Saving Seafood

US industry, offshore farmers believe Trump’s order will have ‘huge’ impact

May 11, 2020 — An executive order issued May 7 by the administration of US president Donald Trump will have “huge” and far-reaching impacts on the country’s ability to farm its own seafood, particularly offshore, sources told Undercurrent News. The order establishes the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as the federal government’s lead agency for aquaculture permitting, set a two-year deadline for permitting most projects and seeks to develop “aquaculture opportunity zones”, among other provisions.

Its importance should not be  “underestimated”, Margaret Henderson of the group Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS) told Undercurrent.

“We in the seafood business know how much value we bring to the American public, we know how much value we bring to the global economy. But it’s not something you see batted around every day at the Oval Office,” she said.

She added that SATS was founded following a Nov 2017 meeting among representatives of companies such as Cargill, Pacific Seafood Group, Red Lobster, Fortune International, and Taylor Shellfish. The members met with the leadership of NOAA and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross about their hope to bring change to the sector.

“They indicated to us a willingness to move something like this back then. We’d been in constant communication and had several White House meetings since that time and have been working very close with the entire NOAA team who really should credit for the language in this product. They’ve been working on this for a very long time,” Henderson said.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Pacific Seafood’s Dulcich in as NFI chair

January 22, 2020 — Pacific Seafood Group founder Frank Dulcich has been appointed as chair of the US’ National Fisheries Institute (NFI), replacing Todd Clark, the organization confirmed to Undercurrent News.

At its annual meeting in Orlando this week, NFI announced the election of directors and the new board chair, a post which rotates on an annual basis.

Clark, a vice president at Endeavor Seafoods, was NFI chair for 2019. He previously served as NFI’s secretary, treasurer, and vice-chairman, and is a founding member of NFI’s Economic Integrity Taskforce.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Pacific Seafood Hires Policy Analyst

March 31, 2017 — The following was released by Pacific Seafood:

Pacific Seafood Group, a vertically integrated seafood harvesting, processing and distribution company headquartered in Clackamas, Oregon, recently hired former Ventura County Commercial Fishermen’s Association President, Jon Gonzalez, to handle national fisheries policy advocacy for the company.

Gonzalez, a former graphic designer, found himself drawn into federal fish policy a decade ago when serving as Assistant Director of the Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center.  “I signed up to help stranded sea lions,” said Gonzalez, “and next thing I knew I was in the middle of a controversy between environmentalists and fishermen.”

Jon’s time as volunteer shaped his view of industry. “I discovered that there is a lot of misinformation out there, and that America’s fishing industry is filled with people who care deeply about the environment but also want to protect coastal jobs and communities.”

Gonzalez became a leading voice for commercial fishermen in California, advocating for them at the Pacific Fishery Management Council, the State Legislature, and in dozens of government and community forums.  He launched the website and blog eatUSseafood.com dedicated to protecting and promoting U.S. fisheries, and consulted with the Santa Barbara Sustainable Seafood Program to promote markets for domestically harvested seafood.

“We spotted Jon’s passion,” said Dan Occhipinti, Pacific Seafood’s General Counsel. “His talent and his dedication to promoting sustainably managed American fisheries—that’s what we’re all about. We are very excited to have him speak for Pacific Seafood.”

“I’m absolutely thrilled to represent Pacific Seafood. And marine mammals all across the globe should be thrilled too because when you support US fishermen, you are inherently saving marine mammals since US fisheries are arguably the most responsibly managed fisheries in the world” said Gonzalez.

Read the full story at Pacific Seafood 

Pacific Seafood sues government calling fishery quota restrictions illegal

December 8, 2015 — California-based groundfish catcher and processor Pacific Seafood Group has sued the US government seeking to overturn what they say are “illegal” regulations that threaten the company’s future.

A company subsidiary, Pacific Choice Seafoods, which operates a processing plant as well as vessels that fish the Pacific Coast groundfish limited-entry trawl fishery, filed suit on Dec. 4 in a northern California federal court against the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and its ultimate overseer, US commerce secretary Penny Pritzker.

The company wants the court to overturn four NMFS regulations established in 2010 upon recommendation of the Pacific Fishery Management Council that set up an individual fishing quota (IFQ) system for the fishery.

This includes a measure known as the “aggregate control limit” which restricts the amount of quota shares permit holders can possess to 2.7% of all quota shares held by all permit holders in the fishery, according to the lawsuit. The rules stated that quota holders had to divest shares in excess of the limit by Nov. 30, 2015.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News