Pacific Coast salmon. Let's face it, they're tasty — no matter if you grill, broil or bake them. But insert these fish into an already controversial federal government spending bill during the Tea Party Era, and you've got trouble.
The popular entree item somehow swam into the House's version of a $982 billion spending bill that would fund the Pentagon and entire federal government from March 28 through Sept. 31. The delicious Pacific salmon weren't alone, with a list of other items the military does not want added to the House measure, which contains a full-year Pentagon appropriations bill. And that didn't sit well with Republican Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.
"We're supposed to be cutting spending, yet they're adding it," McCain told reporters Tuesday afternoon. "It's remarkable."
In a joint statement issued Tuesday evening, the duo pointed to a House-passed provision calling for "$65 million for Pacific Coast salmon restoration for states including Nevada." The two critics of President Barack Obama even noted the salmon effort was "mocked" by the president in his 2011 State of the Union address.
Here's what Obama said in January 2011, saying the federal government needed to be reorganized in order to boost American competitiveness:
"The Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they're in freshwater, but the Commerce Department handles them when they're in saltwater. And I hear it gets even more complicated once they're smoked."
On Wednesday morning, a flabbergasted McCain said he is shocked the House is adding special provisions for "salmon" he then paused and added some emphasis, for effect: "salmon!"
The Tuesday flap created quite a stir that moved what both Republicans and Democrats say is a must-pass bill from a fast-moving legislative river and into the frying pan of Washington gridlock. (Yes, like a salmon. Yes, pun intended.)
Read the full story at the Defense News>>
Callifornia crabbing: Here's a fun video shot on the decks of the Majestik while catching Dungeness crab off the coast of northern California.
Over 500 lots of seafood processing equipment formerly owned by Adak Seafood will be sold at auction on Tuesday, June 18, starting at 10 a.m. Hawaiian-Aleutian Daylight Time at the Hilton Garden Inn in Anchorage Alaska.
The equipment is located in a recently updated 250,000 square foot state-of-the-art processing facility in Adak, Alaska. Farmington Hills, Mich.-based Hilco Industrial, which conducts 75 machinery and equipment auctions in a wide range of industries annually, will conduct the auction.
Adak Seafood opened originally as Ada Fisheries in Anchorage in 1986. The facility, updated in 2005, is located on the island of Adak, the southernmost city in Alaska near the western end of the Aleutian Islands. The facility processed cod primarily, as well as halibut, blackcod, crab and pollock, Hilco says.
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.
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