Saving Seafood

Congressmen Lowenthal and Fitzpatrick Introduces Bipartisan Bill To Protect Imperiled Seabirds

June 23, 2021 — The following was released by The Office of Congressman Alan Lowenthal (D-CA):

Congressman Alan Lowenthal (CA-47) and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), today, joined by 20 House colleagues, introduced legislation to protect imperiled seabirds from international fishing threats while increasing ongoing seabird conservation efforts in the United States and abroad.

The Albatross and Petrel Conservation Act would implement the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP), an international conservation agreement that has been signed by 13 member countries since 2001 and covers 31 species of albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters. Despite previous calls by President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama to ratify the agreement, the Senate has yet to vote on the agreement.

“This is a critical opportunity for the United States to resume its leadership role in international conservation efforts,” Congressman Lowenthal said. “It is vital that we implement the ACAP to encourage other nations to adopt strong conservation standards and also in order to take steps to ensure that foreign fishing vessels follow international conservation measures that protect endangered seabirds.”

Many albatross and petrel species are listed among the most threatened seabirds in the world because of habitat loss and fisheries bycatch (unwanted fish and other marine creatures caught during commercial fishing for a different species), but the U.S. has been a leader in reducing fisheries bycatch.

“Serving as good stewards of our environment and working to ensure endangered species can be protected and repopulated is something each of us are called to regardless of location, background or political ideology,” Congressman Fitzpatrick said. “This bill will help reduce habitat destruction, minimize marine debris, and slow the spread of invasive species. I’m proud to stand with my colleagues in support of this bipartisan legislation and urge others to join us in the defense of endangered species.”

The Albatross and Petrel Conservation Act ties together existing U.S. laws and statutes without substantially changing current laws in order to implement the international agreement.

The legislation would also authorize the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service to implement fisheries conservation measures, increase international fisheries enforcement, restore habitat, reduce non-native species, develop educational programs, and cooperate internationally on conservation efforts.

Click here to read the full text of the bill.

Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act introduced to US House of Representatives

October 20, 2020 — A group of U.S. representatives has introduced the Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act, a new piece of legislation centered on limiting or reversing damage to the oceans and marine ecosystems caused by climate change.

The new bill, which is 300 pages long, was co-authored by U.S. Rep. Raul M. Grijalva (D-Arizona) and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Florida), and involves sweeping rule-making that touches on the energy and fisheries sectors. The bill includes an offshore oil drilling ban, stipulations on new offshore wind energy projects, and pushes for climate-ready fisheries and the promotion of American seafood.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Congress could act to limit foreign workers in U.S. offshore wind

September 23, 2020 — The following is an excerpt from a story originally published by National Fisherman:

Foreign-flag vessels and crews employed in the early stages of U.S. offshore wind energy are undercutting opportunities for American mariners, an industry spokesman told members of Congress Tuesday.

At an average pay around $70,000 “marine jobs are just the kind of jobs that government policy should be promoting, said Aaron Smith, executive director of the Offshore Marine Services Association told members of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.

But during 2020, 12 to 15 foreign flag vessels were working on wind energy projects in Northeast U.S. waters, compared to eight to 10 U.S. flag vessels, Smith estimated.

Operated by companies often based in Norway and the United Kingdom, the vessels are typically manned by mariners from nations including Russia, Ukraine and India, paid about half compared to pay rates for U.S. mariners – at a time when 11,000 American mariners have lost work during the covid-19 pandemic, said Smith.

Smith said members of his association have reported losing contracts to foreign vessels whose owners can outbid with 25 percent lower day rates. Those foreign crews work in the industry under a special visa program for mariners that should be reformed, said Smith.

“I think those (crew) visas should follow the nationality of the (vessel) owner. If you have a Norwegian vessel, you should hire a Norwegian crew. If you don’t want to hire Norwegians, you should be employing an American crew,” he said.

Subcommittee chairman Rep. Alan Lowenthal said he and colleague Rep. John Garamendi, both D-Calif., will sponsor an amendment to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to address the situation Smith talked about.

There is a long history of OMSA and its supporters in Congress pushing to preserve Jones Act protections for the U.S. offshore industry from more foreign competition. That’s been focused for years on the Gulf of Mexico oil and gas industry, but now offshore wind is the new arena.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Fishing concerns color N.J. offshore wind hearing

September 19, 2019 — A House Natural Resources subcommittee field hearing in New Jersey yesterday highlighted the conflict between fisheries and offshore wind development.

The Energy and Mineral Resources panel’s focus was the burgeoning industry’s potential benefit to the state and its crucial role in a warming planet.

“Time is not on our side,” said subcommittee Chairman Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.) about the need to promote clean energy to address climate change.

Democratic Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, who represents Atlantic City and surrounding areas, said he is not opposed to offshore wind but argued that there is a need for greater respect toward people affected by it, particularly fishermen.

Fishing is a growing challenge for wind developers that has checked the sector’s growth in the United States recently. Even though coastal states are investing heavily in wind – with state commitments representing about 20 gigawatts of offshore wind power – the first expected offshore wind farm is on hold until fishing impacts are figured out (Climatewire, Sept. 6).

Van Drew, a conservative Democrat who unseated a Republican incumbent in 2018, said fishing operations large and small have expressed confusion or ignorance about a major project from Danish firm Ørsted A/S. The congressman suggested that the firm has not properly engaged with all sides.

Read the full story at National Wind Watch

Federal subcommittee hearing opens lines of communication between offshore energy company and fishers

September 17, 2019 — Typically, a warm, clear September day would mean boats in the water for the dozens of fisheries and anglers in South Jersey.

However, more than 50 members of the commercial and recreational fishing community filled a meeting hall inside the city’s convention center for a congressional subcommittee hearing on the impact offshore wind turbines may have on the area’s billion dollar industry.

The hearing, organized by U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, D-2nd, brought House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Chair U.S. Rep. Alan Lowenthal, D-California, to hear the concerns of the local fishing and tourism industries that may be affected by the state’s first offshore wind energy projects.

Van Drew, who supports wind energy, wanted to create an open dialogue between Danish power company Orsted and the area’s commercial and recreational fishing industries.

Read the full story at The Press of Atlantic City

Field Hearing: Examining the Benefits and Potential Challenges for New Jersey’s Growing Offshore Wind Industry

September 9, 2019 — The following was released by The Office of Congressman Alan Lowenthal (D-CA):

On Monday, September 16, 2019 at 10:00 A.M., the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources of the US House Committee on Natural Resources will hold an oversight hearing titled, “Examining the Benefits and Potential Challenges for New Jersey’s Growing Offshore Wind Industry.”

This hearing will be held at the Wildwoods Convention Center, 4501 Boardwalk, Wildwood, New Jersey 08260.

For more information, click here

MASSACHUSETTS: Congressman’s Visit Focuses on Offshore Wind Jobs

June 17, 2019 — A key member of Congress joined Rep. William Keating (D-Massachusetts) and Mayor Jon Mitchell Friday for a tour of New Bedford Harbor and a discussion on the city’s role in offshore wind development.

Congressman Alan Lowenthal of California chairs the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources and is bullish on offshore wind. “This is the future of the nation’s energy supply. This is not some kind of a passing whim, this is where the nation is moving, and we need successful models and that’s what we’re doing here.”

Lowenthal’s committee is considering a bill filed by Keating to provide grants to colleges, universities and labor unions to train workers for the offshore wind industry.

While the bill is expected to make it easily through the House, it could be a tougher sell in the Senate.

Keating says he expects supporters may have to make some concessions, but the Massachusetts Democrat feels strongly that the bill will make it through the Senate and on to the President’s desk. “This is a fuel for new jobs and for business development and secondary investments too. People will see what’s happening in New Bedford and it will help in the expansion of offshore wind development across the country.”

Read the full story at WBSM