Fed’s tuna stand could hurt ME fishermen

By The Mainebiz News Staff

Today

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A decision by the Obama administration that would prevent Maine fishermen from exporting bluefin tuna is getting heat from Maine’s congressional delegation.

The Obama administration supports listing bluefin tuna as an internationally endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, which would effectively shut off valuable export markets like Japan to Maine’s fishermen, according to a press release from Rep. Chellie Pingree. However, the CITES listing would not prevent Maine fishermen from selling tuna on the domestic market. 

Pingree said she was “outraged” by the decision and that it could put Maine fishermen out of business. “Maine has a strong tuna fishing tradition and in these tough economic times, the ability to catch and sell a tuna makes the difference for coastal Maine families. This is the worst possible time to place this unreasonable burden on them.”

Sen. Olympia Snowe also criticized the decision, calling it “a reckless decision that will ultimately prove ineffectual and cause disproportionate harm to the U.S. bluefin tuna fishery,” according to MPBN.

Read the report from MPBN >>

Sen. Collins Announces Funding For Fishing Industry

 

March 2, 2010

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CQ Transcriptions, LLC) — U.S. Senator Susan Collins has announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) will provide $10 million in additional funding to support New England’s groundfish industry. The Maine Department of Marine Resources will receive $2 million to set up a permit bank for fishing permits, through which fishing opportunity will be preserved for small and remote communities in Maine.

“This funding is critical to sustaining Maine’s fishing industry and our fishing communities,” said Senator Collins. “As fishermen and their families struggle with strict regulations and other burdensome costs in this difficult economy, this assistance is welcome news.”

In total, NOAA plans to spend $10 million to assist New England’s fishing industry as follows:

• $5,000,000 to support permit banking programs. Permit banks are collections of fishing permits purchased and held by an organization to provide access rights such as days-at-sea and annual catch shares for qualifying fishing vessels.
• $546,000 in direct aid for fishing sector managers and vessel operators
• $4,000,000 for dockside and at-sea monitoring, which will create jobs for monitors and observers in local communities.
• $485,000 for NOAA’s Fisheries Service for infrastructure and programmatic support.