New fisheries association to be active in Magnuson-Steven reauthorization

Politico - June 5, 2014

Fourteen fisheries have organized a new trade association that promises to be involved in the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act in addition to other national policy issues.The Seafood Harvesters of America has appointed Chris Brown as its president and Brett Veerhusen as its executive director. Both are commercial fishermen. It also has created a five-member board that includes Brown (Rhode Island Fisherman’s Association), John Schmidt (Gulf Fishermen’s Association), Jack Cox (South Atlantic Fishermen’s Association), Brent Paine (United Catcher Boats) and Mark Gleason (Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers).The group says it plans to participate alongside National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Assistant Administrator Eileen Sobeck on a Capitol Hill Ocean Week panel, June 12, that is expected to discuss MSA. “Both chambers of Congress are now circulating draft MSA bills, and one of the Harvesters’ top priorities will be to ensure that the law maintains strict catch limits and does not erode any of the progress commercial fishermen have made with rebuilding fish stocks,” SHA notes in a press release.“Through Harvesters, America's commercial fishermen will be at the table when important decisions are made,” Brown says. “That's key, because in Washington, D.C., if you aren't at the table, you're on the menu.”The group notes that, in 2012, U.S. commercial fishermen caught 9.6 billion pounds of fish, adding nearly 1.3 million direct and indirect jobs to our nation’s economy.— Jason Huffman