FDA and EPA advice
The FDA and EPA listed shrimp as a “Best Choice” of seafood for its nutritional content in its recently released advice regarding eating fish for those who might become or are pregnant or breastfeeding and children ages 1 – 11 years. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends pregnant or breastfeeding women consume a variety of seafood from lower mercury choices—between […]
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Trump Signs Legislation to Permanently Exempt Shrimpers
Last week the Southern Shrimp Alliance reported that both the House and Senate had finally passed legislation (S. 140) to make permanent a temporary legislative exemption for shrimp fishing vessels from an extremely onerous and unnecessary EPA Vessel Incidental Discharge Permit requirement. (Find more background on the permit here.) SSA is very happy to report that this legislation was sent […]
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Patience, Persistence and Prayers Pay-Off with Long-Sought Exemption for Shrimpers
*Revised 12/6/18 to update links to EPA. The Southern Shrimp Alliance has been deeply engaged in protecting shrimp vessel owners throughout the Gulf and South Atlantic region from the onerous and expensive requirements of an EPA permit under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) literally ever since a 2005 federal court decision imposed those requirements on commercial fishing vessels […]
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Giving Texas Agriculture a Voice on Capitol Hill
By Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller 2015 has been a great year for Texas agriculture. Our state was blessed with beneficial rainfall. Farmers have experienced bountiful harvests, and we’re seeing our ranchers start to rebuild their herds after the devastating drought our state experienced. Any farmer or rancher will tell you to count your blessings but keep your eye on […]
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Making Progress on Relief for Shrimp Vessels
Today the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee adopted two of the Southern Shrimp Alliance’s legislative priorities– 1) Repeal of the current statutory requirement for any newly built commercial fishing vessel greater than 50 ft. LOA operating beyond 3 nm to be designed, constructed and maintained according to the standards of a classification society, and to be certified […]
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EPA vessel discharge permit signed by President
The President signed into law the “Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014” which includes the provision to extend for three years the current exemption for all fishing vessels of any size from the EPA NPDES discharge permit requirements. The EPA regulations were poised to take effect today. This was accomplished by a lot of industry folks working together […]
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EPA VESSEL DISCHARGE PERMIT LEGISLATION
Confirmed. The Senate just passed and amended version of H.R. 5769 the “Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014” that now includes a 3-year extension of the current exemption for all commercial fishing vessels regardless of size (and all commercial non-fishing vessels less than 79 ft) from the EPA incidental discharge permit requirement. The amended bill now […]
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Vessel Discharge Permit
Currently, all vessels less than 79 feet are exempt from the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System requirements but this will change on December 19, 2014 if the Bill to extend the exemption for vessels less than 79 feet is not passed. Because of conditions in Washington and the time remaining for congressional action there is a chance […]
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UNPRECEDENTED FISHING INDUSTRY SUPPORT FOR SENATE VESSEL DISCHARGE PERMIT EXEMPTION BILL
Working in coalition with representatives of the Garden State Seafood Association, the West Coast Seafood Processors Association, and the National Association of Charterboat Operators, the Southern Shrimp Alliance has played a leading role in generating a powerful letter of support to the United States Senate for S.2904 – the “Vessel Incidental Discharge Act”. http://www.shrimpalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/cialFishingandCharterFishingLetterofSupportApril12014.pdf The bill will make permanent the […]
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IMPORTANT PROGRESS MADE ON VESSEL DISCHARGE PERMIT EXEMPTION LEGISLATION
In the United States Senate: Senators Begich (D-AK) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) have crafted a bipartisan bill– S. 2094; the “Vessel Incidental Discharge Act” to establish a uniform national system of environmentally sound standards and requirements governing ballast water discharges and other discharges incidental to the normal operation of vessels. The primary focus of the bill is on effectively regulating […]