Tag Archives: Natural Resources Committee
New Jersey: Andrzejczak/Land Black Sea Bass Summer Flounder Bill Clears Assembly Panel
In an effort to benefit commercial fishing operations, Assemblymen Robert Andrzejczak and Bruce Land (both D-1st) have sponsored legislation permitting commercial fishing vessels to possess more than the daily trip limit of black sea bass and summer flounder under certain conditions. The bill was advanced Oct. 18 by the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. >click to read<18:23
Senate Bill 1309 – There’s a compelling case for more transparency in California fisheries.
Figuring out who owns the right to fish commercially on the Pacific Coast is typically easy: In fisheries managed by the states of Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, as well as the federal government, all you have to do is ask. California is an outlier. Here, the names of individuals and companies that own the right to fish in state-managed fisheries are confidential.,,, Through my investigation I found the wording of the confidentiality provision hadn’t been changed since 1933, even though at that time, there were no fishing rights to own. Times have changed, but the law hasn’t. Now commercial fishing rights, or limited-entry permits as they’re known in the industry, are worth more than $100 million and bought and sold on an open market. Consumers – as well as fishermen – don’t have the right to know who owns what in state-managed fisheries. >click to read<16:26
Obama will leave his legacy at the expense of fishermen – Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah)
When President Obama quadrupled the size of a marine national monument off the coast of Hawaii last month, he made history. At 583,000-square-miles, the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is twice the size of Texas and the largest to date. But there’s a problem. This sweeping expansion was confirmed with virtually no public input, especially not from those who will feel the economic punch the most: fishermen. According to the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, who openly opposed the expansion plans, the designation increased the “no fishing zone” around the Hawaiian Islands from approximately 24 percent to 77 percent. While radical environmentalists are clapping their hands, an entire local industry risks decimation. Two more marine monuments are expected soon, one on the West Coast, off the coast of Monterey, and another on the East Coast, off the coast of Cape Cod. Much like the expansion in Hawaii, these considerations have been met with staunch opposition from locals, the industry, and elected officials. Read the rest here 14:34
Greg DiDomenico: Fisheries law deserves reauthorization
The Garden State Seafood Association, a statewide organization promoting the interests of the commercial fishing industry and seafood consumers in New Jersey, last week joined with 150 businesses, organizations and individuals on the East, West and Gulf coasts to express support for the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee’s work on reauthorizing the act that regulates U.S. fisheries. Read the rest here 17:15
Our View: White House putting politics ahead of fishery science
Something happened Monday that made us wonder if there wasn’t finally some progress being made in fisheries management. About 150 businesses, organizations and individuals with interests in the fishing industry on the East, West and Gulf coasts expressed their support for the U.S. House of Representatives’ Natural Resources Committee work on reauthorizing the act that regulates. After years of losing battles with regulators, of finding too many deaf ears in Congress, of jaw-dropping incredulity over what appeared to be indiscriminate or capricious management that has decimated the Northeast groundfishing fleet, we thought it remarkable to read their letter to the committee chairman: Read the rest here 08:00
Shrimpers getting Screwed – Shrimp Season Showdown: Oilmen, shrimper at odds over blasting
A huge blasting operation by an energy exploration company in prime shrimping waters has pit oilmen against fishermen, who say it interferes with what had promised to be a lucrative white shrimp season. “It’s poor management and poor government and companies knowing the situation and knowing that these poor guys are struggling out there,” ,,, Read more here 16:47
