Vietnam's Shrimp Producers Forced to Increase Raw Material Imports Because of Domestic Shortages   Vietnam's Shrimp Producers Forced to Increase Raw Material Imports Because of Domestic Shortages Shrimp producers and exporters in Vietnam fear they could start losing market share in the US because of raw material shortages. Extended periods of drought in the region has forced producers to increase their import of raw materials from foreign suppliers. This has increased Vietnamese shrimp production costs and the overall price of shrimp intended for the export market. Vietnamese shrimp prices are higher than Indian and Thai prices. Compounding the problem is a recent duty rate decision by the US Department of Commerce that hiked antidumping rates for Vietnamese exporters except for Minh Phu. Kim Gorton, President and CEO of Slade Gorton blasted House leadership in an editorial published in Forbes this week over their inability to get a floor vote on a bill that would repeal the USDA's Catfish Inspection Program.  Over 200 House Representatives said they would vote in favor of repealing the program if a bill initially passed by the Senate could get to the floor for a vote. However, a small faction of House Reps from Southern catfish states have been able to keep the bill from the House floor. "In the face of clear political will, [Paul] Ryan and [Kevin] McCarthy’s inaction repeats a message that I and American business owners have heard far too often from Congress: Sorry, lady, we’re busy," writes Gorton.  In other news, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council will meet in Anchorage from Oct. 5-11 to overview crab season projections, hear further discussions of halibut management, and decide what to do about a recent federal appeals court decision that will require more attention to salmon management. This just one of several upcoming meetings among different governing bodies that will address Alaskan fishery issues over the next several months.  Meanwhile, Icicle Seafoods and the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation are among several Alaskan businesses that are participating in a program to recruit and train workers to fill industrial positions that require a unique set of skills, including seafood processing. The “Maritime Works” partnership was presented at the annual Southeast Conference meeting in Petersburg last week. “As employers we noticed that we had a lot of skilled jobs but not a lot of skilled Alaskans to fill those jobs. So we knew we had a problem because it was absolutely crucial to our operations that these skilled positions are filled," said Kris Norosz who does government relations for Icicle Seafoods in Petersburg. Finally, a $520 million payment due in October is expected to be BP's last payout in seafood claims related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The disbursements will essentially close out the $2.3 billion seafood compensation program arising from the disaster according to Patrick Juneau, the administrator of the claims. Have a great weekend.