Saving Seafood

Facing a Hostile Administration, U.S. Offshore Wind Is in Retreat

October 23, 2025 –  Each year, the Sweeney Center for Public Policy at Rowan University in New Jersey hosts a conference on the state’s current and future energy landscape. In 2023 and 2024, the gatherings focused heavily on the rapidly accelerating development of offshore wind, which state officials then predicted would power some 2.5 million homes — about two-thirds of the state’s total housing units — by 2030. At this year’s event, however, the industry was barely mentioned, and when it was, its one-time advocates were subdued and almost eulogistic.

Tim Sullivan, the head of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, which had been closely involved with the state’s efforts to develop offshore wind, sounded wistful. “I remain optimistic and confident that it gets done sometime in our lifetime,” he told the conference.

Optimism about the future of U.S. offshore wind has collapsed since President Trump, a vehement critic of the industry, returned to office in January. In the ensuing nine months, his administration has accelerated the end of federal tax credits for wind development, imposed tariffs on turbines and other needed parts, and eliminated funds for building onshore port facilities for servicing wind farms.

Read the full article at the Yale Environment 360 

Advancement of Young Fishermen’s Development Act reauthorization

October 21, 2025 — The Fishing Communities Coalition (FCC) commends the Senate Commerce, Science, and Technology Committee for marking up S.2357, the Young Fishermen’s Development Extension Act, which reauthorizes the Young Fishermen’s Development Act (YFDA) program for a second five-year period. By advancing this legislation, Congress is recommitting to America’s fishing industry, supporting workforce development, and promoting the safety, prosperity, and ingenuity of our nation’s early-career commercial fishermen.

“The YFDA is a true example of policy responding to and supporting community needs,” said Michelle Stratton, Executive Director of the Alaska Marine Conservation Council. “Workforce development programs like the Young Fishermen’s Development Grant are more than symbolic investments. They are lifelines to sustaining working waterfronts, nurturing the next generation of stewards, and maintaining resilient local economies. In the first five years of the program, we’ve seen how targeted training, mentorship, and technical assistance help bridge the gap for early-career harvesters struggling with volatile markets and ever-increasing barriers to success. By reauthorizing this program, Congress sends a clear signal that the United States values its fishing heritage and is committed to securing seafood supply chains, thriving coastal communities, and opportunities for young, dedicated fishermen. We thank Senators Sullivan and Murkowski and the bill’s cosponsors for their leadership and urge swift advancement of this legislation.”

Five years ago Congress passed and President Trump signed the original YFDA and launched the program. The success of the YFDA hinges upon a strong alliance between elected officials, our National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) partners, and organizations like commercial fishing associations and universities to fund, develop, and advance these innovative workforce development and retention efforts. We are deeply grateful that Senator Sullivan and the bill’s co-sponsors, Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) are committed to reauthorizing the YFDA.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Healthy fishermen for a healthy America‬

July 21, 2025 — The America First Seafood Strategy put forth in President Trump’s “Restoring America’s Seafood Competitiveness” executive order offers a promising vision for the economic resurgence of our fisheries, but first we must prioritize the wellbeing of the very people who can make that vision a reality: our commercial fishermen.

The shuttering of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Center for Maritime Safety and Health, coupled with the proposed elimination of its vital research and training funds in the 2026 Health and Human Services (HHS) budget, represents a dangerous misstep in the pursuit of a healthier nation.

For 40 years, NIOSH’s targeted prevention efforts have succeeded in dramatically improving the safety record of one of the nation’s most dangerous occupations. The data speaks for itself: Commercial fishing fatalities have been slashed by more than 80 percent since these initiatives began.

This isn’t just a matter of saving lives; it’s a sound investment as well as a Coast Guard requirement for many fisheries in order to leave the dock. For every dollar spent on NIOSH’s work, the return is millions in saved costs — from preventing expensive Coast Guard rescue operations to reduced burdens on the healthcare and insurance systems (not to mention our families and communities) for work-related injuries and deaths.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Federal judge blocks offshore lease sale, says feds failed to consider impacts on Rice’s whales

March 31, 2025 — A federal judge on Thursday blocked an oil and gas lease sale in Gulf waters off the coast of Louisiana, finding that a federal agency didn’t adequately take into account how new offshore drilling would impact the highly endangered Rice’s whale.

The ruling from Judge Amit Mehta in the U.S. District court for the District of Columbia will require the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management, which oversees the sale of oil and gas leases in federal waters, to conduct additional environmental reviews before the lease sale proceeds. The current lease sale is not canceled, but will be subject to additional environmental review.

The court also ruled that BOEM did not fully take into account the impact of greenhouse gas emissions that would result from the new oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico, also referred to as the Gulf of America after President Donald Trump moved to rename it via executive order.

“BOEM acted arbitrarily by failing to address the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS’s) determination that the whale’s habitat range extends into the western and central Gulf,” Mehta wrote in his ruling.

Read the full article at NOLA

Bishop Statement on President Trump Protecting Antiquities in Utah, Addressing Past Executive Abuse

December 4, 2017 — WASHINGTON — The following was released by the House Committee on Natural Resources: 

House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) issued the following statement:

“I applaud President Trump for recognizing the limitations of the law. Americans of all political stripes should commend him for reversing prior administrations’ abuses of the Antiquities Act and instead exercising his powers within the scope of authority granted by Congress.

“These new proclamations are a first step towards protecting identified antiquities without disenfranchising the local people who work and manage these areas. The next steps will be to move beyond symbolic gestures of protection and create substantive protections and enforcement and codify in law a meaningful management role for local governments, tribes and other stakeholders.”

REMINDER:

 Tomorrow, at 11:00 AM EST, Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT), Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) and Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) will host a Pen & Pad to discuss President Trump’s visit to Utah and the introduction of related legislation. For reporters outside of Washington, D.C. there will be a call in number. In order to join in person or via phone, you must RSVP.

WHAT: Pen & Pad with Chairman Bishop, Reps. Stewart and Curtis
WHEN: Tuesday, December 5
11:00 AM EST
WHERE:

 

CALL:

 TBD

 

Number: 1-888-998-7893

Passcode: PROTECTION

 

To RSVP, please contact Katie Schoettler at katie.schoettler@mail.house.gov.

 

Russia, U.S. and Other Nations Restrict Fishing in Thawing Arctic

December 1, 2017 — MOSCOW — Relations between Russia and the United States are in a deep freeze, but they share a looming common problem north of their Arctic coastlines — the prospect that commercial trawling fleets might overfish the thawing Arctic Ocean.

Out on the sea, the polar ice cap has been melting so quickly as global temperatures rise that once improbable ideas for commercial activities, including fishing near the North Pole, are becoming realistic.

While Russia, the United States and three other countries with Arctic coastline control the exclusive economic zones near their shores, overfishing in the international waters at the central Arctic Ocean could collapse fish stocks.

Whatever their disagreements elsewhere, the countries have a shared interest in protecting the high Arctic from such unregulated fishing, which could affect coastal stocks as well, conservationists say.

Read the full story at the New York Times