Business News
The full California Legislature has approved Assembly Joint Resolution 39 by Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast), which urges the federal government to use seafood import revenues to market American fish and seafood.
“The competition in America from products imported from foreign countries is hurting California’s fish and seafood industry,” Chesbro said. “The federal government collects about $400 million a year in foreign seafood import revenues. AJR 39 urges the feds to allocate a portion of this revenue to start a program to promote and market American fish and seafood and the sustainable practices the domestic industry uses.”
The full Assembly gave final approval to AJR 39 this week with a bipartisan 57-0 vote. The resolution will be transmitted to the president and vice president, both of California’s U.S. senators and to each member of Congress from California.
“AJR 39 will help enhance the seafood industry’s ability to market and promote locally caught and sustainably produced seafood,” said David Goldenberg, chief executive officer of the California Salmon Council and executive director of the California Sea Urchin Commission. “We see every day that our customers want to know where our seafoods are sourced. These funds will provide assistance to tell our story and reach new markets which have been previously been unattainable to us.”
“Efforts to market domestic fish and seafood to Americans are currently woefully under-funded,” Chesbro added. “The Legislature believes that some of the large amount of money collected from foreign products imported to compete with the American industry should be used to educate consumers about the sustainable practices the American industry uses and the jobs it creates.”
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AB 1886, a bill by Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast) that would help the California Department of Fish and Game educate the aquaculture industry about sustainable practices, has been approved by both houses of the Legislature and is on the desk of Gov. Jerry Brown.
The bill would expand the duties of the Aquaculture Coordinator, a self-funded program within the DFG, and the industry will pay for the expansion.
“Aquaculture is an important industry in California, especially on the North Coast,” Chesbro said. “This clean, sustainable industry has benefited from the educational services provided by the Aquaculture Coordinator program within Department of Fish and Game. The California Aquaculture Association has asked to pay for an expansion of this program by increasing licensing fees the industry pays. This legislation establishes a new fee structure and clarifies the role of the Aquaculture Coordinator position.”
AB 1886 also requires the DFG to ensure revenue from these fees is applied to the Aquaculture Coordinator program and provide an accounting of the program to the Legislature and the state’s Aquaculture Development Committee.
The main benefit the industry in California receives from the aquaculture coordinator program is education about industry practices, said Greg Dale, regional manager for Coast Seafoods Co. in Eureka, a major producer of oysters on Humboldt Bay.
“The coordinator helps us educate the industry on sustainable aquaculture practices,” said Dale, a past president of the California Aquaculture Association. “The program also helps us educate the public that aquaculture is a green and sustainable industry.”
The California Aquaculture Association asked to be able to pay higher fees to expand the coordinator program, Dale added.
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