Tag Archives: U.S. Congress

Seafood industry seeks protection from Russian military exercises in U.S. waters

U.S. Coast Guard capability to safeguard national interests and promote economic security in the Arctic will be the subject of a congressional hearing on Dec. 8, one in which Alaska’s commercial fishing entities have a special concern. “From our vantage point, on the front lines of a changing Arctic, a robust U.S. military presence to protect U.S. interests in the region is simply non-negotiable,” said Stephanie Madsen, executive director of At-Sea Processors. The trade association, based in Seattle, represents six member companies who own and operate 15 U.S. flag catcher/processor vessels who harvest Alaska Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands and Pacific whiting in Pacific Northwest coastal waters. >click to read< 08:26

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross questions safety of seafood imports

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross addressed U.S. fisheries regulations and his concern about the quality of seafood imports with the U.S. Congress on Tuesday, 20 March, and he said he’s looking for NOAA Fisheries officials to work harder to reduce the country’s seafood trade deficit.,, “It’s one of my pet peeves,” Ross said, when asked by U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-Mississippi) what he planned to do to reduce the country’s seafood trade deficit. “I hate the idea that with all the water surrounding us and all the water inland that we have a trade deficit in fish. >click to read<13:05

Dakota Creek Industries trying to make things right in eyes of Congress

Dakota Creek Industries owner Mike Nelson and his staff have been looking for ways to appease federal lawmakers following the mistake the company made in building the $75 million fishing vessel America’s Finest. The mistake — using too much foreign-formed steel in the vessel’s hull — requires a waiver from the U.S. Congress in order for the ship to fish domestically. The waiver would be for the Jones Act, which requires domestic fishing vessels be built in the U.S. These days, Nelson glances frequently at his cell phone hoping for good news concerning his company’s lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C. click here to read the story 12:12

Alabama U.S. Rep Bradley Byrne wants red snapper quotas repealed, their management brought home to Gulf Coast

The Red Snapper Regulatory Reform Act is back on the table in the U.S. Congress. Its sponsor, U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne (AL-01) and long-time observers of management of the popular reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico say its passage is necessary to open the fishery to alternatives to the current restrictive quota system as created under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Read the rest here 22:20

Coastal issues unresolved in U.S. Congress

Senate Obama no fishingBATON ROUGE — Causes taken up by lawmakers who represent parts of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes in Washington D.C., died amid Congressional gridlock as lawmakers wrapped up for their summer break last week. Issues like fisheries management, flood insurance and coastal protection projects were sidelined as a by-product of more partisan debates. <Read more here> 08:38

Breaking – New England States reach consensus on plans to distribute groundfish disaster funds

The state fishery directors from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York, in partnership with NOAA, today announced a proposed framework for the distribution of $32.8 million in federal disaster monies to the New England groundfish industry. Read more here 15:47

The next Salmon Battle. HYDABURG, Alaska has what the Green Beans and the War Machine need. “rare-earth” element Dysprosium.

Because the Department of Defense needs dysprosium for weapons production, it has recently shown interest in Bokan Mountain –Dr. David Shuh,  a senior scientist in the Chemical Sciences Division at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL), explained why dysprosium is currently essential in hybrid cars like the Prius continued@newamericamedia