soto–cosponsoring the proposal.

Webster’s office noted “the bill preserves U.S. commercial fishing jobs, a key component of our state and nation’s economy” and, taking a page from the World Trade Organization’s process for certifying importing shrimp, would have the U.S. Secretary of Commerce establish a three year certifying process for nations exporting shark products to the U.S.

Read the full story at Sunshine State News

 

Bipartisan Shark Trade Bill Will Improve Global Shark Conservation and Protect Sustainable U.S. Fisheries

March 15, 2018 – WASHINGTON – The following was released by the Sustainable Shark Alliance:

A new bipartisan bill introduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives supported by conservation groups, zoos, aquariums and industry advances global shark conservation by ensuring that all shark products imported into the United States meet the same high ethical and sustainability standards required of American fishermen.

The Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act of 2018, H.R. 5248, sponsored by Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL), Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO), Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL), and Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), would create a formal and transparent certification program for countries seeking to import shark products into the United States. Foreign nations would be required to receive certification from the U.S. Secretary of Commerce confirming that they have an effective prohibition on the reprehensible and wasteful practice of shark finning, and have shark management policies comparable to those under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

Unlike legislation (H.R. 1456/S.793) from Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) ostensibly designed to improve global shark conservation by banning all trade of shark fins in the United States, the Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act would not punish American fishermen for bad actors in other parts of the world. Instead, it would leverage access to U.S. markets to incentivize other countries to eliminate shark finning and overfishing in their fisheries.

“Fishing is a long-standing profession and treasured American pastime,” said Rep. Webster. “Our responsibility is to balance the needs of the industry with conservation. This bill recognizes the sacrifices American fishermen have made to rebuild and sustain our shark populations. It encourages other nations wishing to export shark products to the United States to adhere to the same high standards for conservation and management.”

“We’d like to thank the Congressmen for introducing the Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act, which represents a better way forward for shark conservation,” said Bob Jones, executive director of the Southeastern Fisheries Association in Tallahassee, Florida. “This legislation goes a long way toward protecting U.S. fishing jobs and combatting the threats facing global shark stocks by promoting the successful model of American shark management.”

Our U.S. shark fisheries are among the best managed in the world. In a paper published last year, Dr. Robert Shiffman, a Liber Ero Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Simon Fraser University, and Dr. Robert Hueter, Director of the Center for Shark Research at Mote Marine Laboratory, wrote that the U.S. “has some of the most sustainable shark fisheries on Earth” and called the U.S. “a model of successful management.” Shark finning, the cruel practice of removing a shark’s fins at sea and discarding the rest of the shark, has been banned in the United States with industry support since the 1990s.

The Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act is supported by commercial fishing industry groups, including but not limited to the following members of Saving Seafood’s National Coalition for Fishing Communities: the Garden State Seafood Association, Southeastern Fisheries Association, North Carolina Fisheries Association, and Directed Sustainable Fisheries. It is also supported by the Louisiana Shrimp Association; environmental groups, such as the Wildlife Conservation Society; and zoo and aquarium facilities, such as Mote Marine Laboratory, Palm Beach Zoo, SeaWorld, Zoo Miami Foundation and the Florida Aquarium. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also wrote a letter in support of this legislation.

About the Sustainable Shark Alliance
The Sustainable Shark Alliance (SSA) is a coalition of shark fishermen and seafood dealers that advocates for sustainable U.S. shark fisheries and supports healthy shark populations. The SSA stands behind U.S. shark fisheries as global leaders in successful shark management and conservation. The SSA is a member of Saving Seafood’s National Coalition for Fishing Communities.