[Fishlink] ~~>SUBLEGALS 1Aug03<~~
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Fri, 8 Aug 2003 17:44:04 EDT
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~~>SUBLEGALS 1Aug03<~~
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A WEEKLY QUOTA OF FISHERY SHORTS CAUGHT AND
LANDED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR FISHERIES RESOURCES=20
AND THE PACIFIC COAST FEDERATION OF FISHERMEN'S
ASSOCIATIONS
VOL. 08, NO. 05 1 AUGUST 2003
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"It's far too late, and things are far too bad, for pessimism."
............ .......................Dee Hock
##########################################################
IN THIS ISSUE.......
U.S. Survey of Farmed Salmon Confirms Scottish, Canadian=20
Findings of High Levels of PCBs. 8:05/01.
Wall Street Journal Expose - Karl Rove, Klamath Salmon=20
Killer. 8:05/06.
Commerce Snubs Magnuson-Stevens Act in Making This Year's=20
Fishery Council Appointments. 8:05/08.
US Senate Passes Last Year's Energy Bill Sans OCS Study=20
Moratorium Language. 8:05/10.=20
Fishermen's News Coverage of IFR - "The Fishermen's Non-Profit"=20
on 10th Anniversary. 8:05/12.
AND MORE......
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8:05/01. SO THAT'S WHY THEY TASTE DIFFERENT - STUDY
FINDS HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF PCBS IN FARMED
SALMON. On 30 July the Environmental Working Group (EWG)
released results of their testing of farmed-raised salmon, finding elevated
levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the aquacultured fish.=20
EWG, a Washington, D.C.- based nonprofit focusing on the environment
and human health issues, bought the salmon it tested from local grocery
stores in San Francisco, California, Portland, Oregon, and Washington
D.C. Seven of the ten farmed salmon purchased were contaminated with
PCBs. The farmed salmon had concentrations of PCBs that were sixteen
times higher than those found in wild salmon, roughly four times higher
than those in beef and forty times that of milk. That makes farmed
salmon the most PCB-contaminated protein source in the current U.S.
food supply. The PCB levels found in the farmed salmon do not actually
exceed the safety guidelines of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration
(FDA), which uses PCB standards that were set in 1984. Jurisdiction
over wild fish falls to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
which has set PCB standards five hundred times more protective than
the FDA. By EPA standards, farmed salmon are unsafe to eat.=20
EWG's test results confirm studies last year from Scotland and
Canada finding "salmon raised in fish farms have significantly higher
levels of dioxins, chlorinated pesticides, and PCBs than their
free-swimming counterparts" (see Sublegals, 6:14/04). The Canadian
and Scottish studies appeared respectively in the 46 Chemosphere
(2002): 1053-107 and the 47 Chemosphere (2002): 183-191. Both
studies traced the source of the contamination back to the feeds of the
farmed fish. For more information about those studies, refer to Cornell
University's The Ribbon (Vol. 7, No. 3) at:
http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/bcerf. =20
EWG also found that the most likely source of the PCB's is the fish
meal that farmed salmon are fed. The feed is often designed to have high
amounts of fish oil and is made largely from ground-up small fish. PCBs
concentrate in oils and fat, and previous tests of salmon feed have
consistently found PCB contamination. Also, a prime source for the fish
meal is from the North Sea, which has a high level of contamination
from PCB's and other materials. Recently farmed salmon tested in Great
Britain were found to have high levels of the radioactive isotope, Tc-99
(see Sublegals 7:26/10).=20
PCB's have been banned in the United States since the late 1970s and
are among the "dirty dozen" chemical contaminants targeted for
worldwide phase-out under a U.N. treaty on persistent organic
pollutants. PCBs were used as industrial insulators and as an additive to
ink, glue, paint, sealant and concrete, and in hydraulic machinery.=20
PCB's can cause cancer and impair fetal brain development. To see the
EWG statement, go to: http://www.ewg.org. To see the 30 July article in
the Washington Post go to:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64633-2003Jul29.ht
ml.
EWG recommends that consumers choose wild instead of farmed
salmon. Before salmon farming, PCB exposure was declining, but the
trend is now being reversed, in part due to farmed fish. "When Congress
banned PCBs in 1976, no one contemplated that 20-odd years later we
would have invented a new industry that re-concentrates these toxins in
our bodies," said EWG's Jane Houlihan.
8:05/02. NFI TAKES PAGE FROM TOBACCO INSTITUTE
PLAYBOOK, DENIES ANY HEALTH PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED
WITH FARMED SALMON: On 29 July, the Wave News Network
reported that the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), representing major
sectors of the U.S. shoreside fishing industry (i.e., fish importers,
distributors, chain fast food restaurants, large processors), said, "it
supports the safety and proven health benefits of farmed and wild
salmon..." NFI President John P. Connelly went on to say, "EWG is
irresponsibly frightening consumers. The food safety of farmed salmon
products and other commercial fish and seafood is regulated by the Food
& Drug Administration (FDA). The trace levels of PCBs reportedly
found in farmed salmon by the EWG study are well below tolerance
levels set by the FDA. The allegations of food safety risk found in the
EWG report appear to be a part of a broader effort to limit consumer
choice for affordable healthy seafood choices, namely farmed salmon."
"When veterinarians warn you not to feed your dog fish oil from the
North Sea because of high levels of PCBs, you know something is
wrong," said PCFFA Executive Director Zeke Grader. "The fact is fish
farmers have known for some time now their salmon was contaminated
with PCBs and other pollutants, including malachite green, and most
have chosen not to do anything about it. They'd probably peddle toxic
sludge if they could get away with it, claiming PCBs essential to a daily
diet."
To see the press release issued by the farm salmon trade group,
Salmon of the Americas (SOTA), denying any problem, go to:
http://www.salmonfarmers.org/media/07_29_03_d.htm. For other press
accounts of the EWG report on PCBs in farmed salmon, see the 30 July
San Francisco Chronicle at:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=3D/c/a/2003/07/30/MN271605.DTL;
the 30 July New York Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/30/dining/30WELL.html; the 30 July
Atlanta Constitution at:
http://www.ajc.com/health/content/health/special/0703/30salmon.html;
and the 30 July Seattle Times at:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/132952_fish30.html. Also see
EcoTrust's "What's Behind That Farmed Salmon Steak" at:
http://www.ecotrust.org/publications/farmed_salmon_steak.html.
8:05/03. ILLEGAL USE OF FUNGICIDE "MALACHITE GREEN"
ON FARMED SALMON LEADS TO LEGAL ACTION IN CHILE: On
20 July Intrafish reported that the Chilean non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), Acci=C2=A2n Ecol=C2=A2gica and Ecoc=E2=80=9Aanos, had=20=
filed a
complaint 10 days earlier with the 16th Tribunal Criminal Court in
Santiago, against corporate fish farmers using the illegal fungicide
luecomalachite green, aka "malachite green." Containers that housed
imported Chilean farmed salmon have been detained in Holland because
traces of the fungicide were found on them. The use of malachite green
has been prohibited in Chile since 1995. Human contact with malachite
green has been shown to cause malformations of the fetus and cancer.
Malachite green is generally cheaper to buy than other non-toxic
fungicides. The director of Chile's National Fisheries Services, Sergio
Mujica, promises that tests for malachite green will now increase. For
more information, go to: www.elarea.com.=20
8:05/04. AQUA BOUNTY GEARS UP TO RELEASE GE
SALMON: On 17 July, Aqua Bounty Corporation announced that it has
raised $10 million for financing its genetically-engineered (GE) or
"transgenic" salmon, dubbed "AquaAdvantage Salmon" for use in
salmon farms. The transgenic fish will be able to grow up to twice as
fast as regular farmed fish, thus improving the salmon farmers' profits.
The money, including $2.5 million from venture capitalist SUS Inc., will
be used to complete human health studies the U.S. Food & Drug
Administration (FDA) requires. Transgenic fish pose possible human
health risks, as well as an environmental threat. There is concern that
transgenic fish will escape and either prey on or breed with endangered
wild fish, creating a conservation nightmare (see Sublegals, 7:26/08;
7:20/2; 7:07/08; 7:04/01; 6:24/09; 6:10/03; 6:08/01, 6:03/08, 6:02/06;
5:09/02; 5:01/05). For the Aqua Bounty announcement, see:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news.=20
8:05/05. BC WILD FISHERIES MORE IMPORTANT TO
ECONOMY THAN AQUACULTURE: A report recently released
shows that wild salmon fisheries are four times more beneficial to
British Columbia's economy than salmon farms, and create seven times
more jobs. The report, entitled "Fishy Business: The Economics of
Salmon Farming in B.C." was put out by the Canadian Centre for Policy
Alternatives (CCPA). It found that the economic importance of B.C.'s
wild fisheries (through commercial and sport fishing and processing)
dwarfs that of salmon aquaculture. The report found that in 2001 (the
latest year for which data is available) wild marine salmon fisheries
generated $396 million in provincial gross domestic product, versus $91
million by salmon aquaculture. Over thirteen thousand people are
employed in B.C. in an aspect of wild fisheries, whereas aquaculture
employs less than two thousand. The report seems to mirror
conventional wisdom about the industry as fish farmers have come up
with ways to more efficiently factory farm, eventually needing fewer
and fewer people to run the operation. To see a copy of the report go to:
http://www.policyalternatives.ca.=20
8:05/06. KARL ROVE - SALMON KILLER; WALL STREET
JOURNAL EXPOSES BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S POLITICAL
DEALINGS BEHIND 2002 KLAMATH FISH LOSS: In a 30 July
article in the Wall Street Journal, investigative reporter Tom Hamburger
has chronicled the political pressure exerted in the Klamath by White
House Senior Advisor to the President Karl Rove. According to the WSJ
report, Rove engineered changes in the 2002 water allocation plans for
the Klamath Irrigation Project in order to curry votes for the reelection
of U.S. Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR). Those changes provided full
water deliveries to Klamath Project irrigators during 2002, reducing
river flows to below the minimum needed for salmon survival, including
the Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed Klamath coho salmon.=20
As a result of Rove's behind-the-scenes maneuvering, less water was
released into the river in 2002 than even during the 2001 drought, the
worst in 72 years. The 2002 flows were among the lowest on record.=20
The result of this Administration's political interference was the death of
more than 33,000 adult pre-spawners, and the devastation of the lower
river and coastal fishing-dependent economy for years to come (see
Sublegals, 6:15/01; 6:14/01; 6:13/01; also see:
www.klamathbasin.info/fishkill1.htm).
The Wall Street Journal report detailed how the White House had
been continually interfering with agency efforts to find a scientifically
legitimate and balanced water solution in the Basin, in order to please
what President George W. Bush believes is a core constituency of
Klamath Falls voters, aiming to carry Oregon in the upcoming 2004
election. In 2000 Bush lost Oregon by less than one percent of the vote.=20
The full WSJ article is reprinted on the PCFFA web site at:
www.pcffa.org. The growing "Salmongate" scandal already includes
Administration interference by its override of the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) science team in the development of the
fishery agency's Biological Opinion (BiOp) approving the U.S. Bureau
of Reclamation's (BOR) 10-year water plan, and the suppression of key
scientific and economic studies (see Sublegals, 6:18/01; 6:18/02;
6:18/03). BOR operates the Klamath Irrigation Project. Also see the 31
July Del Norte Triplicate, "Foul Play Revealed in Klamath Fish Kill" at:
http://www.triplicate.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=3D1035.
8:05/07. $250 MILLION FEDERAL SALMON RESTORATION
FUNDING BILL READY FOR VOTE IN HOUSE: U.S.
Representative Mike Thompson's (D-CA) "Pacific Salmon Recovery
Act," H.R. 1475, passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives'
Resources Committee on 11 June and is now ready for a full floor vote
when Congress reconvenes in early September (see Sublegals, 7:24/04).=20
The bill would provide for an authorization of $250 million spread out
over three years to help California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and
Idaho with state salmon recovery efforts, and with recovery of Lahontan
cutthroat trout in Oregon and bull trout in Oregon, Washington and
Idaho. Although there have been appropriations for a similar purpose in
the last three federal appropriations cycles, without a formal
authorization, including clearly defined rules on how those funds are to
be best spent, it will become increasingly more difficult to obtain federal
funds for these state recovery programs in the light of record federal
deficits. =20
A similar bill (H.R. 1157) passed the House in the 107th Congress,
on 13 June 2001, by an overwhelming vote of 418 to 6, but stalled in the
Senate in a dispute between U.S. Senators over distribution of funds, as
did its Senate companion bill (S. 1825), introduced by Senator Barbara
Boxer (D-CA). For more information on the bill, search by bill number
at: http://thomas.loc.gov.
8:05/08. "LAW? WE DON'T NEED TO FOLLOW NO STINKING
LAW" -- REGIONAL FISHERY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS
ANNOUNCED: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation &
Management Act, 16 USC 1801 et seq., in setting forth the
establishment of the eight regional fishery management councils,
charged with developing management plans for the fisheries within the
U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, states:
"=151852(b)(2)(A) The members of each Council required to be
appointed by the Secretary must be individuals who, by reason of their
occupational and other experience, scientific knowledge, or training are
knowledgeable regarding the conservation and management, or the
commercial or recreational harvest, of the fishery resources of the
geographical area concerned.....
=151852(b)(2)(B) The Secretary [of Commerce], in making
appointments under this section, shall, to the extent practicable, ensure a
fair and balanced apportionment, on a rotating or other basis, of the
active participants (or their representatives) in the commercial and
recreational fisheries of the Council...."
Notwithstanding the clear language in the Magnuson-Stevens Act on
the types of individuals who can be appointed to the regional fishery
councils and requiring a balance of interests on the councils, the
Secretary of Commerce announced in June his appointments for
vacancies on the eight regional councils. On the Pacific Fishery
Management Council, Orange County charter boat operator Don Hansen
was appointed to another term. Fort Bragg fish processor Jim Caito,
who was termed out, was replaced by recreational angler and Silicon
Valley executive Darrel J. Ticehurst. And former PFMC chairman, Dr.
Hans Radtke, who was nominated for another term by the Governor of
Oregon, was replaced by Oregon charterboat operator Frank Warrens. =20
The new appointments now leave the Pacific Council with three
charterboat operators, and three anglers for a total of six recreational
representatives and only two commercial representatives, Ralph Brown
and Bob Alverson representing trawl and longline fisheries respectively.=20
There are no salmon troll representatives, no coastal pelagic (i.e.,
sardine, anchovy, mackerel, squid), nor highly migratory fisheries
representatives, even though two of California Gray Davis' top
nominees, Dave Bitts (salmon) and John Royal (wetfish) have extensive
knowledge of the fisheries and a long history of working with the
PFMC. Ticehurst was also nominated by Davis; he was supported by the
Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA), which is backing Davis' recall as
California Governor. =20
=20
"We look forward to working with the new Pacific Council members
to protect our fish stocks, their habitats and the fisheries and
communities that depend on these marine resources," said PCFFA
President Pietro Parravano. "We are particularly looking forward to
working with Mr. Ticehurst, and hope he can help us convince some of
his Congressional supporters, including Representatives Pombo, Herger,
Doolittle and Ose, of the habitat and flow needs for salmon and the
importance of our commercial, recreational and tribal salmon fisheries."
For information on the council appointments, go to:
http://www.conservefish.org/site/mediacenter/cost.pdf. Also see the
op-ed in the 28 July Oregonian at: http://www.oregonlive.com/
public_commentary/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1059306994250
251.xml. =20
=20
8:05/09. CANADIAN GOVERNMENT APPOINTS PANEL TO
DETERMINE WHETHER TO LIFT BC COASTAL OIL
MORATORIUM IN A MOVE CALLED A POLITICAL FIX: The
Canadian federal government on 30 July appointed two panels to review
Ottawa's 30-year moratorium on oil and gas development along British
Columbia's sensitive coastline, which is home to one of the world's best
remaining wild salmon fisheries. One panel is charged with looking at
scientific questions surrounding offshore oil development, the other with
taking public testimony. There are no representatives of First Nations,
fishing or conservation organizations on either of the two panels -
groups that have been highly critical of continued oil development.
Critics of the process also point to several panel members with
long-term connections to the oil and gas industry or who have already
publicly expressed strong support for lifting the moratorium, and believe
the panel review process was designed merely to provide political cover
for a decision already made to lift the moratorium. =20
The Ottawa government has in fact previously expressed its strong
support for lifting the moratorium, in spite of the high potential for oil
spills and other damages to that nation's commercial fisheries (see
Sublegals, 7:26/05; 7:14/03; 7:12/01; 5:18/11; 5:10/14; 5:07/02;
4:04/05) and already has a public plan to develop B.C.'s offshore oil
industry by 2010. Offshore oil development in B.C. would also affect
migrating U.S. salmon runs from the Columbia, which supply roughly
20 percent of the salmon harvested off Southeast Alaska. British
Columbia supplies another 15 percent. For more information, see the 31
July Vancouver Sun at: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/
vancouversun/archives/story.asp?id=3DE2D303C0-4173-44D6-9D05-D2C
D9FE9EE77. =20
8:05/10. US SENATE ADOPTS LAST YEAR'S ENERGY BILL
POSSIBLY NIXING EXPLORATORY DRILLING IN OCS
MORATORIUM AREAS: Late 31 July, the U.S. Senate, before heading
off for its August recess, finally passed an energy bill. However, it
wasn't the energy bill being debated this session (see Sublegals, 7:25/05;
7:24/03; 7:19/10; 7:15/09; 7:14/01), but HR 6, last year's energy bill
(first passed in April 2002). The substitute bill was passed by a 84-14
vote and the measure now goes to conference committee with the House
version.=20
While neither this year's nor last year's are considered very good
bills, last session's measure does not include the language allowing
exploratory "studies" in the current outer continental shelf (OCS)
moratorium areas, which include most of the California coast, Oregon
and Washington, Bristol Bay, the Florida Coast and New England
(Georges Bank).=20
With respect to the Cubin language granting the Secretary of Interior
unilateral permitting authority over all industrial projects in the 200-mile
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the 2003 House energy bill still
contains that language, although the 2002 Senate energy bill does not.=20
So these problematic Cubin/EEZ jurisdictional differences will need to
be resolved in conference. Although the dangerous deep-water drilling
incentives for Alaskan waters are not in the 2002 Senate energy bill,
conferees will still need to be watched carefully and dissuaded from
putting that provision back into any final bill. Fishing and conservation
groups have opposed the moratorium area study language. In
September, these groups will have to also keep an eye on the Interior
Appropriations bill and attempts to insert language into that measure to
allow drilling in Bristol Bay (see Sublegals 8:03/09). For more
information, see the 1 August Washington Post at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11019-2003Jul31.ht
ml.=20
8:05/11. COASTAL PROTECTION BILL IN US SENATE:=20
When the U.S. Senate returns in September, they will have before them
S. 861, the "Coastal & Estuarine Land Protection Act" sponsored by
Senator Fritz Hollings (D-SC). S.861 calls for the protection of coastal
and estuarine areas that have "significant conservation, recreation,
ecological, historical or aesthetic values and are threatened by
development and other threats." At present, the bill has 25 Senate
bi-partisan co-sponsors and was assigned to the Senate Science,
Commerce & Transportation Committee where it was reported out to the
Senate floor with a minor amendment on 19 June. For more information
on the bill see: http://thomas.loc.gov.
8:05/12. "THE FISHERMEN'S NON-PROFIT" - ARTICLE ON IFR
IN JULY FISHERMEN'S NEWS: The July issue of the Fishermen's
News (www.fishermensnews.com) features a full-length article on the
history and activities of the Institute for Fisheries Resources (IFR). The
article was to highlight the accomplishments of the organization on the
occasion of its 10th anniversary, looking at its work on behalf of fish
stocks and the fishing community. The Fishermen's News article is on
the Internet at: http://www.pcffa.org/fn-jul03.htm. Donations to support
the essential work of IFR (which includes this newsletter) are tax
deductible.=20
8:05/13. RHODE ISLAND GOVERNOR SIGNS "FREEDOM TO
FISH" BILL UNDERCUTTING OVERFISHING CONTROLS: On 10
July, Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri signed a measure, dubbed
the "Freedom to Fish Act," S. 581, sponsored by the Recreational
Fishing Alliance (SFA). The bill gives a legal presumption of right to
anglers to fish that could only be curtailed by findings of a clear and
pressing conversation need, and only if it can be shown that less severe
measures (such as bag limits, season adjustments and minimum size
limits, etc.) could not provide adequate controls. =20
The bill also requires extraordinarily stringent scientific review
standards before any marine protected areas could ever be imposed in
that state, and periodic reviews of any closures, with automatic
reopeners whenever such closures cannot be fully justified in accordance
with very high standards of proof. S. 581 can be found on the Rhode
Island Legislative web site:
http://dirac.rilin.state.ri.us/BillStatus/Index1.htm.
Such "Freedom to Fish" bills, while at first sight attractive, are bein=
g
pushed by RFA in most coastal states exclusively for the benefit of
recreational fishing interests, and would make it extremely difficult for
state fisheries managers to prevent or control recreational overfishing
except in the most egregious of circumstances.=20
Moreover, no such rights are provided in any of these bills to
commercial fishermen, allowing sportfishing groups potentially to
overfish fragile stocks with little control, while commercial fishermen
who share harvests for those stocks would bear most of the conservation
burden and be closed down. Commercial fishing closures appear to be
part of the underlying political agenda for similar "Freedom to Fish"
bills. Indeed, RFA websites announce their political purpose as
primarily to close down the U.S. commercial fishing industry and
reallocate stocks to recreational fishermen. For instance, see:
http://www.savefish.com/mission.htm.
*******************
Paying Attention? White House Advisor Karl Rove was in the news
because he did what regarding Klamath River salmon stocks?=20
A) Advised the Interior Department to ignore ESA concerns for fish
survival and provide full flows to Basin irrigators to help reelect U.S.
Senator Gordon Smith.=20
B) Advised Senator Pete Domenici to pass last year's energy bill and,
instead, rammed through amendments to allow offshore oil drilling in
moratorium areas, including offshore the Klamath mouth, in conference
committee.=20
C) Advised Commerce Secretary Donald Evans to ignore the
Magnuson-Stevens Act and appoint RFA "Freedom Fighters" to regional
fishery management councils thus allowing overfishing by
sportfishermen.=20
D) Advised John Poindexter on the creation of a futures market to
predict Klamath fish kills.
E) Advised NFI to deny PCBs and other pollutants in fish cause health
problems, to facilitate an agriculture waste discharge waiver for Klamath
Basin growers (to dump irrigation tailwater contaminated with
dioxin-laden pesticides) requested by Congressman Greg Walden .
E-Mail your answer to "Editor" at: sublegals@ifrfish.org. One winner is
drawn each week from a list of those submitting the correct answer.=20
And the Winner is........UFA's MARK VINSEL, who correctly
answered, "B) The oil industry, which is seeking to get out from under
removal and clean-up costs by leaving the rigs in place or on the sea
bottom for 'benign' uses" to last issue's question of who is backing the
"Rigs-to-Reefs" legislation.
NEWS, COMMENTS, CORRECTIONS: Submit your news items,
comments or any corrections to Sara Randall, editor at:
sublegals@ifrfish.org, or call the IFR/PCFFA office with the news and a
source at either: (415) 561-FISH (Southwest Office) or (541) 689-2000
(Northwest Office).=20
##########################################################
"Sublegals" are a weekly fisheries news bulletin service of Fishlink
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http://straylight.primelogic.com/mailman/listinfo/fishlink=20
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bsp; ~~>SUBLEGALS 1Aug03<~~<BR>
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A WEEKLY QUOTA OF FISHERY SHORTS CAUGHT=
AND<BR>
LANDED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR FISHERIES RESOURCES <BR=
>
AND THE PACIFIC COAST FEDERATION OF FISHERMEN'S<BR>
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ASSOCIATIONS<BR>
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VOL. 08, NO. 05 &=
nbsp;  =
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sp; 1 AUGUST 2003<BR>
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"It's far too late, and things are far too bad, for pessimism."<BR>
&nbs=
p; ............ .......................Dee Hock<BR>
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IN THIS ISSUE.......<BR>
<BR>
U.S. Survey of Farmed Salmon Confirms Scottish, Canadian <BR>
Findings of High Levels of PCBs. 8:05/01.<BR>
<BR>
Wall Street Journal Expose - Karl Rove, Klamath Salmon <BR>
Killer. 8:05/06.<BR>
<BR>
Commerce Snubs Magnuson-Stevens Act in Making This Year's <BR>
Fishery Council Appointments. 8:05/08.<BR>
<BR>
US Senate Passes Last Year's Energy Bill Sans OCS Study <BR>
Moratorium Language. 8:05/10. <BR>
<BR>
Fishermen's News Coverage of IFR - "The Fishermen's Non-Profit" <BR>
on 10th Anniversary. 8:05/12.<BR>
<BR>
AND MORE......<BR>
##########################################################<BR>
<BR>
8:05/01. SO THAT'S WHY THEY TASTE DIFFERENT - STUDY=
<BR>
FINDS HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF PCBS IN FARMED<BR>
SALMON. On 30 July the Environmental Working Group (EWG)<BR>
released results of their testing of farmed-raised salmon, finding elevated<=
BR>
levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the aquacultured fish. <BR>
EWG, a Washington, D.C.- based nonprofit focusing on the environment<BR>
and human health issues, bought the salmon it tested from local grocery<BR>
stores in San Francisco, California, Portland, Oregon, and Washington<=
BR>
D.C. Seven of the ten farmed salmon purchased were contaminated with<BR>
PCBs. The farmed salmon had concentrations of PCBs that were sixteen<BR>
times higher than those found in wild salmon, roughly four times higher<BR>
than those in beef and forty times that of milk. That makes farmed<BR>
salmon the most PCB-contaminated protein source in the current U.S.<BR>
food supply. The PCB levels found in the farmed salmon do not actually<BR>
exceed the safety guidelines of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration<BR>
(FDA), which uses PCB standards that were set in 1984. Jurisdiction<BR>
over wild fish falls to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),<BR>
which has set PCB standards five hundred times more protective than<BR>
the FDA. By EPA standards, farmed salmon are unsafe to eat. <BR>
<BR>
EWG's test results confirm studies last year from S=
cotland and<BR>
Canada finding "salmon raised in fish farms have significantly higher<BR>
levels of dioxins, chlorinated pesticides, and PCBs than their<BR>
free-swimming counterparts" (see Sublegals, 6:14/04). The Canadian<BR>
and Scottish studies appeared respectively in the 46 Chemosphere<BR>
(2002): 1053-107 and the 47 Chemosphere (2002): 183-191. Both<BR>
studies traced the source of the contamination back to the feeds of the<BR>
farmed fish. For more information about those studies, refer to Cornel=
l<BR>
University's The Ribbon (Vol. 7, No. 3) at:<BR>
http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/bcerf. <BR>
<BR>
EWG also found that the most likely source of the P=
CB's is the fish<BR>
meal that farmed salmon are fed. The feed is often designed to have high<BR>
amounts of fish oil and is made largely from ground-up small fish. PCBs<BR>
concentrate in oils and fat, and previous tests of salmon feed have<BR>
consistently found PCB contamination. Also, a prime source for the fish<BR>
meal is from the North Sea, which has a high level of contamination<BR>
from PCB's and other materials. Recently farmed salmon tested in Great<BR>
Britain were found to have high levels of the radioactive isotope, Tc-99<BR>
(see Sublegals 7:26/10). <BR>
<BR>
PCB's have been banned in the United States since t=
he late 1970s and<BR>
are among the "dirty dozen" chemical contaminants targeted for<BR>
worldwide phase-out under a U.N. treaty on persistent organic<BR>
pollutants. PCBs were used as industrial insulators and as an additive to<BR=
>
ink, glue, paint, sealant and concrete, and in hydraulic machinery. <BR>
PCB's can cause cancer and impair fetal brain development. To see the<=
BR>
EWG statement, go to: http://www.ewg.org. To see the 30 July article in<BR>
the Washington Post go to:<BR>
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64633-2003Jul29.ht<BR>
ml.<BR>
<BR>
EWG recommends that consumers choose wild instead o=
f farmed<BR>
salmon. Before salmon farming, PCB exposure was declining, but the<BR>
trend is now being reversed, in part due to farmed fish. "When Congres=
s<BR>
banned PCBs in 1976, no one contemplated that 20-odd years later we<BR>
would have invented a new industry that re-concentrates these toxins in<BR>
our bodies," said EWG's Jane Houlihan.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
8:05/02. NFI TAKES PAGE FROM TOBACCO INSTITUTE<BR>
PLAYBOOK, DENIES ANY HEALTH PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED<BR>
WITH FARMED SALMON: On 29 July, the Wave News Network<BR>
reported that the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), representing major<BR>
sectors of the U.S. shoreside fishing industry (i.e., fish importers,<BR>
distributors, chain fast food restaurants, large processors), said, "it<BR>
supports the safety and proven health benefits of farmed and wild<BR>
salmon..." NFI President John P. Connelly went on to say, "EWG is<BR>
irresponsibly frightening consumers. The food safety of farmed salmon<BR>
products and other commercial fish and seafood is regulated by the Food<BR>
& Drug Administration (FDA). The trace levels of PCBs reportedly<BR>
found in farmed salmon by the EWG study are well below tolerance<BR>
levels set by the FDA. The allegations of food safety risk found in the<BR>
EWG report appear to be a part of a broader effort to limit consumer<BR>
choice for affordable healthy seafood choices, namely farmed salmon."<BR>
<BR>
"When veterinarians warn you not to feed your dog f=
ish oil from the<BR>
North Sea because of high levels of PCBs, you know something is<BR>
wrong," said PCFFA Executive Director Zeke Grader. "The fact is fish<BR>
farmers have known for some time now their salmon was contaminated<BR>
with PCBs and other pollutants, including malachite green, and most<BR>
have chosen not to do anything about it. They'd probably peddle toxic<=
BR>
sludge if they could get away with it, claiming PCBs essential to a daily<BR=
>
diet."<BR>
<BR>
To see the press release issued by the farm salmon=20=
trade group,<BR>
Salmon of the Americas (SOTA), denying any problem, go to:<BR>
http://www.salmonfarmers.org/media/07_29_03_d.htm. For other press<BR>
accounts of the EWG report on PCBs in farmed salmon, see the 30 July<BR>
San Francisco Chronicle at:<BR>
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=3D/c/a/2003/07/30/MN271605.DTL;<BR>
the 30 July New York Times at:<BR>
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/30/dining/30WELL.html; the 30 July<BR>
Atlanta Constitution at:<BR>
http://www.ajc.com/health/content/health/special/0703/30salmon.html;<BR>
and the 30 July Seattle Times at:<BR>
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/132952_fish30.html. Also see<BR>
EcoTrust's "What's Behind That Farmed Salmon Steak" at:<BR>
http://www.ecotrust.org/publications/farmed_salmon_steak.html.<BR>
<BR>
8:05/03. ILLEGAL USE OF FUNGICIDE "MALACHITE GREEN"=
<BR>
ON FARMED SALMON LEADS TO LEGAL ACTION IN CHILE: On<BR>
20 July Intrafish reported that the Chilean non-governmental<BR>
organizations (NGOs), Acci=C2=A2n Ecol=C2=A2gica and Ecoc=E2=80=9Aanos, had=20=
filed a<BR>
complaint 10 days earlier with the 16th Tribunal Criminal Court in<BR>
Santiago, against corporate fish farmers using the illegal fungicide<BR>
luecomalachite green, aka "malachite green." Containers that housed<BR>
imported Chilean farmed salmon have been detained in Holland because<BR>
traces of the fungicide were found on them. The use of malachite green<BR>
has been prohibited in Chile since 1995. Human contact with malachite<BR>
green has been shown to cause malformations of the fetus and cancer.<BR>
Malachite green is generally cheaper to buy than other non-toxic<BR>
fungicides. The director of Chile's National Fisheries Services, Sergio<BR>
Mujica, promises that tests for malachite green will now increase. For<BR>
more information, go to: www.elarea.com. <BR>
<BR>
8:05/04. AQUA BOUNTY GEARS UP TO RELEASE GE<BR>
SALMON: On 17 July, Aqua Bounty Corporation announced that it has<BR>
raised $10 million for financing its genetically-engineered (GE) or<BR>
"transgenic" salmon, dubbed "AquaAdvantage Salmon" for use in<BR>
salmon farms. The transgenic fish will be able to grow up to twice as<BR>
fast as regular farmed fish, thus improving the salmon farmers' profits.<BR>
The money, including $2.5 million from venture capitalist SUS Inc., will<BR>
be used to complete human health studies the U.S. Food & Drug<BR>
Administration (FDA) requires. Transgenic fish pose possible human<BR>
health risks, as well as an environmental threat. There is concern that<BR>
transgenic fish will escape and either prey on or breed with endangered<BR>
wild fish, creating a conservation nightmare (see Sublegals, 7:26/08;<BR>
7:20/2; 7:07/08; 7:04/01; 6:24/09; 6:10/03; 6:08/01, 6:03/08, 6:02/06;<BR>
5:09/02; 5:01/05). For the Aqua Bounty announcement, see:<BR>
http://www.prnewswire.com/news. <BR>
<BR>
8:05/05. BC WILD FISHERIES MORE IMPORTANT TO<BR>
ECONOMY THAN AQUACULTURE: A report recently released<BR>
shows that wild salmon fisheries are four times more beneficial to<BR>
British Columbia's economy than salmon farms, and create seven times<BR>
more jobs. The report, entitled "Fishy Business: The Economics of<BR>
Salmon Farming in B.C." was put out by the Canadian Centre for Policy<BR>
Alternatives (CCPA). It found that the economic importance of B.C.'s<B=
R>
wild fisheries (through commercial and sport fishing and processing)<BR>
dwarfs that of salmon aquaculture. The report found that in 2001 (the<BR>
latest year for which data is available) wild marine salmon fisheries<BR>
generated $396 million in provincial gross domestic product, versus $91<BR>
million by salmon aquaculture. Over thirteen thousand people are<BR>
employed in B.C. in an aspect of wild fisheries, whereas aquaculture<BR>
employs less than two thousand. The report seems to mirror<BR>
conventional wisdom about the industry as fish farmers have come up<BR>
with ways to more efficiently factory farm, eventually needing fewer<BR>
and fewer people to run the operation. To see a copy of the report go to:<BR=
>
http://www.policyalternatives.ca. <BR>
<BR>
8:05/06. KARL ROVE - SALMON KILLER; WALL STREET<BR>
JOURNAL EXPOSES BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S POLITICAL<BR>
DEALINGS BEHIND 2002 KLAMATH FISH LOSS: In a 30 July<BR>
article in the Wall Street Journal, investigative reporter Tom Hamburger<BR>
has chronicled the political pressure exerted in the Klamath by White<BR>
House Senior Advisor to the President Karl Rove. According to the WSJ<BR>
report, Rove engineered changes in the 2002 water allocation plans for<BR>
the Klamath Irrigation Project in order to curry votes for the reelection<BR=
>
of U.S. Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR). Those changes provided full<BR>
water deliveries to Klamath Project irrigators during 2002, reducing<BR>
river flows to below the minimum needed for salmon survival, including<BR>
the Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed Klamath coho salmon. <BR>
<BR>
As a result of Rove's behind-the-scenes maneuvering=
, less water was<BR>
released into the river in 2002 than even during the 2001 drought, the<BR>
worst in 72 years. The 2002 flows were among the lowest on record. <BR>
The result of this Administration's political interference was the death of<=
BR>
more than 33,000 adult pre-spawners, and the devastation of the lower<BR>
river and coastal fishing-dependent economy for years to come (see<BR>
Sublegals, 6:15/01; 6:14/01; 6:13/01; also see:<BR>
www.klamathbasin.info/fishkill1.htm).<BR>
<BR>
The Wall Street Journal report detailed how the Whi=
te House had<BR>
been continually interfering with agency efforts to find a scientifically<BR=
>
legitimate and balanced water solution in the Basin, in order to please<BR>
what President George W. Bush believes is a core constituency of<BR>
Klamath Falls voters, aiming to carry Oregon in the upcoming 2004<BR>
election. In 2000 Bush lost Oregon by less than one percent of the vot=
e. <BR>
The full WSJ article is reprinted on the PCFFA web site at:<BR>
www.pcffa.org. The growing "Salmongate" scandal already includes<BR>
Administration interference by its override of the National Marine<BR>
Fisheries Service (NMFS) science team in the development of the<BR>
fishery agency's Biological Opinion (BiOp) approving the U.S. Bureau<BR>
of Reclamation's (BOR) 10-year water plan, and the suppression of key<BR>
scientific and economic studies (see Sublegals, 6:18/01; 6:18/02;<BR>
6:18/03). BOR operates the Klamath Irrigation Project. Also see the 31=
<BR>
July Del Norte Triplicate, "Foul Play Revealed in Klamath Fish Kill" a=
t:<BR>
http://www.triplicate.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=3D1035.<BR>
<BR>
8:05/07. $250 MILLION FEDERAL SALMON RESTORAT=
ION<BR>
FUNDING BILL READY FOR VOTE IN HOUSE: U.S.<BR>
Representative Mike Thompson's (D-CA) "Pacific Salmon Recovery<BR>
Act," H.R. 1475, passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives'<BR>
Resources Committee on 11 June and is now ready for a full floor vote<BR>
when Congress reconvenes in early September (see Sublegals, 7:24/04). <BR>
The bill would provide for an authorization of $250 million spread out<BR>
over three years to help California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and<BR>
Idaho with state salmon recovery efforts, and with recovery of Lahontan<BR>
cutthroat trout in Oregon and bull trout in Oregon, Washington and<BR>
Idaho. Although there have been appropriations for a similar purpose i=
n<BR>
the last three federal appropriations cycles, without a formal<BR>
authorization, including clearly defined rules on how those funds are to<BR>
be best spent, it will become increasingly more difficult to obtain federal<=
BR>
funds for these state recovery programs in the light of record federal<BR>
deficits. <BR>
<BR>
A similar bill (H.R. 1157) passed the House in the=20=
107th Congress,<BR>
on 13 June 2001, by an overwhelming vote of 418 to 6, but stalled in the<BR>
Senate in a dispute between U.S. Senators over distribution of funds, as<BR>
did its Senate companion bill (S. 1825), introduced by Senator Barbara<BR>
Boxer (D-CA). For more information on the bill, search by bill number<=
BR>
at: http://thomas.loc.gov.<BR>
<BR>
8:05/08. "LAW? WE DON'T NEED TO FOLLOW NO STI=
NKING<BR>
LAW" -- REGIONAL FISHERY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS<BR>
ANNOUNCED: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation &<BR>
Management Act, 16 USC 1801 et seq., in setting forth the<BR>
establishment of the eight regional fishery management councils,<BR>
charged with developing management plans for the fisheries within the<BR>
U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, states:<BR>
<BR>
"=151852(b)(2)(A) The members of each Council requi=
red to be<BR>
appointed by the Secretary must be individuals who, by reason of their<BR>
occupational and other experience, scientific knowledge, or training are<BR>
knowledgeable regarding the conservation and management, or the<BR>
commercial or recreational harvest, of the fishery resources of the<BR>
geographical area concerned.....<BR>
<BR>
=151852(b)(2)(B) The Secretary [of Commerce], in ma=
king<BR>
appointments under this section, shall, to the extent practicable, ensure a<=
BR>
fair and balanced apportionment, on a rotating or other basis, of the<BR>
active participants (or their representatives) in the commercial and<BR>
recreational fisheries of the Council...."<BR>
<BR>
Notwithstanding the clear language in the Magnuson-=
Stevens Act on<BR>
the types of individuals who can be appointed to the regional fishery<BR>
councils and requiring a balance of interests on the councils, the<BR>
Secretary of Commerce announced in June his appointments for<BR>
vacancies on the eight regional councils. On the Pacific Fishery<BR>
Management Council, Orange County charter boat operator Don Hansen<BR>
was appointed to another term. Fort Bragg fish processor Jim Caito,<BR=
>
who was termed out, was replaced by recreational angler and Silicon<BR>
Valley executive Darrel J. Ticehurst. And former PFMC chairman, Dr.<BR=
>
Hans Radtke, who was nominated for another term by the Governor of<BR>
Oregon, was replaced by Oregon charterboat operator Frank Warrens. <BR=
>
<BR>
The new appointments now leave the Pacific Council=20=
with three<BR>
charterboat operators, and three anglers for a total of six recreational<BR>
representatives and only two commercial representatives, Ralph Brown<BR>
and Bob Alverson representing trawl and longline fisheries respectively. <BR=
>
There are no salmon troll representatives, no coastal pelagic (i.e.,<BR>
sardine, anchovy, mackerel, squid), nor highly migratory fisheries<BR>
representatives, even though two of California Gray Davis' top<BR>
nominees, Dave Bitts (salmon) and John Royal (wetfish) have extensive<BR>
knowledge of the fisheries and a long history of working with the<BR>
PFMC. Ticehurst was also nominated by Davis; he was supported by the<BR>
Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA), which is backing Davis' recall as<BR>
California Governor. <BR>
<BR>
"We look forward to working with the new Pacific Co=
uncil members<BR>
to protect our fish stocks, their habitats and the fisheries and<BR>
communities that depend on these marine resources," said PCFFA<BR>
President Pietro Parravano. "We are particularly looking forward to<BR=
>
working with Mr. Ticehurst, and hope he can help us convince some of<BR>
his Congressional supporters, including Representatives Pombo, Herger,<BR>
Doolittle and Ose, of the habitat and flow needs for salmon and the<BR>
importance of our commercial, recreational and tribal salmon fisheries."<BR>
For information on the council appointments, go to:<BR>
http://www.conservefish.org/site/mediacenter/cost.pdf. Also see the<BR>
op-ed in the 28 July Oregonian at: http://www.oregonlive.com/<BR>
public_commentary/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1059306994250<BR>
251.xml. <BR>
<BR>
8:05/09. CANADIAN GOVERNMENT APPOINTS PANEL TO<BR>
DETERMINE WHETHER TO LIFT BC COASTAL OIL<BR>
MORATORIUM IN A MOVE CALLED A POLITICAL FIX: The<BR>
Canadian federal government on 30 July appointed two panels to review<BR>
Ottawa's 30-year moratorium on oil and gas development along British<BR>
Columbia's sensitive coastline, which is home to one of the world's best<BR>
remaining wild salmon fisheries. One panel is charged with looking at<BR>
scientific questions surrounding offshore oil development, the other with<BR=
>
taking public testimony. There are no representatives of First Nations,<BR>
fishing or conservation organizations on either of the two panels -<BR>
groups that have been highly critical of continued oil development.<BR>
Critics of the process also point to several panel members with<BR>
long-term connections to the oil and gas industry or who have already<BR>
publicly expressed strong support for lifting the moratorium, and believe<BR=
>
the panel review process was designed merely to provide political cover<BR>
for a decision already made to lift the moratorium. &=
nbsp; <BR>
<BR>
The Ottawa government has in fact previously expres=
sed its strong<BR>
support for lifting the moratorium, in spite of the high potential for oil<B=
R>
spills and other damages to that nation's commercial fisheries (see<BR>
Sublegals, 7:26/05; 7:14/03; 7:12/01; 5:18/11; 5:10/14; 5:07/02;<BR>
4:04/05) and already has a public plan to develop B.C.'s offshore oil<BR>
industry by 2010. Offshore oil development in B.C. would also affect<B=
R>
migrating U.S. salmon runs from the Columbia, which supply roughly<BR>
20 percent of the salmon harvested off Southeast Alaska. British<BR>
Columbia supplies another 15 percent. For more information, see the 31<BR>
July Vancouver Sun at: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/<BR>
vancouversun/archives/story.asp?id=3DE2D303C0-4173-44D6-9D05-D2C<BR>
D9FE9EE77. <BR>
<BR>
8:05/10. US SENATE ADOPTS LAST YEAR'S ENERGY=20=
BILL<BR>
POSSIBLY NIXING EXPLORATORY DRILLING IN OCS<BR>
MORATORIUM AREAS: Late 31 July, the U.S. Senate, before heading<BR>
off for its August recess, finally passed an energy bill. However, it<BR>
wasn't the energy bill being debated this session (see Sublegals, 7:25/05;<B=
R>
7:24/03; 7:19/10; 7:15/09; 7:14/01), but HR 6, last year's energy bill<BR>
(first passed in April 2002). The substitute bill was passed by a 84-14<BR>
vote and the measure now goes to conference committee with the House<BR>
version. <BR>
<BR>
While neither this year's nor last year's are consi=
dered very good<BR>
bills, last session's measure does not include the language allowing<BR>
exploratory "studies" in the current outer continental shelf (OCS)<BR>
moratorium areas, which include most of the California coast, Oregon<BR>
and Washington, Bristol Bay, the Florida Coast and New England<BR>
(Georges Bank). <BR>
<BR>
With respect to the Cubin language granting the Sec=
retary of Interior<BR>
unilateral permitting authority over all industrial projects in the 200-mile=
<BR>
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the 2003 House energy bill still<BR>
contains that language, although the 2002 Senate energy bill does not. <BR>
So these problematic Cubin/EEZ jurisdictional differences will need to<BR>
be resolved in conference. Although the dangerous deep-water drilling<=
BR>
incentives for Alaskan waters are not in the 2002 Senate energy bill,<BR>
conferees will still need to be watched carefully and dissuaded from<BR>
putting that provision back into any final bill. Fishing and conservation<BR=
>
groups have opposed the moratorium area study language. In<BR>
September, these groups will have to also keep an eye on the Interior<BR>
Appropriations bill and attempts to insert language into that measure to<BR>
allow drilling in Bristol Bay (see Sublegals 8:03/09). For more<=
BR>
information, see the 1 August Washington Post at:<BR>
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11019-2003Jul31.ht<BR>
ml. <BR>
<BR>
8:05/11. COASTA=
L PROTECTION BILL IN US SENATE: <BR>
When the U.S. Senate returns in September, they will have before them<BR>
S. 861, the "Coastal & Estuarine Land Protection Act" sponsored by<BR>
Senator Fritz Hollings (D-SC). S.861 calls for the protection of coastal<BR>
and estuarine areas that have "significant conservation, recreation,<BR>
ecological, historical or aesthetic values and are threatened by<BR>
development and other threats." At present, the bill has 25 Senate<BR>
bi-partisan co-sponsors and was assigned to the Senate Science,<BR>
Commerce & Transportation Committee where it was reported out to the<BR>
Senate floor with a minor amendment on 19 June. For more information<B=
R>
on the bill see: http://thomas.loc.gov.<BR>
<BR>
8:05/12. "THE FISHERMEN'S NON-PROFIT" - ARTICLE ON=20=
IFR<BR>
IN JULY FISHERMEN'S NEWS: The July issue of the Fishermen's<BR>
News (www.fishermensnews.com) features a full-length article on the<BR>
history and activities of the Institute for Fisheries Resources (IFR). The<B=
R>
article was to highlight the accomplishments of the organization on the<BR>
occasion of its 10th anniversary, looking at its work on behalf of fish<BR>
stocks and the fishing community. The Fishermen's News article is on<BR>
the Internet at: http://www.pcffa.org/fn-jul03.htm. Donations to suppo=
rt<BR>
the essential work of IFR (which includes this newsletter) are tax<BR>
deductible. <BR>
<BR>
8:05/13. RHODE ISLAND GOVERNOR SIGNS "FREEDOM=
TO<BR>
FISH" BILL UNDERCUTTING OVERFISHING CONTROLS: On 10<BR>
July, Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri signed a measure, dubbed<BR>
the "Freedom to Fish Act," S. 581, sponsored by the Recreational<BR>
Fishing Alliance (SFA). The bill gives a legal presumption of right to=
<BR>
anglers to fish that could only be curtailed by findings of a clear and<BR>
pressing conversation need, and only if it can be shown that less severe<BR>
measures (such as bag limits, season adjustments and minimum size<BR>
limits, etc.) could not provide adequate controls. <BR>
<BR>
The bill also requires extraordinarily stringent sc=
ientific review<BR>
standards before any marine protected areas could ever be imposed in<BR>
that state, and periodic reviews of any closures, with automatic<BR>
reopeners whenever such closures cannot be fully justified in accordance<BR>
with very high standards of proof. S. 581 can be found on the Rh=
ode<BR>
Island Legislative web site:<BR>
http://dirac.rilin.state.ri.us/BillStatus/Index1.htm.<BR>
<BR>
Such "Freedom to Fish" bills, while at first sight=20=
attractive, are being<BR>
pushed by RFA in most coastal states exclusively for the benefit of<BR>
recreational fishing interests, and would make it extremely difficult for<BR=
>
state fisheries managers to prevent or control recreational overfishing<BR>
except in the most egregious of circumstances. <BR>
<BR>
Moreover, no such rights are provided in any of the=
se bills to<BR>
commercial fishermen, allowing sportfishing groups potentially to<BR>
overfish fragile stocks with little control, while commercial fishermen<BR>
who share harvests for those stocks would bear most of the conservation<BR>
burden and be closed down. Commercial fishing closures appear to be<BR=
>
part of the underlying political agenda for similar "Freedom to Fish"<BR>
bills. Indeed, RFA websites announce their political purpose as<BR>
primarily to close down the U.S. commercial fishing industry and<BR>
reallocate stocks to recreational fishermen. For instance, see:<BR>
http://www.savefish.com/mission.htm.<BR>
<BR>
&nbs=
p; &n=
bsp; *******************<BR>
<BR>
Paying Attention? White House Advisor Karl Rove was in the news<BR>
because he did what regarding Klamath River salmon stocks? <BR>
<BR>
A) Advised the Interior Department to ignore ESA concerns for fish<BR>
survival and provide full flows to Basin irrigators to help reelect U.S.<BR>
Senator Gordon Smith. <BR>
B) Advised Senator Pete Domenici to pass last year's energy bill and,<BR>
instead, rammed through amendments to allow offshore oil drilling in<BR>
moratorium areas, including offshore the Klamath mouth, in conference<BR>
committee. <BR>
C) Advised Commerce Secretary Donald Evans to ignore the<BR>
Magnuson-Stevens Act and appoint RFA "Freedom Fighters" to regional<BR>
fishery management councils thus allowing overfishing by<BR>
sportfishermen. <BR>
D) Advised John Poindexter on the creation of a futures market to<BR>
predict Klamath fish kills.<BR>
E) Advised NFI to deny PCBs and other pollutants in fish cause health<BR>
problems, to facilitate an agriculture waste discharge waiver for Klamath<BR=
>
Basin growers (to dump irrigation tailwater contaminated with<BR>
dioxin-laden pesticides) requested by Congressman Greg Walden .<BR>
<BR>
E-Mail your answer to "Editor" at: sublegals@ifrfish.org. One winner is<BR>
drawn each week from a list of those submitting the correct answer. <BR>
<BR>
And the Winner is........UFA's MARK VINSEL, who correctly<BR>
answered, "B) The oil industry, which is seeking to get out from under<BR>
removal and clean-up costs by leaving the rigs in place or on the sea<BR>
bottom for 'benign' uses" to last issue's question of who is backing the<BR>
"Rigs-to-Reefs" legislation.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
NEWS, COMMENTS, CORRECTIONS: Submit your news items,<BR>
comments or any corrections to Sara Randall, editor at:<BR>
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source at either: (415) 561-FISH (Southwest Office) or (541) 689-2000<BR>
(Northwest Office). <BR>
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