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Over 50 seafood organizations and companies in the United States have voiced strong opposition to the Bottom Trawl Clarity Act introduced by U.S. Representative Mary Peltola (R-Alaska) last month. The bill, which aims to restrict bottom-trawling gear by designating specific zones, has sparked widespread concern within the seafood sector, particularly in Alaska and across the nation.
Stephanie Madsen, Executive Director of the At-Sea Processors Association, emphasized the potential economic impact, stating, "This bill threatens seafood sector jobs in Alaska and across the United States. More than 1.5 million Americans depend on commercial seafood jobs, and they deserve better than the politicization of fisheries science and management."
The legislation proposes defining "substantial" or "limited" interaction with the seafloor, affecting not only traditional bottom-trawling gear but also other fishing methods. Critics argue that such restrictions could jeopardize revenue streams vital to communities reliant on the fishing industry.
Mayor Alvin D. Osterback of Aleutians East Borough underscored the financial repercussions for Alaska, noting, "Our major revenue sources from Alaska trawl fisheries fund essential services like education and infrastructure. Any harm to these fisheries could jeopardize our ability to meet financial obligations."
The opposition coalition, which includes 53 seafood groups, associations, and companies, has urged Representative Peltola to reconsider the bill, asserting that it undermines effective fisheries management frameworks already established under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. They argue that the proposed legislation contradicts scientific approaches to conservation and threatens numerous jobs in seafood harvesting and processing nationwide.
Gavin Gibbons, Chief Strategy Officer of the National Fisheries Institute, criticized the bill as "fundamentally flawed" and emphasized its potential negative impact on fisheries management based on decades of scientific research and management practices.
In response to the outcry, stakeholders across the seafood community are calling for a reevaluation of the bill's implications on jobs and sustainable fisheries management practices in the United States.
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