Saving Seafood

LOUISIANA: Bobby Jindal signs bill allowing enforcement of turtle-excluder provisions

July 1, 2015 — Gov. Bobby Jindal signed a bill Wednesday (July 1) repealing a 1987 state law that prohibited Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents from enforcing federal turtle-excluder device regulations.

The repeal legislation, which the Louisiana House approved last month 100-0, also was unanimously endorsed by the Louisiana Shrimp Task Force in April after environmental groups have long pushed for better enforcement of the use of such devices in shrimp trawls. Often referred to as TEDs, they create an opening in shrimp nets to allow trapped turtles to escape before they drown.

“Today is a monumental day for our shrimp industry and will show the world that Louisiana fishermen and processors have always been concerned with the successful management of our shrimp fishery,” Mark Abraham, the shrimp task force’s chairman, said in a statement.

Read the full story from The Times-Picayune

 

Whole Foods Once Again Accused of Marking Up Food Prices, Including Shrimp

NEW YORK (AP) — June 25, 2015 — Whole Foods supermarkets have been routinely overcharging customers by overstating the weight of prepackaged meat, dairy and baked goods, New York City’s consumer chief said Wednesday.

The price on a package of coconut shrimp at the upscale market was too high by $14.84, said Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Julie Menin. A package of chicken tenders was overpriced by $4.85, and a vegetable platter by $6.15, the department said.

“These overcharges are incredibly troubling,” Menin said, alleging that they continued even after Whole Foods was informed of the city investigation, which began in the fall. The investigation checked the eight Whole Foods markets then open in the city. A ninth has since opened. In all, the Austin, Texas-based chain has 422 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

“We have been meeting with Whole Foods for months,” the commissioner said, “but we repeatedly found problems that were incredibly pervasive.”

Read the full story form the Associated Press at The Big Story