Two newly released U.S. House Rules Committee amendments combine to
roughly match the Senate appropriation totaling $60 billion for Superstorm
Sandy relief, but virtually eliminate the $150 million for fisheries
disaster aid aimed at providing relief to the Northeast groundfishery,
including fishermen working out of Gloucester.
One amendment for $17 billion, filed by Rep. Hal Rogers, a Kentucky
Republican and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, contains no
money for the fisheries disasters of Massachusetts, four other New England
states and New York, as well as Mississippi¹s oyster fishery and Alaska¹s
Chinook salmon fishery.
The other amendment, calling for $33.677 billion and filed by Rep. Rodney
Frelinghuysen, a New Jersey Republican, contains just $5 million for the
economic fisheries disaster declared by acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca
Blank last September.
Read the full story at Gloucester Times>>
Callifornia crabbing: Here's a fun video shot on the decks of the Majestik while catching Dungeness crab off the coast of northern California.
Alaska fisherman and commercial fisheries activist Kevin Adams was elected chairman at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute board of directors meeting on May 9 in Anchorage.
The governor-appointed board consists of seven members: five seafood processors and two industry representatives actively engaged in commercial fishing. Adams was appointed to fill a harvester seat by Gov. Frank Murkowski in 2004.
With 38 years of fishing experience in Bristol Bay, Adams has long been an active member in the Alaska fishing industry, ASMI says. He has worked for both the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation and the Bering Sea Fisherman's Association, and represents Alaska fishermen on numerous boards.
The Northeast Regional Planning Body, a group of state, tribal and federal representatives from New England who are working to implement the National Ocean Policy and address critical New England ocean issues, is holding a series of public meetings in May and June.
The meetings are being held to discuss draft regional ocean planning goals and associated potential actions. The planning body seeks input on these goals and actions. Additional information on the group's progress can be found here.
The meetings will also provide an opportunity to review draft maps and products from initial efforts to gather information on the natural resources and diverse uses of the ocean, including fishing, transportation, energy and infrastructure, aquaculture, and recreation.
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