SEAFOODNEWS.COM — June 6, 2014 — Senator Lisa Murkowski highlighted her work on several imporant fisheries funding issues that were included in the full Commerce 2015 funding bill that was recently passed by the Appropriations Committee.
The provisions provided level funding for salmon assessment and management, defeating an administration request to cut salmon funding by 10%. Salmon management will be funded at the $30.2 million level in the bill.
The bill also expanded money for stock assessment including $72.2 million in expanded stock assessments and $24.4 million for survey and monitoring projects within NOAA's Fisheries Research and Management Account.
The bill also continues the prohibition that prevents the Commerce Dept. or other government agencies from endorsing or using private 3rd party certification standards for US managed fisheries.
The full language of this section says:
"The U.S. leads the world in responsibly managed fisheries and aquaculture, and the Committee supports NOAA’s activities to inform consumers about our nation’s sustainable fisheries through the agency’s Fish Watch program.
However, the Committee is concerned that the exclusive use or recognition of third-party certifications for seafood sustainability by the Department could have unintended consequences for various domestic fisheries.
The Committee acknowledges that some U.S. fisheries voluntarily utilize third-party seafood sustainability certification schemes but believes it is not the Department’s role to adopt such certification schemes when doing so could result in the Department arbitrarily influencing the domestic seafood market.
The Committee believes support for third-party certifications is best presented in non-governmental forums.
Therefore, the Committee directs the Department not to adopt, use, or promote any third-party certification scheme for seafood sustainability, but to continue providing consumers with independent and accountable information generated from within the Department."
The funding bill also contained several things specifically important to Alaska.
They include support for the North Pacific Council, the Pacific Salmon Commission and the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.
There is a special provision to expand charting in arctic waters. "The Committee directs NOAA to report within 60 days of enactment on progress made to survey and prepare navigational information for the Bering Straits region and the Arctic. NOAA is further directed to report on hydrographic activities planned for fiscal year 2015, including: vessels to be utilized, the areas to be surveyed, and the remaining gaps in the Arctic region.” This will come out of the general $25 million appropriated for hydrographic surveys.
The bill includes $4 million in funds for implementing electronic monitoring systems on fishing vessels. Last year, Senator Murkowski supported NOAA's moves to use cameras as more efficient than placing an observer on-board. The bill just finalized also includes language from Senator Murkowski placing a premium on getting this project moving forward, reading:
"The Committee encourages [National Marine Fisheries Service] to support the use of experimental fisheries permits, to continue the expeditious development of electronic monitoring equipment and procedures, and to use the experimental fisheries permits as the bridge between cooperative research and the implementation of electronic monitoring technology by regulation as a component of the Observer Program for small boat fixed gear fleets."
The bill also includes money for Tsunami debris clean up on Alaska and West Coast beaches, and money for improved maintenance of navigation and weather buoys.
This story originally appeared on Seafood.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.