Saving Seafood

Natural Resources hearing to consider water, fisheries bills

November 18, 2025 — A House Natural Resources subcommittee will review Western water and fisheries legislation during a hearing this week, including a proposal to create a new coordinating commission for the Mississippi River Basin.

H.R. 1514, from Rep. Mike Ezell (R-Miss.) and Troy Carter (D-La.), would provide roughly $245 million for a panel to oversee fisheries management and economic development in the nation’s largest river basin.

That responsibility is currently shared by 31 states and multiple federal agencies, according to Ezell, vice chair of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries, which will host the hearing. Carter called the bill a “critical step in securing the future of this iconic waterway.”

Read the full article at E&E News

US lawmakers propose new commission to support health of Mississippi River Basin

March 4, 2025 — U.S. lawmakers have introduced legislation that would create a commission to support the long-term health of fisheries along the Mississippi River Basin, as well as their habitats, water quality, and the communities that rely on them.

“Louisianians know that the Mississippi River Basin is vital to our communities, our fishermen, and our environment,” U.S. Representative Troy Carter (D-Louisiana) said in a statement. “This bill is a critical step in securing the future of this iconic waterway. By bringing together federal, state, and local partners, we can tackle the challenges of invasive species, habitat degradation, and water quality to ensure a healthy, sustainable fishery for generations to come. This commission will help preserve the extraordinary biodiversity of the basin and protect the livelihoods of countless individuals who depend on these waters for their work and way of life. I’m proud of this bipartisan effort to strengthen our economy, protect our natural resources, and ensure a thriving Mississippi River Basin for generations.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Why Texas gets 9 miles of off-shore territory but Louisiana gets 3 — and how it could change

December 2, 2024 — U.S. Rep. Garret Graves intends to sprint toward the finish line for the 118th Congress, which convenes Monday and disbands in a month, by pushing an issue he has been working since he was a Capitol Hill staffer 20 years ago.

“This has been an ongoing effort for me, for many years, to give Louisiana parity,” Graves said.

Graves, a Baton Rouge Republican who steps down when the 119th Congress assumes office on Jan. 3, teamed with Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, on a bill that would give Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama the same offshore sovereignty as Texas and Florida — moving the boundary line from three nautical miles to nine — thereby allowing Louisiana control of more energy exploration and fishing rights.

Graves said last week in announcing the Offshore Parity Act of 2024, “I’m not sure who was negotiating for us generations ago, but that is just ridiculous.”

History, rather than bonehead negotiators, played a greater role in setting state sovereignty over offshore waters.

Read the full story at NOLA.com

US spending bills include millions for seafood-related initiatives

July 30, 2021 — Washington, D.C., U.S.A was a busy place Thursday, 29 July, as lawmakers in both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate passed large appropriation bills, both of which included seafood-related line-items and initiatives.

In the House, a package of seven spending bills passed by a 219-208 vote. The appropriations package included funding for such agencies as the Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration and Department of Interior. Among the projects in the bill is a USD 6 million (EUR 5.1 million) initiative secured by Louisiana U.S. Reps. Garret Graves (R), Steve Scalise (R), and Troy Carter (D) that would redirect dredged sediment to coastal restoration projects in the state instead of having it dumped in the Gulf of Mexico.

Read the full story at Seafood Source