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CHANGES in the leadership in the US Congress should be positive, two fishing bodies have said.Two commercial fishermen’s organisations – one in New England, the other on the Pacific Coast – said the change should be good for both fish stocks and working fishing men and women.
“We think the new leadership in the House will do a better job in looking out for the fish populations that support our members and, equally important, help make sure fishing remains a family business," said Peter Baker, vice-president for agitation for the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association (CCCHFA).
The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA), the largest fishermen’s organisation in the U.S. west coast, voiced similar sentiments, citing 20 years working together on fishing issues with Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, who is slated to the be the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“The economic health of our fisheries is directly tied to a healthy environment and Nancy Pelosi clearly understands that protecting the environment protects the economy,” said PCFFA Executive Director, Zeke Grader.
PCFFA cited some of Congresswoman Pelosi’s actions to help fisheries, including:
· Drafting language and securing funding for a captive broodstock program to prevent the extinction of Sacramento River winter-run chinook, the first Pacific Salmon to be listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). That program, which provided insurance against extinction and discovered the genetic markers for salmon (which is now helping to conserve and manage salmon populations everywhere), together with enforcement of the ESA, has resulted in a rebound in this unique salmon run from 189 spawning fish to nearly 20,000 today, with hopes the population will be delisted in a few years after coming perilously close to extinction. Actions to help the winter-run also helped strengthen Central Valley fall-run chinook (king) salmon populations, which support ocean commercial and sport salmon fisheries off California, Oregon and Washington.
· Securing federal assistance to reinvigorate San Francisco’s historic Fisherman’s Wharf with modern berthing and fish processing facilities.
· Strongly supporting the bi-state effort to assist salmon fishermen and rebuild Klamath salmon stocks (whose collapse due to poor water quality and a parasitic infestation, resulted in the near closure of fishing along the coast of Oregon and California in 2006).
· Fighting for the protection of salmon watersheds and coastal habitats which support important fish populations.
Baker said the change in House leadership means there is a better chance now for legislation drafted by Maine Congressman Tom Allen, and Massachusetts Congressman, William Delahunt, aimed at ensuring any future individual fishing quota programs will be required to promote fish conservation and be held only by persons working aboard fishing boats, not bankers or fish processors.
“We need quota standards that promote community based management principles and allow independent fishermen to prosper while stewarding the resources they depend on. Clearly we have corporate interests that want to own the resource for their own profit. Multinational food corporations that have wreaked havoc on family farmers in the Midwest are now working to institute the same vertically integrated models on our coasts. Ultimately, we expect that Congressional leaders from New England, such as Congressmen Allen, Delahunt and McGovern, will work with the leadership to keep the tradition of independent family fishermen alive and healthy.”
In the House, however, fishermen were called “environmental extremists” by the chair of the Resources Committee when they sought to protect flows and habitat essential for fish survival. The two fishing groups were disappointed as well by the attacks on environmental laws that protect fish, and a willingness by the Resources Committee Richard Pombo to open up the U.S. coast to new offshore oil drilling in prime fishing grounds.
“We knew fisheries were getting short shrift when the current House leadership got rid of the Merchant Marine & Fisheries Committee that oversaw the health of the nation’s fish stocks and its fisheries 12 years ago. It has just gotten worse with this Administration that can’t even get the name of the U.S. fishery agency – the National Marine Fisheries Service- right,” concluded Grader. “We need a Congress that will make the Administration accountable in its handling of fisheries and Tuesday’s change in the House should help ensure that.”
www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish FISHupdate magazine, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.
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