Saving Seafood

House Passes MSA Reauthorization with Support of NCFC Members

July 13, 2018 — The following was released by Saving Seafood’s National Coalition for Fishing Communities:

Yesterday the House passed H.R. 200, the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, which modifies and reauthorizes the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

Members of Saving Seafood’s National Coalition for Fishing Communities from around the country have been invested in improving MSA for years, and weighed in with their comments and concerns at various points in this process.

Many of these concerns were addressed during the committee process and in the discussion of amendments. Several Members of Congress cited support from NCFC members for the bill during the debate on the House floor.

From Rep. Bradley Byrne of Alabama:

Let me tell you, there are over 170 groups that have signed on to being supportive of this bill. I do not have time to read all the names to you, but let me just read a few: the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation…the National Coalition for Fishing Communities…and the Guy Harvey Foundation. This is a very broadly, deeply supported bill among people who are actually fishing. Now, it may not be supported by people who don’t fish and who don’t know anything about fishing, but for those of us who do fish…we like it.

From Rep. Garret Graves of Louisiana:

…Mr. Chairman, this bill is bipartisan. It’s why we have bipartisan support for this legislation. We have co-sponsors. It’s why the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, the National Coalition for Fishing Communities…American Scallop Association, Garden State Seafood Association, West Coast Seafood Processors Association, North Carolina Fisheries Association, Florida Keys Commercial Fishing Association, Gulf Coast Seafood Alliance, Southeastern Fisheries Association and many, many others that have a genuine stake in the sustainability of our fisheries [support this legislation].

In the debate over a proposed amendment from Reps. Jared Huffman of California and Alcee Hastings of Florida that would be detrimental to commercial fishing, Rep. Don Young of Alaska, author of the bill, quoted from a letter signed by several of our members and submitted the day before the vote. The amendment was ultimately defeated.

According to a letter authorized by the National Coalition for Fishing Communities…I want to submit for the record, if I could, the letter to the leadership of the House and to myself where they say… “We believe it will undermine the MSA, impede reforms that are desperately needed, and attack jobs in coastal communities around the country, including California and Florida,” the home states of Mr. Huffman and Mr. Hastings. I suggest this amendment is uncalled for and frankly will gut the bill and the MSA, period.

East and West Coast NCFC Members: ‘H.R. 200 Will Create Flexibility Without Compromising Conservation’

June 25, 2018 — WASHINGTON — Today, East and West Coast members of Saving Seafood’s National Coalition for Fishing Communities (NCFC) submitted a letter to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy in support of H.R. 200, the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, which would update the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

The letter, which was also sent to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Emeritus Don Young, and other top Congressional officials, states that H.R. 200 will “create flexibility without compromising conservation.”

“We want a Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) that allows for both sustainable fisheries management, and the long-term preservation of our nation’s fishing communities,” the groups wrote. “We firmly believe that Congress can meet these goals by allowing for more flexibility in management, eliminating arbitrary rebuilding timelines, and adding other reforms that better take into account the complex challenges facing commercial fishermen.”

The letter does not include support from the NCFC’s Florida, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic members, which supported the legislation from the beginning, but withdrew their support due to a late change to the Manager’s Amendment that would negatively impact their region. The NCFC’s East and West Coast members continue to support the bill on its overall merits, but share the concerns of Gulf and South Atlantic fishermen over this late alteration.

Organizations affiliated with the NCFC do not accept money from ENGOs, and represent the authentic views of the U.S. commercial fishing industry.

The letter signers represent the American Scallop Association, Atlantic Red Crab Company, Atlantic Capes Fisheries, BASE Seafood, California Wetfish Producers Association, Cape Seafood, Garden State Seafood Association, Inlet Seafood, Long Island Commercial Fishing Association, Lund’s Fisheries, North Carolina Fisheries Association, Rhode Island Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance, Seafreeze Ltd., Town Dock, West Coast Seafood Processors Association, and Western Fishboat Owners Association.

Read the full letter here

 

North Carolina: Seafood Lobby Day hopes to bring change to coastal fishing industry

May 24, 2018 — CRYSTAL COAST, N.C. — Fishermen and seafood lobbying groups spent their Wednesday in Raleigh for North Carolina Seafood Lobby Day, talking to legislators about fishing laws.

On the Crystal Coast, commercial fishing is a huge driver of employment and the economy.

Local businesses on the coast are dependent on commercial fishing.

Marc Smith, the owner of Captain Jim’s Seafood said, “It actually employs quite a number of people in this area. And through time it’s been one generation after another.”

And lately, they say the industry has faced harsh regulation that makes it hard to do their jobs.

Wrenn Johnson, the owner of Atlantic Beach Seafood Market said, “We like to keep everything as local as possible. The shrimp and everything is the stuff that’s made here. We like to do local because we always have, and it gets tougher and tougher each year as more regulations come into play.”

Glenn Skinner is the executive irector of the North Carolina Fisheries Association. He said going to Raleigh gives local fishermen a chance to create change in the industry.

Read the full story at WNCT

 

North Carolina: Nearly 200 Fishermen Travel To Raleigh For Second Annual Seafood Lobby Day

May 23, 2018 — RALEIGH, N.C. — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:

Today, commercial fishermen will forego a day working on the water and instead work the halls of the Legislative Building for the 2nd Annual Seafood Lobby Day. The event, coordinated by North Carolina Fisheries Association (NCFA), provides an opportunity for legislators to meet the individuals that provide fresh, NC-caught seafood to their communities across the state and to hear directly from commercial fishermen about the challenges they face. Nearly 200 fishermen from up and down the coast traveled to Raleigh for the event.

Glenn Skinner, a commercial fisherman from Carteret County and NCFA’s Executive Director, said, “Last year’s inaugural Seafood Lobby Day was a huge success – it was a great way to start a conversation between legislators and commercial fishermen. We’re hoping this year will build on those relationships and give more fishermen an opportunity to talk to legislators about the importance of the commercial fishing industry to coastal families and communities.”

Skinner added that NCFA members have a number of priority issues to discuss with legislators, most notably the NC Marine Fisheries Commission’s (NCMFC) lack of openness and transparency. “The decisions of the Marine Fisheries Commission have a massive impact on how commercial fishermen make a living, both in the short- and long-term. They deserve to have their voices heard, and a fair and equitable Commission is essential for that to happen.” Other important topics for discussion include fair regulation of fisheries and ensuring that sound, reliable science is used in fisheries management.

Commercial fishermen established the North Carolina Fisheries Association, Inc. in 1952 to serve fishing families by protecting their heritage and promoting seafood. To achieve this, the association actively lobbies local, state and federal policymakers on behalf of the industry and engages in many outreach and education projects.

View the release in its entirety here.

 

North Carolina Fisheries Association: Call to Equitable Fisheries Management

April 30, 2018 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:   

Letters need to be sent to the governor.

NCFA recently sent a letter to Governor Cooper requesting that he replace all 9 members of the Marine Fisheries Commission.

NCFA letter to Governor Cooper

We are asking YOU to also send a letter to the Governor! We really need to let him know that the commercial fishing community is serious about GETTING THE MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION FAIR AND EQUITABLE!

We can only do that with your help. If you click the link below you can print out a letter, then simply sign it and mail it. If you would rather do one in your own words, that’s even better, but keep it short and simple and ON MESSAGE!

If you have any questions, call Glenn Skinner at 252-646-7742 or Jerry Schill at 252-361-3015.

Letter to Governor Cooper for you to print, sign & send!

Here’s the address for mailing:

Governor Roy Cooper

20301 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC 27699-0301

Or by email: roy.cooper@nc.gov

 

Congressman Jones: Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act Levels the Playing Field for Domestic Producers

April 17, 2018 — The following statement was released by Congressman Walter B. Jones:

I would like to thank Chairman Lamborn and Chairman Bishop for holding this hearing today. I am pleased to join my friend, Congressman Dan Webster, in cosponsoring H.R. 5248 – the Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act. It is very important that America’s fishermen have a level playing field with foreign producers. The bill would hold other nations to the same conservation and management standards that America has adopted in our shark fisheries.

Under H.R. 5248, any nation seeking to export shark products to America must receive certification from the Secretary of Commerce that it has an effective ban on the practice of “shark finning,” and that it has a similar conservation and management program for sharks, skates, and rays. The bill also increases traceability of imported shark products.

If foreign countries are failing to manage their shark populations appropriately, they should change their ways. They shouldn’t be allowed to dump unsustainably harvested shark product on our market, and our legal, sustainable American harvesters should not be penalized for the shortcomings of foreign fishermen.

America has been a global leader in protecting shark species while allowing a sustainable harvest.  In fact, U.S. federal law mandates that the domestic shark fishery be managed sustainably.

According to renowned shark scientist, Dr. Robert E. Heuter of Florida’s Mote Marine Lab, America has “one of the best systems in the world for shark fisheries management and conservation.”  The proof can be seen in NOAA Fisheries own data.  NOAA Fisheries’ 2015 coastal shark survey captured and tagged “more than 2,800 sharks, the most in the survey’s 29-year history.”  The leader of the survey stated that NOAA Fisheries has “seen an increase in the number of sharks in every survey since 2001,” and the agency called the survey results “very good news for shark populations.”

R. 5248 is supported by the North Carolina Fisheries Association, Southeastern Fisheries Association, Blue Water Fishermen’s Association, Sustainable Shark Alliance, Garden State Seafood Association, and the Louisiana Shrimpers Association. This bill is a reasonable, balanced approach to leveling the playing field for domestic producers, while trying to encourage other nations to raise their shark management practices to appropriate levels.

Other legislative options before the subcommittee, including banning the trade of legally, sustainably harvested American shark products, represent an unnecessary, short-sighted overreach that should be rejected.

 

North Carolina: Open meetings suit filed against Marine Fisheries Commission

April 3, 2018 — An advocacy group for the commercial fishing industry has filed a lawsuit against members of the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission claiming they violated state open meeting laws and showed a lack of transparency and openness.

According to a press release from the N.C. Fisheries Association, State Auditor Beth Wood in February 2016 issued findings in connection with an audit of the Division of Marine Fisheries.

The group quoted the audit’s findings, saying “there have been open meetings laws violated by several members of the commission.”

“Four separate email chains dated January 14, 2015, September 8, 2015, July 20, 2015 and February 10, 2015 that occurred between Marine Fisheries Commission Members,” the auditor’s office stated. “In each instance, the Commission’s legal counsel, Philip Reynolds, stopped the email communication and reminded the commission members about open meeting laws.”

The North Carolina Fisheries Association notified regulators and legislators about the auditor’s findings in 2016.

Although warned, the association alleged the Marine Fisheries Commission continued violating the open meetings laws, culminating with the most recent meeting in Wrightsville Beach, in February 2018.

At that meeting, the commission voted 5-4 to recmmend that the General Assembly change the criteria for commercial fishing licenses, after overwhelming opposition by commercial fishermen, local governments and the public to any changes.

All of the commissioners representing the commercial industry voted against the measure.

Read the full story at the Outer Banks Voice

 

North Carolina Fisheries Association Files Lawsuit Against Marine Fisheries Commission

April 2, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — The North Carolina Fisheries Association filed a lawsuit against the Marine Fisheries Commission last week, claiming that the commission violated open meeting laws and lacks transparency and openness.

The lawsuit stems back to 2015 when state auditor Beth Wood found that several members of the commission violated open meeting laws. Wood found four separate email chains from 2015 where the legal counsel for the Marine Fisheries Commission stopped email communication to remind commission members about “open meeting laws.” The North Carolina Fisheries Association notified regulators and legislators about the findings in 2016, and claim that the violations have continued into 2018.

“Open meeting violations by the Marine Fisheries Commission have been an ongoing problem that is well known to many in state government including regulators and legislators,” said North Caroline Fisheries Association Executive Director Glenn Skinner. “While many complain about it, nothing has been done to stop it. Anyone that believes in an open and transparent process should applaud the action we’ve taken. It’s sad that we have to resort to such measures.

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

 

NC Fisheries Association Files Lawsuit Against Marine Fisheries Commission for Lack of Openness and Transparency

March 29, 2018 — MOREHEAD CITY, NC — The following was released by the NC Fisheries Association: 

NC Fisheries Association yesterday filed a lawsuit against the Marine Fisheries Commission for violating open meeting laws and an overall lack of transparency and openness.

In February 2016, North Carolina State Auditor, Beth Wood, issued findings in connection with an audit of the Division of Marine Fisheries. The audit findings included, “there have been open meetings laws violated by several members of the commission.” Also included in the auditor’s findings were, “four separate email chains dated January 14, 2015, September 8, 2015, July 20, 2015 and February 10, 2015 that occurred between Marine Fisheries Commission Members. In each instance, the Commission’s legal counsel, Philip Reynolds, stopped the email communication and reminded the commission members about open meeting laws.”

The North Carolina Fisheries Association notified regulators and legislators about the auditor’s findings in 2016. Although warned, NCFA alleges that the Marine Fisheries Commission continued violating the open meetings laws culminating with the most recent meeting in Wrightsville Beach, NC in February of 2018. The result was a 5-4 vote recommending the General Assembly change the criteria for commercial fishing licenses. The close vote came after overwhelming opposition to any changes and with all three commercial fishing commissioners voting against the measure.

“Open meeting violations by the Marine Fisheries Commission have been an ongoing problem that is well known to many in state government including regulators and legislators. While many complain about it, nothing has been done to stop it. Anyone that believes in an open and transparent process, should applaud the action we’ve taken. It’s sad that we have to resort to such measures,” said Glenn Skinner, NC Fisheries Association Executive Director.

NC Fisheries Association (NCFA) is a non-profit organization promoting sustainable fisheries Since 1952.

Commercial fishermen established the NCFA to serve fishing families by protecting their heritage and promoting seafood. To achieve this, NCFA actively lobbies local, state, and federal policymakers on behalf of the industry and engages in many outreach and education projects.

View the release in its entirety here.

 

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