Saving Seafood

Judge dismisses NY’s lawsuit over commercial fluke quotas

September 3, 2019 — A federal judge has dismissed New York’s lawsuit seeking to challenge the state’s relatively small portion of the East Coast commercial fluke quota as a. congressman called for local fishermen to not comply with the restrictive allotment.

With little fanfare, U.S. District Judge Sandra Feuerstein on July 30 issued an order dismissing the case, allowing the state 10 days to file a notice to reargue its claims by next April. Court records showed no such filing had been made. New York’s original complaint was filed Jan. 14. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo first threatened to sue over New York’s low quota at an event in Montauk in 2013.

Meanwhile, Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) on Friday recommended that New York commercial fishermen go out of compliance with the fluke quota system in what would be a clear signal to Washington of their frustration with the process.

Read the full story at Newsday

Rep. Zeldin Announces $182,000 Grant for New York Sea Grant Program

October 19, 2018 — Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), co-chair of the bipartisan Long Island Sound Caucus and member of the Congressional Shellfish Caucus, announced today that New York State Sea Grant has been awarded $182,000 in federal funding by the NOAA National Sea Grant Program. This funding will be used to support the seafood and aquaculture industry, as well as to foster relationships between the industry and next generation of fishermen and other seafood professionals. New York Sea Grant (NYSG) is headquartered at SUNY Stony Brook in New York’s First Congressional District.

Congressman Zeldin said, “New York Sea Grant is a critical program that provides resources to our local anglers and businesses, and this federal funding will help them carry out this important mission. Their vital work helps preserve and support our local fishing industry. With 90% of consumed American seafood imported, we must ensure Long Island fishermen and shellfish farmers have access to the resources they need to sustain and grow their businesses.”

Interim Director of the New York Sea Grant Program Katherine Bunting-Howarth JD PhD said, “NYSG is pleased to partner on a project that promotes sustainable and healthy seafood—seafood that is produced in a manner that protects the environment, invigorates the economy and provides a vital source of protein for our diets.”

National Sea Grant and this $182,000 grant was funded through $72.5 million in federal funding, which Congressman Zeldin helped secure by leading a bipartisan effort of 95 Members of Congress.

Read the full story at LongIsland.com

Eleven of 27 Amendments Proposed for Magnuson Reauthorization Bill HR 200 Could Go to House Vote

June 28, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — An anticipated House of Representatives floor vote on H.R. 200, the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, was delayed Tuesday. More than 25 amendments were proposed for the bill reauthorizing the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. It went to the Rules Committee instead.

The Rules Committee held a hearing Monday night and passed a rule to provide a structured amendment process for floor consideration. The rule included 11 of the 27 amendments.

H.R. 200, sponsored by Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, was the primary bill proposed to re-authorize the Magnuson-Stevens Act. It garnered both strong support and strong opposition.

Opponents blanketed Capitol Hill offices and committees with reasons why the bill should not pass. At the same time, many Democratic lawmakers proposed amendments or changes, some that could fundamentally change Young’s original bill.

Outside supporters and lawmakers were also busy lining up votes and proposing amendments to the bill.

By Monday night, 27 amendments had been submitted: 16 from Democrats and 7 from Republicans; four were bi-partisan. Five were revised amendments and four were submitted late, after the 10 a.m. Monday deadline.

California Democrat Jared Huffman led the opposition to H.R. 200. Both he and Young were the invited witnesses to the Rules Committee hearing Monday evening.

Young, one of the creators of the first Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, said he recognizes the successes this bill and subsequent reauthorizations have made over the years and that he, better than anyone, understands what else is needed to protect fish stocks while helping communities. “This legislation is dear to my heart,” Young said during the Rules Committee hearing.

Young also referred to recent lawmakers proposing changes to the bill as “Johnny-come-latelys” who don’t understand the fundamentals of the language that protects the stocks while balancing communities’ needs. The proposed bill was made with the suggestions from regional Councils and scientists, Young said.

Huffman countered that several provisions in the bill would roll back fish stock protections and the current language doesn’t prevent overfishing. He also noted that all previous bills reauthorizing the Fishery Conservation and Management Act were bipartisan; this one isn’t he said. It passed out of committee on party lines, Huffman added.

To that end, Huffman proposed four amendments, one considered a substitution for the entire bill. That particular amendment was not included in the committee’s final rule

By the end of the hearing, the Rules Committee passed a rule that included 11 of the 27 amendments — also along party lines. If that rule also passes the House, only those 11 amendments can be considered when H.R. 200 comes up for a floor vote again.

Those amendments, in order, include:

1. A revised manager’s amendment by Young and Rep. Garret Graves, R-La. It revises some sections and adds a new section regarding the Western Alaska Community Development Quota Program;

2. An amendment to create an industry-based pilot trawl survey for the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council regions (Reps. Joe Courtney, D-Conn. and Lee Zeldin, R-NY);

3. A provision for a voting representative from Rhode Island on the MAFMC (Reps. Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, D-RI);

4. An amendment ensuring rebuilding plans are successful in rebuilding overfished fish stocks (Reps. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., and Alcee Hastings, D-Fla.);

5. Waiving compensatory mitigation requirements for maintenance dredging projects in certain waterways (Reps. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., and Daniel Webster, R-Fla.);

6. Requiring the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the resource rent of Limited Access Privilege Programs in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Council areas (Rep. Garret Graves, R-La.);

7. A plan to establish fully operational electronic monitoring and reporting procedures for the Northeast Multispecies Fishery (Rep. William Keating, D-Ma.);

8. A requirement for NOAA to conduct a study on all fees it charges the lobster industry and report those findings to Congress (Rep. Bruce Poliquin, R-Maine);

9. Lifting the ban on striped bass fishing in the Block Island transit zone between Montauk, NY and Block Island, RI (Rep. Zeldin, R-NY);

10. Directing the Secretary of Commerce to use funds collected from penalties and fines for monitoring, in addition to traditional enforcement activities (Rep. Keating); and

11. Rewarding the elimination of lionfish from US. waters by allowing individuals to exchange lionfish for tags authorizing fishing for certain species in addition to the number of such species otherwise authorized to be taken by such individuals (Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.)

Some of the amendments that didn’t pass muster in the Rules Committee included refinancing a Pacific Coast groundfish buyback loan; two amendments related to sharks and shark finning; a prohibition on offshore drilling In essential fish habitat areas on Atlantic and Pacific coasts; additional funding for stock assessments; two amendments related to aquaculture; and more.

The earliest the committee’s rule and H.R. 200, with the 11 amendments, is likely come up on the House floor for a vote is the week of July 11. However, it may be delayed again if appropriations bills are ready in the next week and a half.

This story originally appeared on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission. 

NEW YORK: Rep. Zeldin Secures $12 Million in Federal Funding to Complete Emergency Dredge of Moriches Inlet

June 12, 2018 –Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) just announced the Fiscal Year 2018 Army Corps of Engineers Workplan was released today, including $12 million in funding for the completion of the Army Corps approved emergency dredging of Moriches Inlet. Sand removed from Moriches Inlet will be placed at Smith Point County Park to address beach erosion. Additional engineering details as laid out in the Army Corps solicitation for contracts to carry out the dredging, which was issued on May 22nd, can be viewed here.

In March, Rep. Zeldin was joined by local elected officials, small businesses, boaters and fishermen in calling for an emergency dredge of Moriches Inlet during which Congressman Zeldin joined local fishermen to survey the inlet’s dangerous navigational conditions first-hand.

In April, Rep. Zeldin worked with the Commander of the U.S. Army Corps New York District, Colonel Thomas Asbery, to receive the needed Emergency Declaration from the Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division Brigadier General William Graham, granting Rep. Zeldin’s request to perform emergency dredging of the Moriches Inlet. This emergency declaration began the process of coordinating funding and permits so dredging vessels can begin work.

“The approval of funding for the emergency dredging of Moriches Inlet is great news for our coastal economy, commercial and recreational fishermen and all whose livelihoods rely on the vitality of our communities’ waterways,” said Congressman Lee Zeldin. “I will continue to work with the Army Corps of Engineers and all affected by the deteriorated state of Moriches Inlet to complete this emergency dredge.”

Read the full story at LongIsland.com

New York: Rep. Zeldin Slams ASMFC Black Sea Bass Allocation, Calls for Equitable Fishing Quotas

March 22, 2018 — LONG ISLAND, N.Y. — Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) issued the following statement following the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) proposed allocation for black sea bass for the 2018 season, which would unfairly cut New York State’s share by up to 12%, while other states will see their allocations grow:

“With the vast majority of Long Island fishing taking place in waters shared with New Jersey and Connecticut, such as the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound, it is unfair that New York anglers are, once again, being penalized with smaller fishing quotas than neighboring states. For my constituents, who are both fishermen and small business owners trying to attract customers, the ASFMC’s decision to, once again, cut New York off from its fair share while allowing New Jersey’s allocation to grow, is unacceptable. Two boats fishing next to each other with one allowed to catch up to double the amount of the other because they are landing the fish in New Jersey instead of New York is ridiculous and inequitable.

“That is why, when it comes to fishing quotas, tri-state parity is so important. At the state level, New York’s representatives must fight more aggressively within these regional bodies to advocate for New York’s anglers who rely on fishing as a way of life that supports so much of our local economy. If our state representatives on the ASMFC– who supported this terrible proposal and failed to fully advocate for New York– aren’t willing to fight for our anglers, then they should step aside.

“I call on all levels of government in our state to work together as one team to fight this unfair allocation and, if necessary, appeal this all the way to the Secretary of Commerce. Going into non-compliance is never the first option, but it may be the only one in taking a stand for New York anglers who year after year continue to get screwed.”

Read the full story at Long Island

 

NEW YORK: Commercial fishers reeling from shutdown of fluke fishery

September 6, 2017 — It was the busy Labor Day Weekend, and Southold Fish Market owner Charlie Manwaring had been forced to stock his popular East End restaurant and market with out-of-state fluke for the first time in recent memory.

“This is my backyard, and on a holiday weekend I have no fluke,” he complained to Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) at a meeting Friday morning with two dozen angry Long Island fishermen and women at the Mattituck fishing dock. “I have to rely on Rhode Island and Jersey and Massachusetts and Carolina.”

Late last month, state regulators, working with a limited New York quota from a multistate fishery council, shut down the commercial fluke fishery for September.

As a result, Manwaring and other local shop owners will “pay more, the fish will cost customers more, and they’ll be older,” said Bob Hamilton, a trawler operator out of Greenport, who typically sells his fluke to Southold Fish Market. “It’s just people in fisheries management who have no understanding of running a business.”

“The fluke paid our bills,” said Cindy Kaminsky, who fishes commercially out of Mattituck. “It’s hard to be just put out of business, and it’s a month out of a short fishing period. We don’t fish in winter and every year it gets a little bit worse.”

Read the full story at Newsday

REP. LEE ZELDIN: Long Island fishermen in real need of relief

July 31, 2017 — On Long Island, so much of our economy and way of life are connected to the water around us. Fishing is a treasured part of our identities as Long Islanders. Yet today, the current flaws in the management of our fisheries isn’t just raising costs for commercial fishermen and charter boat captains- it also hurts all the small businesses in the coastal economy, including restaurants, bait & tackle shops, hotels, and gas stations. Quite candidly, it is also making this pastime just nowhere near as much fun as it used to be either. As the Representative for New York’s First Congressional District, which is almost entirely surrounded by water, I am committed to supporting our fishermen and ensuring this tradition is preserved for generations to come.

The current management of our fisheries has created a web of unnecessary restrictions on our local anglers. For example, just recently, regulators gave final approval to a confusing set of requirements that call for a one inch difference in the size limit for fluke, 18 inches for New Jersey anglers, but 19 inches for New York. There is also a proposed regulation that would create two separate sets of rules for blackfish, one for the North Shore, and one for the South Shore. Current rules in our state also limit anglers to only one striped bass and weakfish per day. A rule like this is very damaging to the fishing industry. Many people just aren’t going to spend all the money it costs to go out on a charter boat if they can only catch and keep one fish.

Using flawed, outdated data to justify that bad rule makes even less sense. New York representatives on regional councils have to do much more to fight for our fishermen because we continue to get rolled at the table by other coastal states that take a much more proactive role within these councils, getting better quotas for their states while New York anglers do not get their fair share.

Read the full opinion piece at Long Island Business News

Members of Congress Call on Trump to Allow Fishing in Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monument

WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) — June 14, 2017 — Yesterday, nine Members of Congress wrote to President Trump, urging the Administration to lift restrictions on fishing in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monument and to return fisheries management to the regional fishery management councils. The monument, designated via Executive order by President Obama last September, has prohibited commercial fishing in more than 4,900 square miles of ocean off the coast of New England.

According to the letter, this misuse of executive power will not only put commercial fishermen out of business, but will also harm many ocean communities that depend on a strong fishing economy. The letter calls for fisheries in the area to once again be managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which has long ensured the United States has one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly fisheries management systems in the world.

The letter was co-signed by members Tom MacArthur (R-RJ), Andy Harris (R-MD), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS), David Rouzer (R-NC), Lee Zeldin (R-NY), and Walter B. Jones (R-NC).

Read the letter here

Rep. Lee Zeldin: Reinvigorating fishing means cutting needless regulations

March 6, 2017 — One of my best memories of growing up on Long Island is fishing in our local waterways with family and friends. It’s an industry, but it’s also a way of life and pastime that is part of our history, culture, and overall greatness as an island. For hundreds of years, the waters which surround us and the bounties within it are natural treasures which we can never take for granted. It is a shame that regulations are obstructing fishermen who want to responsibly harvest this great resource.

Between New York State’s maritime boundary, which ends three miles off of Montauk Point, and Rhode Island state waters, which begin three miles off of Block Island, there is a small area of federally controlled water that is considered part of the “Exclusive Economic Zone,” or EEZ. The EEZ, which extends up to 200 miles from the coast, are waters patrolled by the Coast Guard, where the United States has exclusive jurisdiction over fisheries and other natural resources. The unique geography of our region creates this small patch of EEZ between two areas of state controlled water. Striped bass fishing has been banned in the EEZ since 1990. Meanwhile, commercial and recreational fishing for dozens of species are permitted in the EEZ, further adding to the confusion of local anglers.

Because addressing this issue is one of the top priorities of Long Island fishermen, I have reintroduced my bill to reform our current laws as the Local Fishing Access Act (H.R. 1195). Last Congress, this bill passed the House with unanimous bipartisan support as H.R. 3070, the EEZ Clarification Act. The Local Fishing Access Act would reform the federal law that bans striped bass fishing in the Block Island transit zone, which are federal waters between Montauk, New York, and Block Island, Rhode Island. This bill will provide Long Island anglers with relief from confusing regulations, and allow Long Island’s fishermen to once again enjoy commercial and recreational striped bass fishing in these local waters just like they do in adjacent state controlled waters.

Read the full opinion piece at the Long Island Business News

Congressmen MacArthur, Smith, and LoBiondo Announce Major Victory for New Jersey Fishing Community

February 3, 2017 — Washington, D.C. — The following was released by the office of Representative Tom MacArthur:

Today, Congressmen Tom MacArthur (NJ-03), Chris Smith (NJ-04), and Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) announced a major victory for New Jersey’s fishing industry. After congressional opposition led by Congressman MacArthur, the Baltimore Aquarium has withdrawn their nomination for the Baltimore Canyon to be named a national marine sanctuary, a controversial designation which could have prohibited or restricted fishing access near South Jersey.

“This is a big win for our fishing industry and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to protect New Jersey’s fishermen,” said Congressman Tom MacArthur. “Too often, our commercial and recreational fishing industry has been stifled by too many regulations from nameless, faceless and unelected bureaucrats in Washington D.C. This will make sure that a burdensome designation won’t stand in the way of our fishermen’s success.”

“With our recreational and commercial fishing industry under constant attack from Washington bureaucrats, this is certainly welcome news for our region,” said Congressman LoBiondo. “I remain committed to fighting against such arbitrary restrictions on our fishermen and appreciate Congressman MacArthur’s leadership on this critical economic issue for South Jersey.”

“If implemented, a reduction of this magnitude will have harsh and immediate economic consequences for families and businesses along New Jersey’s 130 mile shoreline—many still struggling to fully recover from Superstorm Sandy. The impact will be felt not only in fisheries and fishing communities, but by the local businesses that rely upon the industry, the governments that depend on the revenue generated by these activities and other industries—such as tourism—that are a staple along the Jersey Shore,” said Rep. Chris Smith. “The Delegation is working on a full court press that we hope will delay, and ultimately severely alter, the implementation of this devastating decision.” 

In December, Congressman Tom MacArthur (NJ-03) along with Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-03), Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2), Congressman Lee Zeldin (NY-01), Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01), and Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01) sent a letter to the NOAA Administrator against the potential designations of Baltimore, Hudson, and Norfolk Canyons as Marine Sanctuaries.

The original letter can be viewed here