Saving Seafood

Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Keep Carlos Rafael Permits in New Bedford

WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) — October 5, 2017 — In a letter obtained by Saving Seafood this week, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren urged NOAA “to do everything possible to ensure that [fishing permits belonging to Carlos Rafael] stay in the Port of New Bedford.”

Writing to Chris Oliver, NOAA’s Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, Senator Warren wrote “those permits cover a substantial proportion of several important fishing allocations in the area, including of Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, Georges Bank cod, Georges Bank winter flounder, Georges Bank haddock, and southern New England Winter Flounder. Mr. Rafael’s business accounts directly for three quarters of the value of New Bedford’ s groundfish, which are necessary to diversify the Port’s fishing industry…”

“Removing Mr. Rafael’s permits from New Bedford would do needless, immense damage not only to hundreds of responsible, law-abiding New Bedford fishermen, but also to the economy of New Bedford at large. That is why New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell and the New Bedford City Council, as well as the Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council, have urged federal officials to, if possible, reissue Mr. Rafael’s permits in a manner that retains these important jobs in the community.”

Read the letter here

Several other elected officials in New England have also written letters regarding the future of Mr. Rafael’s permits. Some of those letters are included below.

Read the letter from Mass. Gov. Charlie Baker to NOAA

Read the letter from New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell to NOAA

Read the letter from R.I. Gov. Gina Raimondo to Judge William Young

Read the letter from members of Maine’s Congressional delegation to the Commerce Department

New England senators say Congress should save Sea Grant program

September 18, 2017 — PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s U.S. senators are signing on to a request to keep the National Sea Grant College Program funded at least at its current level.

President Donald Trump has proposed to eliminate the program, which funds science that’s beneficial to commercial fisheries, conservation and coastal businesses. It has existed for about a half century.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at NH1

 

UMaine to Receive More Than $220K From NOAA to Study Tuna

August 11, 2017 — ORONO, Maine — The University of Maine is slated to receive more than $220,000 from the federal government to support research of Atlantic bluefin tuna.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins and independent Sen. Angus King say the money from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will help with UMaine’s research about the tuna’s age, growth and population in the northwest Atlantic Ocean.

UMaine researchers will work with dealers, fishermen and other stakeholders from Maine to North Carolina on the work.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the U.S. News & World Report

Head of Maine Aquaculture Association named to federal marine panel

July 14, 2017 — The head of the Maine Aquaculture Association has been named to a federal marine advisory panel.

Sebastian Belle, executive director of the aquaculture trade association, has been appointed to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee. As a member of the advisory committee, Belle will advise the Secretary of Commerce and NOAA on issues related to living marine resources that fall under the purview of the Department of Commerce, according to a joint release from U.S. Sens. Angus King and Susan Collins announcing the apointment.

“Sebastian has established himself as a national leader in the aquaculture industry, and his expertise will help guide the Department of Commerce and NOAA as they shape important policy relating to our marine resources,” said the senators in the statement. “Sebastian brings with him a deep understanding of Maine’s diverse marine ecosystem that supports our state’s coastal communities, creates and sustains jobs, and helps drive the economy.”

Belle was formerly a lobsterman and state aquaculture coodinator. He helped found TAAG, which specializes in aquaculture investment and consulting, and is also the president of Econ-Aqua, a consultancy that focuses on farm management, financial due diligence, and risk and analysis control.

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

MASSACHUSETTS: Mitchell sends NOAA letter requesting Rafael permits stay in New Bedford

June 21, 2017 — Mayor Jon Mitchell penned a letter to NOAA regarding Carlos Rafael’s permits, a day after Maine’s congressional delegation signed a letter regarding the permits.

In an argument consisting of four pages, Mitchell provided legal precedent for the Department of Justice and NOAA to punish Rafael, while also keeping the 13 fishing permits in question in New Bedford. He likens Rafael’s case to those cases involving wrongdoing by the head of a large business. He states, “It is common for the government to tailor punishment so as to avoid harm to others who were not involved.”

Rafael’s business employ 285 fishermen.

Mitchell suggested Rafael sell his entire business to other New Bedford companies, forfeiting the proceeds to the government. It would entirely exclude Rafael from fishing despite possessing more permits than the 13 in question.

“If the Service affords him a reasonable opportunity to fully divest himself in such fashion,” Mitchel wrote. “The government can accomplish its enforcement goals and avoid harm to employees and other businesses.”

On Monday, U.S. Senators Angus King and Susan Collins, along with members of Congress Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin, drafted a letter to U.S. Secretary Wilbur Ross stating the permits should be redistributed among “all eligible permit holders in the fleet.” The Congressional delegation cited the Magnuson-Stevens Act to justify its belief.

Politicians and organizations have jockeyed for leverage regarding the final destination of the permits almost immediately after Rafael pleaded guilty to 28 counts including falsifying fishing quotas, false labeling, conspiracy and tax evasion at the end of March.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

Maine congressional delegation asks forfeited groundfish permits be redistributed through Northeast

June 19, 2017 — Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King and Reps. Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin sent a letter Monday to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross asking that the 13 groundfish permits forfeited by Carlos Rafael — a New Bedford fisherman who has pleaded guilty to 28 federal counts of tax evasion, falsifying fishing quotas and conspiracy — be redistributed to fishermen throughout the Northeast, not only New Bedford.

In their letter, the Maine congressional delegation said that groundfish permits embody a shared resource and, as such, should be returned to groundfish fishermen in “a fair and uniform manner.”

“Mr. Rafael’s grave and extensive disregard for both the law and sustainable fishing practices is a setback to the recovery of the beleaguered Northeast multispecies (groundfish) fishery, and has done, and will continue to do, financial harm to fishermen from Maine to New York,” the delegation wrote.

“These fishermen, who have complied with federal quotas and regulations, were forced to compete with this illegal activity and now must endure its repercussions on future stock assessments,” they wrote. “For these reasons, we believe the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) should cancel each of the groundfish permits that Mr. Rafael currently holds and reallocate the fishing privileges associated with such permits to all eligible permit holders in the fleet.

“We are specifically troubled that the City of New Bedford (where Mr. Rafael’s enterprise is based) is seeking to acquire control of his permits. We believe, instead, that all members of the fleet, including those in New Bedford, who have been disadvantaged by Mr. Rafael’s illegal activity, deserve a share of the rights to access these permits once remanded back to NMFS,” the delegation wrote.

Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News

Maine senators say Congress should save Sea Grant program

June 8, 2017 — Maine’s U.S. senators are signing on to a request to keep the National Sea Grant College Program funded at least at its current level.

President Trump has proposed to eliminate the program, which funds science that’s beneficial to commercial fisheries, conservation and coastal businesses. It has existed for about a half-century.

Maine Sens. Susan Collins, a Republican, and Angus King, an independent, are joining an effort led by Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy to save the program. The group is sending a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the commerce appropriations subcommittee to stress the importance of Sea Grant.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Portland Press Herald

Bill Mook: Pruitt ignoring science consensus could have dire consequences for Maine

March 13, 2017 — I spent Valentine’s Day making a whirlwind trip to Washington, D.C., on behalf of my company, Mook Sea Farm, an oyster farm on the Damariscotta River. For 32 years we’ve been raising oysters from egg to market size and selling seed oysters to other East Coast farms. I made the trip to oppose Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt’s nomination to be the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

On the trip to Washington, I thought long and hard about what I might say that would make a difference, especially to Sen. Susan Collins, who at that time had not yet announced her position on the Pruitt nomination. It seemed unnecessary, given the widely publicized information about his record, to point out Pruitt’s lack of fitness for the position. So, I decided to focus on my own story.

I talked about almost being forced out of business in 1998 by illegal dumping of septic and chemical waste next to my hatchery, and the personal anguish and stress this caused for an entire year. Mook Sea Farm would likely not have survived had it not been for the Clean Water Act.

I also explained that a decade or so later, the impact of carbon emissions suddenly became very real – no longer an abstract, future problem. Carbon dioxide emissions, dissolving in the ocean and changing precipitation patterns in the Northeast, had slowly degraded the lifeblood of my company: the seawater we pump into the hatchery. Our shellfish larvae were having a tough time growing shells in seawater as it became increasingly acidic. Production became erratic, forcing us to adopt a suite of remedies that include buffering our seawater (think of taking Tums).

Read the full opinion piece at the Portland Press Herald

The Maine Lobster Industry Celebrates National Lobster Day on September 25, 2016

September 23, 2016 — The following was released by the Maine Lobster Marketing Collective:

PORTLAND, Maine — For the second year in a row, the Maine Lobster industry will celebrate its positive economic and cultural impact both in Maine and in the U.S. during National Lobster Day on September 25, 2016. Designated through a resolution by Senators Angus King and Susan Collins of Maine, National Lobster Day reinforces the hard work, sustainable practices and passion of Maine’s 5,600 independent lobstermen and women.

“The lobster industry is not only an iconic part of Maine’s image, but it’s also a significant engine in our local economy that supports families up and down our coast,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “By designating September 25 as National Lobster Day, the Senate has once again recognized lobster’s tremendous value for our communities while honoring the hardworking people in the industry. The thousands of Mainers who haul lobster from our shores, process it and distribute it ensure that this delicious Maine product can be enjoyed across the country and around the world. Lobster is a livelihood and a way of life for many Maine people, and we will always work to make sure this proud industry can continue its positive impact for generations to come.”

Last year, the Maine Lobster industry landed more than 120 million pounds for the fourth year in a row thanks to the self-governing, unparalleled sustainable practices that the industry has had in place for 150 years. Landings increase during peak season, typically June through November, allowing for nearly $1 billion in revenue to support citizens throughout Maine, and the tender sweet flavor of Maine Lobster to be shared with diners across the country.

“We are thrilled that the Senate has recognized the Maine Lobster industry by deeming September 25 as National Lobster Day again this year,” said Matt Jacobson, the Executive Director of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative (MLMC). “We’re excited to have the national spotlight on our industry, especially during peak season, and we thank Senators King and Collins again for their support with this resolution.”

To further promote Maine Lobster and its rich heritage, the MLMC focuses on sharing the Maine Lobster story with national media, educating chefs about Maine Lobster’s diverse culinary applications to help them reimagine it as a key ingredient and connecting lobster lovers through social and digital platforms. Additionally, this year, the Collaborative released a video series that showcases the uniqueness of Maine Lobster and the industry’s impact across Maine.

“Maine Lobster’s strong sustainability story, beautiful flavor and versatility make chefs proud to serve it,” said Barton Seaver, chef, cookbook author and sustainable seafood expert. “National Lobster Day highlights these great qualities and the many people throughout the industry who bring Maine Lobster to our plates.”

Sens. Collins, King Applaud Funding to Help Reimburse Maine Fisherman for At-Sea Monitoring Program

June 27, 2016 — WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today welcomed an announcement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that it will fund an estimated 85 percent of the sea days needed for the At-Sea Monitoring (ASM) Program for the current fishing year. Beginning July 1, groundfish fishermen covered by the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan will be reimbursed for their at-sea monitoring costs through an arrangement with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

“The At-Sea Monitoring Program is an important tool that helps us to responsibly manage Maine’s critical ocean resources,” Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. “Maine’s hardworking fishermen shouldn’t bear an unfair financial burden in supporting the ASM program. We applaud NOAA for stepping up to help reimburse our fishermen, and will continue to fight for the Maine groundfish industry moving forward.”

Read the full press release at the newsroom of Sen. Collins