Saving Seafood

Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act unveiled by Graves

June 4, 2021 — U.S. Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) on May 11 introduced a bipartisan bill to end foreign Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing, which he says is negatively impacting America’s fisheries, particularly in his home state of Louisiana. 

“Generations of Louisiana’s fishing families have made our state one of the top seafood producers in the country. The combination of great chefs and our seafood has resulted in Louisiana being a foodie destination,” Rep. Graves said. “However, hurricanes, government regulations, the pandemic and unfair competition from foreign fishing fleets are threatening the future of these hard-working men and women and threatening the sustainability of fisheries around the globe. 

“It has evolved from an environmental issue to an economic issue to a national security issue,” he said. 

The Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act, H.R. 3075, which Rep. Graves introduced with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA), would establish monitoring and detection programs to identify and prevent IUU fisheries from unfair competition with United States domestic fishing boats, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Graves’ office.

Read the full story at The Ripon Advance

REP. HUFFMAN’S BILL BANNING OFFSHORE DRILLING CONSIDERED BY SUBCOMMITTEE THURSDAY

May 17, 2021 — The following was released by The Office of Congressman Jared Huffman (D-CA):

North Coast Congressman joined a subcommittee hearing on Thursday on protecting coastal communities and ocean resources from offshore drilling, which included consideration of his legislation, the North Pacific Ocean Protection Act.

Huffman said the bill would prohibit new oil and gas leases off the coasts of Northern and Central California, Oregon, and Washington, ensuring a sustainable future for coastal communities and the millions of jobs and billions of dollars in wages that depend on healthy oceans and coasts.

“We are not going to sacrifice the scenic, economic, tourism, cultural, and environmental values of our coastal regions at the altar of short-term profits for the fossil fuel industry. The risks of offshore drilling for our ocean-dependent economies and for marine ecosystems is not even close to worth it for us,” Rep. Huffman said during the hearing. “The bills we’re considering today go hand in hand with other necessary actions to reduce emissions and invest in renewable energy all while reducing risks and making sure that our coasts are clean, safe, and available to all Americans, not a sacrifice zone for the fossil fuel industry. Now we have an administration that gets it, and they are putting forward thoughtful, comprehensive solutions. But administrations can change, and we saw that during the last four years — what it means when an administration has a reckless drill everywhere agenda. We should not leave this to chance. Our oceans, our fisheries, our coastal communities and economies, and our planet are too important to put at risk.”

Read the full press release:

House Natural Resources Committee Holds Hearing on Huffman’s Bill to Ban Offshore Drilling

Legislation would protect North Pacific Coast, Communities from Offshore Drilling Risks

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) joined a subcommittee hearing on protecting coastal communities and ocean resources from offshore drilling, which included consideration of his legislation, H.R. 3048, the North Pacific Ocean Protection Act. This bill would prohibit new oil and gas leases off the coasts of Northern and Central California, Oregon, and Washington, ensuring a sustainable future for coastal communities and the millions of jobs and billions of dollars in wages that depend on healthy oceans and coasts.

Representative Huffman has led the charge to protect the entire West Coast as well as the Arctic Ocean from offshore drilling. In 2015, Rep Huffman first introduced his West Coast Ocean Protection Act to permanently protect the California, Oregon, and Washington coasts by amending the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit new oil or natural gas leases in each state’s outer continental shelves and permanently protect the $44 billion coastal economies of the three states.

Rep. Huffman has led several other key pieces of legislation to shepherd permanent protections for the West Coast, including:

  • the Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act, bipartisan legislation to permanently ban oil and gas leasing off both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts;
  • the Keep it in the Ground Act, legislation that would reduce carbon emissions and our nation’s addiction to fossil fuels by permanently barring new fossil fuel leases on all federal public lands and in federal waters;
  • the Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act, which would prohibit new or renewed oil and gas leasing in the Arctic Ocean Planning Areas of the Outer Continental Shelf.
  • Rep. Huffman’s West Coast Ocean Protection Act was also included in the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis’ Climate Action Plan, a comprehensive congressional climate action framework, during the 116th Congress.

“We are not going to sacrifice the scenic, economic, tourism, cultural, and environmental values of our coastal regions at the altar of short-term profits for the fossil fuel industry. The risks of offshore drilling for our ocean-dependent economies and for marine ecosystems is not even close to worth it for us,” Rep. Huffman said during the hearing. “The bills we’re considering today go hand in hand with other necessary actions to reduce emissions and invest in renewable energy all while reducing risks and making sure that our coasts are clean, safe, and available to all Americans, not a sacrifice zone for the fossil fuel industry. Now we have an administration that gets it, and they are putting forward thoughtful, comprehensive solutions. But administrations can change, and we saw that during the last four years — what it means when an administration has a reckless drill everywhere agenda. We should not leave this to chance. Our oceans, our fisheries, our coastal communities and economies, and our planet are too important to put at risk.”

“Permanently protecting our coasts from dirty and dangerous drilling is a crucial step toward addressing the climate crisis and protecting millions of jobs nationwide that rely on a clean coast economy,” said Oceana Campaign Director Diane Hoskins. “Oceana applauds Congressman Huffman for introducing the North Pacific Ocean Protection Act, which would permanently protect the waters off of Central and Northern California, as well as Oregon and Washington from new oil drilling. From toxic oil spills to accelerated climate devastation, we cannot afford any new offshore drilling. We must permanently end new leasing for offshore drilling and transition to clean, renewable energy sources like offshore wind to create jobs and power our clean energy future.”

“The North Pacific Ocean Protection Act will ensure that the Washington, Oregon and Northern and Central California coastal environments, economies and ways of life will be protected from the harmful effects of offshore oil and gas development. The Surfrider Foundation strongly endorses HR 3048 and urges members of Congress to support this and other legislation to permanently ban new offshore drilling in U.S. water,” said Pete Stauffer, Environmental Director, Surfrider Foundation

“Offshore drilling and leasing are not compatible with President Biden’s climate goal of protecting 30 percent of our lands and 30 percent of our waters by 2030, for a safe, livable future. We need to protect our coastal economies, stop pollution and spills from damaging fragile coastal ecosystems, and fight climate change. That’s why the Sierra Club continues to oppose any leasing or drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf and wholeheartedly supports this legislation,” said Athan Manuel, director of the Sierra Club’s Lands Protection Program.

“This bill is exactly what is needed now to safeguard our coastal economy, restaurant and fishing jobs, and the health of our oceans. We can’t afford to subject our coastline or our country to more industrial pollution and the ever-present threat of another BP-style disaster,” said Irene Gutierrez, Senior Attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council.

HOUSE BILL TARGETS ILLEGAL FISHING, SEAFOOD TRADE SLAVERY

May 14, 2021 — The following was released by The Office of Congressman Jared Huffman (D-CA):

A bipartisan bill introduced this week seeks to end slavery and human rights abuses in the international seafood supply chain and fight illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, commonly known as IUU fishing.

“IUU fishing is an environmental and humanitarian crisis, and the U.S. should be a global leader in solving it,” said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife and sponsor of the bill, H.R. 3075, called the “Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act.”

“Illegal fishing operations damage ocean ecosystems and healthy fisheries, and are often the same ones that rely on atrocious, illegal practices like human trafficking and forced labor,” added Huffman, who introduced the bill Tuesday with Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.).

Among other things, the bill would expand NOAA’s seafood import monitoring program to cover all species and increase data requirements for monitoring, including the consideration of labor conditions and improved detection of imports deemed to be at risk of IUU fishing.

Last year, the Government Accountability Office criticized U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials for not doing enough to stop the use of slaves and illegal labor practices in the seafood industry.

Customs works with officials at the seafood import monitoring program and others to find seafood that has been illegally produced (E&E News PM, June 18, 2020).

The focus on the issue has grown in Congress in recent years, with the U.S. importing nearly 90% of its seafood.

In 2016, the Associated Press won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for a series of stories that exposed the use of slaves in the fishing industry in Southeast Asia. The stories showed how the seafood ended up in U.S. supermarkets. After the 18-month investigation, more than 2,000 slaves were freed.

The Huffman-Graves bill would also establish new seafood traceability and labelling requirements, increase outreach on seafood safety and fraud issues, and seek to improve both seafood inspections and the federal enforcement of seafood fraud.

Another provision in the bill would expand the authority of U.S. officials to revoke port privileges for any fishing vessel associated with IUU fishing.

“Our new legislation tackles IUU fishing to protect human lives, promote responsible fishing around the world, and level the playing field for U.S. fishermen,” Huffman said in a statement.

“Not only do we need to ensure an ethical seafood supply chain, but we also need to stop IUU products from entering our markets and competing with those who follow the rules and who keep our domestic fishing industry sustainable.”

Up to a third of the annual global seafood catch, or as much as 56 billion pounds, is the product of IUU fishing, according to estimates.

In the United States, a report by the U.S. International Trade Commission in 2019 found nearly 11% of the nation’s total seafood imports — worth $24 billion — were the products of illegal or unreported fishing.

That report also found that if those IUU imports were eliminated, U.S. fishers would increase their income by nearly $61 million per year.

“The United States can close our markets to illegally sourced seafood, and this bill offers a promising pathway to level the playing field for U.S. fishermen, protect workers at sea and prevent seafood fraud,” said Beth Lowell, deputy vice president of U.S. campaigns for Oceana, one of a handful of organizations that endorsed the bill.

Fisheries research

Separately, Alaska Republican Rep. Don Young introduced H.R. 3128, a bill that would establish the American Fisheries Advisory Committee, a panel that would aid in the awarding of federal grants for fisheries research and development.

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee yesterday approved its version of the legislation, S. 497, the “American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act,” sponsored by Sens. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) (Greenwire, May 12).

North Coast Rep. Huffman introduces bill to fight illegal fishing, forced labor

May 13, 2021 — North Coast Congressional Rep. Jared Huffman on Tuesday introduced legislation to combat illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing.

In a press release, Huffman said the Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Act would also address human rights abuses in the seafood supply chain.

“This legislation would link IUU fishing to forced labor in the seafood supply chain and make seafood import monitoring more effective,” the release said. “It would also increase transparency and traceability from catch to plate, strengthen enforcement against IUU fishing and forced labor, improve interagency cooperation, and increase pressure on other countries to tackle IUU fishing and human rights abuses.”

Huffman, chair of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife, introduced the bill along with Rep. Garret Graves, a republican congressman of Louisiana.

“IUU fishing is an environmental and humanitarian crisis, and the U.S. should be a global leader in solving it,” Rep. Huffman said via the press release. “Illegal fishing operations damage ocean ecosystems and healthy fisheries, and are often the same ones that rely on atrocious, illegal practices like human trafficking and forced labor. Our new legislation tackles IUU fishing to protect human lives, promote responsible fishing around the world, and level the playing field for U.S. fishermen. Not only do we need to ensure an ethical seafood supply chain, but we also need to stop IUU products from entering our markets and competing with those who follow the rules and who keep our domestic fishing industry sustainable.”

Read the full story at KRCR

Congressmen file bill to combat IUU fishing, increase SIMP enforcement

May 12, 2021 —  Two U.S. congressmen have filed legislation that would expand the role of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) to include all species, including shrimp.

U.S. Representatives Jared Huffman (D-California) and Garret Graves (R-Louisiana) unveiled the Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act on Tuesday, 11 May. The purpose of the legislation is to better connect illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing to forced labor practices in the seafood trade, and to bolster the effectiveness of SIMP.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Bonamici, Young, Huffman, González-Colón Introduce Bill to Strengthen NOAA Response to Sexual Harassment, Assault

April 30, 2021 — The following was released by The Office of Congresswomen Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR):

During Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Don Young (R-AK), Jared Huffman (D-CA), and Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR) introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) response to sexual assault and sexual harassment, and to secure more resources for survivors.

“Scientists and researchers must be safe and feel safe at work, and not fear retaliation for reporting sexual harassment and assault,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “This starts with prevention and a meaningful way for survivors to seek justice. Several years ago, I spoke with a fisheries biologist who was forced to put her career on hold because of sexual harassment on a NOAA vessel. I worked with NOAA leadership to make tangible changes to the agency’s policies and procedures for reporting and investigating sexual harassment, and the scientist eventually returned to her research. But she is not alone in her experience, and there are still gaps in NOAA’s efforts. This bipartisan bill will expand coverage of NOAA’s sexual harassment prevention and response policy and provide a secure reporting structure and advocacy resources for survivors.”

“I have been a long-time supporter of NOAA and its mission. But if they are to continue leading the world in marine research and data collection, action must be taken so that researchers, scientists, and other employees feel safe in the workplace,” said Congressman Don Young. “Protecting employees means preventing sexual assault in the workplace and putting safeguards in place so that survivors never fear retaliation. I am proud to join my friends, Representatives Bonamici, González Colón, and Huffman, on the bipartisan NOAA Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act. Through this legislation, NOAA will have better, more effective mechanisms in place to prevent sexual harassment and provide the support necessary for survivors to heal.”

“Sexual assault and harassment are pervasive crimes that cannot be tolerated in any workplace, especially in our federal workforce,” said Congressman Jared Huffman. “We must do more to prioritize the safety and well-being of those who work for the agency. This legislation will further NOAA’s prevention and response policies and increase accountability to protect employees and help survivors. The work done by NOAA is critical for our communities, and the people doing this important work deserve better.”

“I’m proud to once again join my colleagues as co-lead of the bipartisan NOAA Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act,” said Rep. González Colón. “This legislation is crucial to provide NOAA with additional tools to strengthen its sexual assault and harassment policies and to secure more resources to support survivors. Sexual harassment and sexual assault have serious implications for the victims―most of which are women―including an impact in their career and mental health. We must ensure that the right mechanisms are in place to guard against these attacks and be prepared to fully assist and empower survivors for when these occur. I invite my colleagues to support this important legislation.”

The bipartisan NOAA Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act will strengthen NOAA’s sexual assault and sexual harassment prevention and response program, coordinate claims, improve reporting, and better support survivors. NOAA employs approximately 12,000 people, with many working in remote locations or aboard vessels to conduct science and research on climate, weather, oceans, and coast.

The NOAA Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act will:

  • Expand coverage of NOAA’s sexual harassment prevention and response policy.
  • Direct NOAA to provide a clear mechanism for anonymous reports of sexual harassment.
  • Strengthen advocacy resources for survivors.
  • Provide for a secure reporting structure for survivors.
  • Expand reports to Congress on sexual harassment, sexual assault, and equal opportunity employment.
  • Improve the ability of NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement to enforce a prohibition on assault, intimidation, and interference with fisheries observers.

More details about the legislation can be found here. A copy of the bill text can be found here.

Bonamici and Young are Co-Chairs of the House Oceans Caucus. Bonamici has been outspoken about the need to end sexual harassment in the workplace. She has long advocated for survivors of sexual harassment at NOAA and repeatedly called on the agency to improve its policies.

Climate Change Concerns Play Key Role in Federal Fisheries Act Update

April 8, 2021 — Two U.S. congressmen are working on updating and reauthorizing the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the primary legislation governing fisheries management in federal waters extending 3 to 200 nautical miles off the coast.

At last week’s virtual ComFish, one of those congressmen, U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), updated Alaskans on his efforts to draft a bill reauthorizing the act.

Read the full story at Seafood News

ALASKA: Investors Say No to Pebble Mine, Yes to Bristol Bay—Again

April 7, 2021 — The following was released by the Natural Resources Defense Council:

Fifty investment firms representing more than $105 billion called on EPA and Congress to permanently protect Alaska’s invaluable Bristol Bay from the destructive Pebble Mine.

Led by Trillium Asset Management, investors released a letter urging EPA to “use its authority under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act to immediately restrict mine waste disposal in wetlands, rivers and streams within the Bristol Bay watershed.” The letter also urged Congress to “enact legislation to establish a National Fisheries Area to provide permanent federal protection against large-scale mining within the Bristol Bay watershed.”

The letter echoes the formal requests from United Tribes of Bristol Bay (UTBB), Commercial Fishermen for Bristol Bay (CFBB), and Representatives Peter DeFazio and Jared Huffman asking EPA to use its Clean Water Act 404(c) authority to protect Bristol Bay from the threat of the proposed Pebble Mine. NRDC also sent a letter to EPA urging permanent protection.

Read the full release here

Rep. Huffman to Introduce Bills to Protect Pacific & Arctic Oceans from Offshore Drilling

January 28, 2021 — The following was released by The Office of Congressman Jared Huffman (D-CA):

Today, Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) announced he will reintroduce this week the West Coast Ocean Protection Act and the Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act to permanently protect these places from the dangers of offshore oil drilling. This comes as President Biden continues to sign a series of executive orders focused on combatting climate change and moving the United States away from fossil fuels and expanding alternative, renewable energy, including suspension of new offshore leases under the next five-year plan.

“Offshore drilling poses unacceptable risks, and the science and public opinion are clear: we should not put our oceans and fisheries, coastal communities, economies, and planet at risk just to enrich the fossil fuel industry,” said Rep. Huffman. “It’s past time that we permanently ban new offshore drilling and show our united commitment to combating climate change and  to give the Pacific Coast and the Arctic Ocean the protections their communities and ecosystems deserve.”

Rep. Huffman’s introduction of the West Coast Ocean Protection Act and the Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act comes alongside several other House members’ initiatives to protect coastlines from offshore drilling nationwide. Senator Feinstein also leads the West Coast Ocean Protection Act in the Senate, introduced today, with support from all West coast senators.

“California understands all too well the danger that offshore drilling poses to our oceans and coastal economies,” said Senator Feinstein. “President Biden is committed to reducing our carbon emissions, and I applaud his decision to enact a temporary moratorium. This bill takes that action a step further, codifying the proposal so future administrations can’t overturn it. It’s time to permanently ban new offshore oil and gas drilling along the West Coast. Doing so represents a giant step toward the vital goal of building a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.”

Read the full release here

Rep. Huffman reveals preview of federal fisheries management legislation

December 22, 2020 — North Coast Congressman Jared Huffman released a draft of legislation Friday that would reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which is the primary law governing federal fisheries management and conservation.

Rep. Huffman, chair of the Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee, and subcommittee member Ed Case of Honolulu, introduced a discussion draft to reauthorize the MSA. Huffman said the legislation has made the U.S. a global leader in sustainable fisheries.

The draft comes at the end of a year-long listening tour Huffman led. In a press release, he said the tour was part of his effort to promote a “uniquely transparent, inclusive, science-based approach to updating this important law governing fisheries in American waters.”

Read the full story at KRCR