Top Story: Begich defeat will mean a different Magnuson bill, likely more friendly to recreational lobby
News Summary: With Alaska Senator Mark Begich’s defeat, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is likely to take over the Oceans subcommittee where fisheries and coast guard legislation is heard. In October he released his own draft Magnuson reauthorization bill that supported a plan for regional councils to re-examine allocation between recreational and commercial users every five to eight years. The final bill is also more likely to resemble the House bill. Although Begich has told some people he hopes to move the bill in the lame duck session, many observers don’t see that happening.
The Global Seafood Sustainability Initiative (GSSI) will likely change the way you buy seafood if it is successful in its goal of creating a simple benchmark for sustainability certification schemes that meet FAO guidelines. There has been heavy criticism of their first draft three-tiered system by FAO and many other commenters outside the NGO world for adding to confusion, not eliminating it. The GSSI steering board will meet in December to review these comments. We explain what the disagreement between FAO and the NGO community is, and how GSSI can be more true to its mission by learning from its predecessor - the Global Food Safety Initiative.
Last month we wrote about Vietnam’s plan to enforce moisture and glazing standards for pangasius exports. Now some companies are asking for a delay, saying it could double their costs if they can’t sell water. But the vice chair of the Pangasius committee said “If you continue to do business this way, the tra fish sector would go bankrupt. I think enterprises should have a second thought.” Will buyers stand behind this upgrade and support the effort to improve overall quality? Let’s hope they do.
Also, the clock is ticking on when the White House will release its review of the final USDA catfish inspection rule that is widely expected to disrupt pangasius shipments to the US as compliance rules are written. The deadline for a White House response is December 1st, but that could slip.
In Germany, salmon surpassed herring as the 2nd most consumed fish in 2013, according to FIZ, the German seafood statistical organization. Alaska pollock, the most widely consumed fish, lost market share in Germany falling from 26 percent in 2012 to 22.3% in 2013. Overall German per capita consumption declined also, to 13.7 kg (whole weight, not edible weight).
Finally, two employees who falsified records of pollution control equipment at Westward Seafoods in Dutch Harbor received jail time; one at 45 days, one at 70 days. Westward is required to adjust the humidity in its generator smokestacks to reduce nitrous oxide pollution; the two workers were accused of fabricating a tool to give dials false readings, and with reporting fake data on water consumption, meaning the system essentially did not operate for two years.
John Sackton, Editor And Publisher , Lexington, Massachusetts
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