Tag Archives: Murkowski

House Passes Sullivan’s American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act

U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, welcomed House passage this week of S. 497, the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act, bipartisan legislation he introduced to create an industry-led committee to assist in the administration of fisheries marketing, research, and development grants. The Saltonstall-Kennedy (SK) Act provides funding for fisheries marketing, research, and development. These funds are derived from a portion of fishery import duties. To inform how these funds are allocated, Congress authorized a group of experts from different segments of the fishing industry to advise on commercial fishing problems and needs. Following a 1972 law, the original American Fisheries Advisory Committee was disbanded. In the committee’s absence, the National Marine Fisheries Service decides, by its own criteria, who receives grants. >click to read< 12:36

Oregon Fishing Industry Tells Lawmakers Of Economic Hardships – Murkowski pushes for an another Billion in federal fisheries relief funds

The coronavirus has hit Oregon’s commercial fishing industry hard. That was the message to state lawmakers during a recent meeting of the House Interim Committee on Natural Resources. Anthony Dal Ponte is with Pacific Seafood, which is based in Clackamas and has several facilities on the Oregon coast. He said the company had to lay off more than 500 employees after their restaurant and hospitality industry markets dried up virtually overnight. >click to read<  Meanwhile, Murkowski pushes for an additional $1 billion in federal fisheries relief funds – Additional money could    be on the way for the fishing industry. Senator Lisa Murkowski said that she is working to add more fisheries funding in the next round of pandemic relief legislation. “As we think about the impact to our fisheries, $50 million is not going to be sufficient to address the need,” she said. “I have been working with colleagues to urge us in this next round of relief to include $1 billion in fishery assistance funds.” >click to read< 15:07

Southwest village prepares to harness river in harmony with salmon

A small Southwest Alaska village is trying to integrate the power of an iconic Alaska river into its electric grid without interfering with the millions of salmon that rely on the same water. The Village of Igiugig and Maine-based Ocean Renewable Power Co. are in the midst of a years-long partnership to refine and eventually utilize the company’s RivGen Power System generator in the Kvichak River. >click to read<14:29

Army Corps releases Pebble Mine draft EIS hearing schedule

The Army Corps of Engineers published the draft EIS last week, sparking comment from both Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Sen. Dan Sullivan. Murkowski said she has not made it all the way through the EIS but has started digging into the 1,400 page document. Sullivan met with reporters last week in Juneau, telling them he felt that 90 days is too short for a comprehensive comment period. The public comment period for the draft EIS will begin March 1 and end May 30, according the Pebble project website. Public hearings will be held in nine different communities between March 25 and April 16. The full schedule is as follows: <click to read<09:50

Senator Dan Sullivan Applauds Senate Passage of American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act

U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) is applauding the Senate passage of S. 1322, the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act, bipartisan legislation he introduced alongside Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to create an Advisory Committee to assist in the awarding of fisheries marketing, research, and development grants. Alaska Congressman Don Young is the sponsor of companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.,, S. 1322, the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act unanimously passed the Senate on August 22, 2018 with a clarifying amendment offered by Senator Dan Sullivan and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA). The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. >click to read<11:09

SEEKING HELP: West Coast Senators ask for disaster aid for fisheries in the next 2017 disaster funding package.

In a bipartisan push led by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, all eight West Coast Senators—Merkley, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) — today called on congressional leaders and the Trump administration to include disaster aid for fisheries in the next 2017 disaster funding package. click here to read the story 15:00

Crab bill strengthening the Pacific Northwest’s Dungeness crab industry heads to President Trump

A bill introduced by Oregon’s Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley to strengthen Oregon’s crab fishery passed the United States Senate and will now head to the president’s desk for signature into law. The bill permanently extends a decades-long fishery management agreement that has been vital to the Pacific Northwest’s Dungeness crab fishery.,,, The states of Oregon, Washington, and California cooperatively manage the West Coast crab fishery in federal waters under a tri-state agreement that Congress first authorized in 1998. The act would make that authority permanent. click here to read the story 15:51

Rubio, Murkowski Introduce Legislation To Protect Small Commercial Vessels From Onerous EPA Regulations

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), the Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and the Coast Guard, and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today introduced a bill to temporarily exempt small commercial vessels from unnecessary regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for one year. Read the rest here 14:55

Murkowski Urges Mickey D CEO to Reject Greenpeace Campaign Against Pollock! Is he nuts??

Senator Lisa Murkowski today reached out to the President and CEO of McDonald’s, urging him to ignore an anti-fishing campaign from Greenpeace that is attempting to shut down one of the most sustainably managed fisheries in the world. Murkowski cites McDonald’s own website and promotional materials touting the company’s support for Alaska Pollock sourced from a “wild-caught and sustainable fishery.” Read more here 17:36

Murkowski questions if Chinese shellfish ban from Alaska and Pacific Northwest might be about more than safety. (It is, Senator)

“Yes, it’s a concern about safety,” the senator said while visiting Ketchikan on Thursday. “But it does cause you to wonder if there are other issues that are at play here with China, and how appropriate levels of intervention might be.” (Its more like economic sanctions for siding with Japan in their fishing turf war with China, Senator.) Read [email protected] 20:35

Sens. Murkowski & Begich differ on EPA and Bristol Bay

FISH-With-Mic-Logo-GRAPHIC-303-x-400-e1360148757522This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – Alaska’s US Senators don’t see eye to eye on the EPA  at Bristol Bay. Their views can be heard here 18:36

Murkowski, Young, Hastings, Press Pritzker – “We urge you to use your authority consistent with the Antideficiency Act to responsibly manage the 2013 Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands crab fisheries.

07022013_AP87511559489-600The Bristol Bay red king crab fishery in Alaska is scheduled to open next Tuesday, October 15th, but before crab fishing boats are allowed to fish, they must be issued quota permits by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) – which the Department of Commerce has shuttered for issuing permits until the government is funded. [email protected] 09:27

Murkowski Urges NOAA to Extend Catch Share Plan Comment Period Beyond “Prime Fishing Season in Alaska”

I am writing to request that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provide an additional 45 days for stakeholders to comment on the above referenced Proposed Rule. continued@ senate.gov

Convicted poacher turned lobbiest Arne Fuglov is getting the cold shoulder from Begitch, Murkowski. Young receptive.

In 2011, Arne Fuglvog pleaded guilty to illegal fishing and had to spend five months in jail. It was a mighty fall for a man who was then serving as an advisor to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, and who had once been considered for the top fisheries management post in the country. Now Fuglvog is back — as a lobbyist. But APRN’s Alexandra Gutierrez reports, Alaska’s senators aren’t giving him access. continued @ APRN – Juneau Background story @ and.com