Saving Seafood

International & Trade

Oceana Report Urges World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsdies

GENEVA, Switzerland (February 2, 2009) – Oceana released a new report, Healthier Oceans, Healthier Economies, today that shows how the World Trade Organization (WTO) is in a key position to help ensure the long-term viability of the world's fisheries. The report, produced in conjunction with the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), establishes the need and urgency for the WTO to produce a successful agreement in its ongoing fisheries subsidies negotiations.

Today's release coincides with the beginning of a week long meeting of the WTO Negotiating Group on Rules, which includes the fisheries subsidies negotiations. This is the first time that the Rules Group has met since the unsuccessful WTO mini-ministerial meeting in July 2008. The Doha round has moved slowly since then, partially due to elections in some key WTO member countries.

Read the press release in full

Read the actual report in full – Healthier Oceans, Healthier Economies (PDF)

 

New England fisheries interests hope for Gregg help

BOSTON, MA (February 7, 2009) — New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg stands to be only the fourth New Englander to serve as the nation’s Commerce secretary, the first in more than 30 years, and the appointment could prove to be a boon to the region’s troubled fishing industry.

The secretary not only oversees business development for the country, but also the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Its Fisheries Service, in turn, regulates fishing in the United States.

Just last fall, Gregg signed a letter with other New England senators urging then-Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez to declare a fishery resource disaster in the northeast. It was to be the first step in obtaining financial relief that could help the groundfishing fleet survive until stocks rebound.

Read the Associated Press story in full

Congress to ban Georges Bank oil and gas exploration: Canada moves toward lifting moratorium

CAPE COD, MA (February 4, 2009) – In a clear repudiation of a last-minute decision by the outgoing Bush administration, a bi-partisan congressional committee has introduced the Georges Bank Preservation Act, a bill which would reinstate the prohibition on drilling for oil or gas on the fragile and unique marine habitat at Georges Bank and nearby Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Massachusetts.

The US controls 80% of the rich marine habitat and fishing grounds and Canada oversees the remaining 20%. The fishing grounds there have historically been some of the most productive in the world and it is thought that drilling there could prove disastrous for the New England fishing industry.

Please read the CapeCodToday story in full

 

Fishery rescue plan may be dead

GLOUCESTER, MA (February 04, 2009) – Six New England senators’ effort to affix a $156.4 million rescue plan for the groundfish industry to the near $900 billion economic stimulus and recovery plan in the U.S. Senate apparently failed some time ago behind an opaque curtain.

In its brief presence on the scene, the recovery plan attained the status of a zombie — that of the living dead.

Even as representatives of a sponsor, Sen. John Kerry, focused on a "legislative solution" this week to the fishery’s crippling woes and a leading industry group continued working feverishly to shore up support for the package it authored, from the office of the lead sponsor, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, came word that the effort had collapsed "weeks ago."

Read the Gloucester Daily Times story in full

 

Fisheries regulators plea with federal judge to reconsider his suspension of stringent commercial fishing regulations

BOSTON, MA (February 4, 2009) – Federal fisheries regulators have urged a federal judge to reconsider his decision last week to suspend onerous rules that were put in place in the fall of 2006 on New England commercial fishermen.

U.S. District Court Judge Edward Harrington on Jan. 26 temporarily suspended the set of rules known in the industry as “Framework 42” for 60 days, saying regulators didn’t do enough analysis before issuing the rules.

Harrington was ruling on a lawsuit that had been filed by Massachusetts and New Hampshire officials. The suit alleged that Framework 42 unfairly penalized commercial fishermen from the two states by halving the days at sea per year for fishermen in inshore waters off the states’ coasts, limiting many to only 24 a year.

Read the Patriot Ledger story in full

 

Obama’s Commerce Secretary Pick No Environmental Champion

WASHINGTON, DC (February 3, 2009) – President Barack Obama today named U.S. Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, a Republican, to fill the slot of Commerce Secretary in his cabinet.

If confirmed by the Senate, Gregg will join Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Defense Secretary Robert Gates for a total of three Republicans in the Obama Cabinet. The President called his former Senate colleague a "master of reaching across the aisle" and complimented his "strict fiscal discipline." But Obama mentioned no environmental credentials for his choice, although the Department of Commerce governs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA.

Read the Environment News Service story in full

 

Fishing regulators seek stay of ruling

GLOUCESTER, MA (February 4, 2009) – The National Marine Fisheries Service has urged a judge to stay his suspension of federal fishing regulations for the North Atlantic to prevent what the agency says would be a "substantial setback" in rebuilding stocks and "irreparable harm" suffered by the industry.

The states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, which sued NMFS hoping to overturn the fishing regulations, did not respond immediately yesterday to NMFS’ appeal of last week’s ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Edward Harrington. The action added further tension to a disintegrating relationship among the regulators, the regulated fishermen and the states of their home ports.

Co-plaintiff New Hampshire yesterday celebrated the announcement that its U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg, a Republican, had been nominated by President Barack Obama to become the Secretary of Commerce, the parent agency of NMFS.

Read the Gloucester Daily Times story in full

 

Response to Gloucester Daily Times Editorial on Stimulus Package

Jackie Odell of the Northeast Seafood Coalition has written a response to the recent Gloucester Daily Times  editorial on  proposals added to the federal economic stimulus package for the New England fishing industry.

"Stunning” is perhaps the most apt characterization of your editorial concerning the heroic efforts of Senator Kennedy and Kerry and other enlightened New England Senators to champion a business plan thoughtfully crafted by the New England groundfish industry for achieving a sustainable future.

If the GDT had done its homework it would have realized that the plan was developed, submitted to Congress, and actively supported by the Northeast Seafood Coalition, the Associated Fisheries of Maine, and the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association.  Collectively, these organizations virtually define the New England groundfish industry.

The GDT would have learned that the business plan represents our industry’s intensive, best efforts to achieve the complex transition from an inefficient effort-based management system to a state-of-the art system that closely monitors and manages catch directly. The plan holds fishermen to a high standard of accountability through a catch-based management system, as is required by the new and substantially more stringent mandates under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

But, we have to get there from here.  Thus, inherent to this transitional process is the need to restructure our industry to substantially improve its efficiency as well.   The buyout portion of the business plan represents an essential tool to achieve this efficiency and represents the alternative to widespread bankruptcies that will freeze capital and cripple the local economies of fishing communities like Gloucester.  It is structured after a plan developed by a broad-based working group of industry leaders with the assistance of the Massachusetts DMF.   It is completely voluntary but we expect a great deal of participation.  It may not be pretty, but it is our only viable option.

The GDT apparently failed to consult with those directly engaged to provide you with a necessary understanding of the full stimulus proposal and associated business plan.   You wonder where is the stimulus?  Using an economic multiplier provided by federal fishery economists, our business plan is projected to generate 3,500 jobs, $139 million in employee and proprietor income, and raise the annual sales value of our fishery from $250m to $400m.  We feel pretty stimulated.

More jobs and better jobs.  A sustainable, fully utilized resource and a sustainable future for our industry.  A stable fisheries economy in Gloucester.  We find it stunning that the GT presumes to know much more about what will provide the best future for the New England groundfish fishery than those that are passionately dedicated to preserving its future. The GDT needs to apologize to our Senators and set the record straight.

Jackie Odell, Northeast Seafood Coalition

 

Fishing regulators challenge court order

NEW BEDFORD, MA (February 4, 2009) – Federal fishing regulators are challenging a federal court order that would temporarily suspend controversial fishing regulations on the grounds that the suspension would create chaos in the fishing industry and undermine efforts to end overfishing and rebuild depleted groundfish stocks, according to court documents.

 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service filed a motion Monday with the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts, requesting that Senior Judge Edward F. Harrington "alter or amend" the order's call to suspend fishing regulations, called Framework 42, while the agency reviews a regulatory guideline, known as the mixed-stock exception.

The agency did not object to the review, which must be completed by March 26.

Read the Standard-Times story in full

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries update

BOSTON, MA (January 30, 2009) – In the wake of US District Court Judge Edward Harrington’s ruling on 1/26/09, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries plans to meet with the National Marine Fisheries Service at the federal agency’s earliest convenience to discuss the court’s ruling and NMFS’s response to it.

DMF’s primary objectives are to ensure continuation of present fishing opportunities, reduce regulatory confusion, and craft fishery regulations that conserve fish stocks as well as fishing communities. While the Division continues to work with federal fisheries officials to provide the industry with clarity and predictability for the remainder of this federal fishing year, the agency urges fishermen to continue to fish conservatively while the 60-day suspension of Framework 42 is in effect. The Division will post important updates to its website, but we urge permit holders to communicate with federal officials to determine the status of federal regulations.

Read the official version of this update