Saving Seafood

Members of Congress Call on Trump to Allow Fishing in Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monument

WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) — June 14, 2017 — Yesterday, nine Members of Congress wrote to President Trump, urging the Administration to lift restrictions on fishing in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monument and to return fisheries management to the regional fishery management councils. The monument, designated via Executive order by President Obama last September, has prohibited commercial fishing in more than 4,900 square miles of ocean off the coast of New England.

According to the letter, this misuse of executive power will not only put commercial fishermen out of business, but will also harm many ocean communities that depend on a strong fishing economy. The letter calls for fisheries in the area to once again be managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which has long ensured the United States has one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly fisheries management systems in the world.

The letter was co-signed by members Tom MacArthur (R-RJ), Andy Harris (R-MD), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS), David Rouzer (R-NC), Lee Zeldin (R-NY), and Walter B. Jones (R-NC).

Read the letter here

REP. JONES TESTIFIES ON BEHALF OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA SHRIMPERS

March 16, 2017 — The following was released by the office of Representative Walter B. Jones:

Today at the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) testified on behalf of Eastern North Carolina shrimpers in strong support of continuing anti-dumping duty orders against imported warmwater shrimp from Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam. The ITC first enacted these orders more than 10 years ago to offset cheating by foreign producers, and to help level the playing field for American shrimpers. 

“Shrimping is an integral part of Eastern North Carolina’s heritage and economy,” said Congressman Jones. “Hard working Eastern North Carolina fishing families have been devastated by unfairly traded foreign shrimp.  If these orders aren’t continued, I have no doubt that producers from communist China, Vietnam and elsewhere will start illegally dumping shrimp into our market again.  That is unacceptable, and I hope the ITC will stand up for American workers.”

Background: In the early 2000s, the U.S. shrimp market nearly collapsed. Unfairly traded imports from Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam flooded the U.S. market at prices below the cost of production overseas. As a result, the American shrimp industry was forced to slash production and lay off workers.   Many shrimpers abandoned the profession, sometimes after generations. The duty orders on dumped shrimp, first imposed in 2005, have helped bring stability to the market.  Under international trade law, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is required to review existing anti-dumping orders every five years to determine if revocation would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping, and as a result, material injury to American shrimpers.  If the ITC does not come to that conclusion, the orders would be revoked.  Today, the ITC held a public hearing on that review.  The commission is expected to vote on the matter on May 2, 2017.

Watch Representative Jones’ testimony here

Congressmen MacArthur, Smith, and LoBiondo Announce Major Victory for New Jersey Fishing Community

February 3, 2017 — Washington, D.C. — The following was released by the office of Representative Tom MacArthur:

Today, Congressmen Tom MacArthur (NJ-03), Chris Smith (NJ-04), and Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) announced a major victory for New Jersey’s fishing industry. After congressional opposition led by Congressman MacArthur, the Baltimore Aquarium has withdrawn their nomination for the Baltimore Canyon to be named a national marine sanctuary, a controversial designation which could have prohibited or restricted fishing access near South Jersey.

“This is a big win for our fishing industry and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to protect New Jersey’s fishermen,” said Congressman Tom MacArthur. “Too often, our commercial and recreational fishing industry has been stifled by too many regulations from nameless, faceless and unelected bureaucrats in Washington D.C. This will make sure that a burdensome designation won’t stand in the way of our fishermen’s success.”

“With our recreational and commercial fishing industry under constant attack from Washington bureaucrats, this is certainly welcome news for our region,” said Congressman LoBiondo. “I remain committed to fighting against such arbitrary restrictions on our fishermen and appreciate Congressman MacArthur’s leadership on this critical economic issue for South Jersey.”

“If implemented, a reduction of this magnitude will have harsh and immediate economic consequences for families and businesses along New Jersey’s 130 mile shoreline—many still struggling to fully recover from Superstorm Sandy. The impact will be felt not only in fisheries and fishing communities, but by the local businesses that rely upon the industry, the governments that depend on the revenue generated by these activities and other industries—such as tourism—that are a staple along the Jersey Shore,” said Rep. Chris Smith. “The Delegation is working on a full court press that we hope will delay, and ultimately severely alter, the implementation of this devastating decision.” 

In December, Congressman Tom MacArthur (NJ-03) along with Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-03), Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2), Congressman Lee Zeldin (NY-01), Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01), and Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01) sent a letter to the NOAA Administrator against the potential designations of Baltimore, Hudson, and Norfolk Canyons as Marine Sanctuaries.

The original letter can be viewed here

Mid-Atlantic Congressmen: No to Marine Sanctuaries in Baltimore, Hudson, and Norfolk Canyons

WASHINGTON — December 8, 2016 — In a recent letter to NOAA Administrator Kathryn D. Sullivan, Members of Congress representing five Mid-Atlantic states expressed trepidation regarding the potential designations of Baltimore, Hudson, and Norfolk Canyons as Marine Sanctuaries. Those signing the letter included Congressman Tom MacArthur (NJ-03), Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-03), Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2), Congressman Lee Zeldin (NY-01), Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01), and Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01).

In their letter, the Members of Congress argued the Canyons are already protected by the groundbreaking Deep Sea Coral amendment passed in 2015 by the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

The Garden State Seafood Association (GSSA), which took a leading role in the amendment effort, opposes the new designations, noting they are unnecessarily burdensome and fail to incorporate the voices of all ocean stakeholders.

“The GSSA does not believe a sanctuary designation is necessary as the canyons are already sufficiently protected by the Deep Sea Coral amendment,” said GSSA Executive Director Greg DiDomenico. “Designation of these canyons as marine sanctuaries would unjustifiably and unnecessarily extend prohibited fishing areas for hundreds of miles. Most egregiously, the unilateral nature of a marine sanctuary designation runs counter to the cooperative and participatory nature under which the Deep Sea Coral amendment was developed.”

Read the full letter here

Rep. Jones Asks for Red Snapper Opening Based on New Data

June 15, 2016 — The following was released by the office of Rep. Walter Jones (NC-3):

WASHINGTON — This week, Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) and over a dozen of his House colleagues urged federal fisheries regulators to consider science from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute before following through on a 2016 commercial and recreational closure of the South Atlantic red snapper fishery. The Institute, which is a subsidiary of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, has data which shows a much healthier red snapper stock than the federal data used to justify the 2016 closure. Harvest of South Atlantic red snapper has been banned for the past six years.

“The population statistics from the Institute support allowing a commercial and recreational harvest of red snapper in the South Atlantic region,” said Jones and his colleagues in a letter to NOAA Administrator, Dr. Kathryn Sullivan. “Unfortunately, reports indicate these data are not being considered as ‘best available science’ and, therefore, are at risk of being excluded from the [South Atlantic Fishery Management] Council’s deliberations. Permitting a limited amount of red snapper harvest this year, to the extent it would not jeopardize the fishery’s overall sustainability, could serve to more accurately assess the size, sex, and relative abundance of the red snapper fishery and help resolve the discrepancies between the two data sets.”

Jones has been a critic of the science used by the federal government to manage South Atlantic red snapper. In November of 2015, he raised a number of questions about the credibility of the agency’s red snapper data.

Congressman Walter Jones Opposes More Federal Restrictions on ENC Waters

The following was released by the office of Congressman Walter Jones (NC-3):

April 11, 2016 — Washington, D.C. – Last week, Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) joined Dare and Carteret counties in opposing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) proposed expansion of the Monitor Sanctuary off the Eastern North Carolina coast.  The existing sanctuary protects the remains of the USS Monitor, a Civil War ironclad that sank in December 1862.  In January, NOAA published proposals to significantly expand the Monitor Sanctuary.   Dare and Carteret counties subsequently passed public resolutions opposing expansion due to concerns they may be used in the future to restrict public access to large areas of federal waters off the North Carolina coast.

“There is no need for new designations or access restrictions for fishermen and boaters that may flow from them in the future,” said Congressman Jones.

Congressman Jones has long been an advocate for Eastern North Carolina fishermen by fighting against overreaching government regulations on recreational and commercial fishing.  He has also secured much-needed money for dredging at Morehead City Harbor, and Oregon, Hatteras, and New River Inlets, in addition to fighting the Obama administration’s assault on fishing access through unilateral marine monument designation.  

For additional information, please contact Maria Jeffrey in Congressman Jones’ office at (202) 225-3415 or at maria.jeffrey@mail.house.gov.