March 25, 2015 — A recent court decision allowed federal officials to resume processing visas offered to the many seasonal workers providing the labor behind the U.S. seafood industry.
The prospect of a visa stoppage sent a panic through many seafood businesses in the mid-Atlantic region, who’ve come to depend on the visa program to fill manual labor jobs like picking crabs and shucking oysters. We explore why the visa program was caught in limbo and what’s at stake for the seafood industry as things move forward.
Guests
A.J. Erskine Aquaculture Manager & Field Scientist, Bevans Oyster Co., Cowart Seafood Corp. (Va.)
Jason Ruth Owner, Harris Seafood Company (Md.)
John Fritze Reporter, The Baltimore Sun
Listen to the story from the Kojo Nnamdi Show