Several San Francisco restaurants, Tomales Bay Oyster sue Interior to try to block closure of Drakes Bay Oyster Co
Tomales Bay Oyster Co. and several other Marin County California restaurants filed a federal lawsuit in a San Francisco court against the US Interior Department in an attempt to block the July 31 closure of Drakes Bay Oyster Co. The lawsuit contends the impending closure will cause irreparable losses to the region’s businesses that rely on Drake’s Bay as a substantial and critical component of their locally harvested oyster supply. The suit claims former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar violated two federal laws when he declined in 2012 to extend the Drakes’ lease and the impact of the farm’s shutdown on the local aquaculture industry should have been considered. Drake’s is not a listed plaintiff in the new lawsuit and the Interior Dept. has not yet issued a comment.
Reports from Southern China and Northern Vietnam indicate Typhoon Rammasun dealt significant damage to the regions over the weekend. In China, the storm hit the southern provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Yunnan and in the region of Guangxi where damage is estimated at $4 billion. The storm then barreled through Northern Vietnam where 1,000s of hectares of rice and other crops were destroyed. On Friday, Chinese fishery officials had called in all boats to port.
In other news a report spells out how low fry supplies, high mortality rates and white spot syndrome have contributed to the Philippines’ inability to compete as a global shrimp producing powerhouse contrary to other Southeast Asian nations.
Finally, Senator Murkowski has introduced legislation that would require Congress to approve any new national monument designation considered by the President. The bill follows President Obama’s plan to increase the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to more than 782,000 square miles. Murkowski said her law protects fishermen and other groups from the economic fallout the ocean closures can result in.
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