Legislation to create an industry-led committee to assist in the administration of fisheries marketing research and development grants has passed both houses of Congress and is now heading for President Biden’s desk.
“For too long, these Alaskans have not had a voice in directing the millions of federal grant dollars toward the priorities and needs of the fishing industry,” said Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, who introduced the legislation. “No longer. Once my American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act is signed into law, our fishermen will again have a seat at the table to offer appropriate input and oversight of the Saltonstall-Kennedy grant process, identify opportunities for improvement and growth, and maintain Alaska’s status as the superpower of seafood.”
The bill was cosponsored by Senators Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, Ed Markey, D-Mass, Maria Cantwell, D-Wash, Marco Rubio, R-Fla, and Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.
The committee will be responsible for identifying needs of fishing communities that may be addressed by a project funded with a grant. The Secretary of Commerce will appoint 22 people, three from each of six regions set-up in the bill, plus four at-large members.
The Saltonstall-Kennedy (SK) Act provides funding for fisheries marketing, research, and development. These funds are derived from a portion of fishery import duties. To inform how these funds are allocated, Congress authorized a group of experts from different segments of the fishing industry to advise on commercial fishing problems and needs. Following a 1972 law, the original American Fisheries Advisory Committee was disbanded. In the committee’s absence, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) decides, by its own criteria, who receives grants. In some cases, the priorities of the fishing industry and Alaska fishermen do not match those of NMFS. The American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act would bring back the board of experts, with members chosen regionally and across all sectors of the fishing industry, to bring fishermen back into the process of identifying needs and funding priorities.
In 2021, NMFS issued 43 grants worth $11 million. The American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act has garnered the support of a number of organizations, including the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, the United Fishermen of Alaska, and the North Pacific Fisheries Association.
