THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP – By Jim Lovgren
President Trump proved he is a man of his word on April 16, when he announced a temporary hold on the Empire wind project off of New York, along with all other projects, pending a comprehensive review of the Biden administrations shenanigans in the permitting process. The Executive Order, called, “Restoring American seafood competitiveness” would initiate a 180-day review of ocean National monuments, while temporarily stopping the Empire wind project. The wide ranging EO also plans to reduce the regulatory burden on fishermen, address foreign trade imbalances, improve fishery management, and more.
Yesterday the President went even further in his support for fishermen when he issued a proclamation called, “Unleashing American commercial fishing in the Pacific”. This proclamation would modify former President Obama’s economically devasting ‘Pacific remote islands marine national monument” which closed vast open ocean area’s surrounding U.S. territories in the western pacific to commercial fishing. This proclamation will reopen those areas and bring back those lost jobs the native islanders had depended upon. These actions by President Trump are the most important actions taken by the US government concerning the fishing industry since the creation of the Magnuson Act in 1976. They are the first breath of fresh air the industry has received from the government since the Magnuson Act, which eventually resulted in a bureaucratic clampdown stifling the industry and decimating fishing ports around the country. Hopefully we will learn from those past fishery management mistakes.
Besides the gratitude to the President for his actions, Interior Secretary Douglas Burgham, deserves a round of applause, for this difficult decision. New Jersey Congressmen, Jeff Van Drew, and Chris Smith have been tenacious allies of the wind opposition, never wavering in their determination to stop the Biden administration’s money wasting boondoggle. Maryland’s Congressman Andy Harris proved a staunch ally and brought in support from southern states to the issue.
The most important point that has come out of this offshore wind issue is that Citizens can fight against the machine, and win. While a number of fishing groups had been fighting for years against the planned destruction of their fishing grounds by offshore wind companies, it wasn’t until the general public became enraged by the sudden sight of majestic Whales, washing up dead on their beaches in an almost daily occurrence. They organized their own grass roots groups, and joining with the fishing industry, defeated the offshore wind Goliaths. A well-deserved round of applause for everybody who fought for the ocean and its helpless inhabitants. We couldn’t do it without you. President Trump, a special thanks to you, for recognizing the country’s oldest industry and actually giving hope that there may be future generations of fishermen to feed the world.
Jim Lovgren
Thanks to you too, Jim!!
Without the financial support of Fishermen’s Dock Co-Op, and fishing interests in Barnegat the battle against Empire Wind would not have been possible.
Empire Wind had lost the battle years ago when BOEM admitted the site could not be operated within existing guidelines and be profitable. i specifically remember being told that “To much money has been invested to shut it down”.
Thank you Jim for your support even though you’re retired. We finally have somebody at the top that’s on our side. We have to work on a few small items with the tariffs affecting fishing gear that we need made in other countries. there’s not a chance in hell there’s enough market for a factory to open here. we have to start a list of items that we need to continue our success. But all in all, it’s a breath of fresh air in Washington. Thank you, President Trump and all who help make this possible.
Kirk Larson
Yes I’m sure those tariffs on china are gonna help the black cod market……….Thank god theres salmon to fill in the gaps – oh wait there isn’t. Turns out the fish need water in the rivers……. Thank god there’s spring crab to make up for it – oh wait there isnt, unless you’re in on one of the EFPs.
I whole heartedly support the demise of these ill advised wind projects, especially as they’re slated to arrive on west coast within the near future. But don’t make the mistake of thinking #45 is on the side of the commercial fishermen. Or the little guy when it comes to any industry. Just ask the independent midwest farmers how the tariffs worked out for them last go round.