WPFMC shows how Obama Administration's vast marine monument will harm US fishing in the Pacific
The Western and Pacific Fishery Management Council met with top White House climate and energy brass to explain why the Administration’s proposed marine monument off the Pacific Remote Islands will harm the region’s fishing economy and political leverage. Council reps said the proposal, which would the increase marine protection to 782,000 square miles, will cut into to the $100 million Hawaiian fishing and processing industry and will harm future fishery treaty discussions with China and other Pacific nations. The Council also reminded officials that their management regime is considered the global model for long-line deep sea predatory fish such as tuna and other species.
Members of the Fish Food and Allied workers support a pilot project in Newfoundland that is permitting out of province sales of 3P cod. But the FFAW said the March 31st end date of the project prevents a majority of the region’s small boat harvesters from participating in the project, since they do not fish during the harsh winter months. So far this season, 1,935 of 11,162 available tons has been landed.
In other news the NPFMC’s fall meetings are starting up and the plan to rein in Gulf of Alaska trawl bycatch through some type of catch share program is expected to top the agenda. The next Council meeting is scheduled for October 6-14 in Anchorage.
Finally, New England’s Market Basket is coming back to life since Arthur T. Demoulas agreed to buy the entire stake in the grocer from his relatives at the end of August. In just seven days 2.3 million cases of beef, poultry and seafood were shipped to stores across the area. “Sales are already at 100 percent of where they were last year,” Demoulas said. “Bakery, produce, and meat are mostly in. Everyone just got to it and worked as hard as they could.”
Have a good weekend.
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