Support for Sea Grant

U.S. senators including Washington's Maria Cantwell and Alaska's Dan Sullivan are sponsoring legislation to reauthorize the National Sea Grant College Program. Here's a press release.

Washington watch

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, says she secured a pledge from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to "convene a meeting with Alaska seafood stakeholders on trade issues with Russia and ways the administration can help bolster the industry."

U.S. Rep. Nick Begich, R-Alaska, and colleagues have introduced legislation to reauthorize the Young Fishermen's Development Act.

Upcoming

Here are a couple of significant Outside events to watch.

• On June 4 in Washington, D.C., the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will hold a hearing on "Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness." More details here.

• The North Pacific Fishery Management Council will meet June 5-10 in Newport, Oregon. The council, based in Anchorage, manages fisheries off Alaska and includes voting members from Alaska, Washington and Oregon.

Washington watch

Here are two notes of interest from the nation's capital.

• U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and colleagues have introduced legislation to help seafood processors meet labor needs.

• U.S. Rep. Nick Begich, R-Alaska, is cosponsoring a bill to establish "a dedicated secretary of the Coast Guard, providing the service with the same level of leadership and representation as the Army, Navy and Air Force."

Bill would expand Farm Credit System for fishing

U.S. Sens. Angus King, of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, are among sponsors of the legislation. More details in this press release.

Washington watch

A huge year-end funding bill includes $300 million in a section titled "fisheries disaster assistance."

The bill is meant to avert a government shutdown, but some GOP lawmakers and President-elect Trump don't like it.

Fish and the farm bill

Two top commercial fishing organizations like the new farm bill taking shape in Congress.

United Fishermen of Alaska

Seafood Harvesters of America

'Nothing is more critical'

Fishing and processing groups recently sent this letter to Congress urging adequate funding for federal fisheries surveys.

Speeding up disaster relief

Alaska's congressional delegation is sponsoring legislation to expedite federal aid following fishery disaster declarations.

Mary Peltola sworn in as Alaska's U.S. rep

Here's her congressional website.

Firing back at Russia

Amid all the trouble over Ukraine, Alaska members of Congress have introduced bills to ban Russian seafood imports.

Here's a press release from Rep. Don Young, and another from Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan.

Help urged for seafood processors

"Federal support to help seafood processors weather the pandemic is urgently needed — without it, our nation's entire seafood industry may falter," says this congressional letter to the Biden administration.

'Dangerous and completely unacceptable'

Here is remarkable congressional testimony from Stephanie Madsen, executive director of the At-sea Processors Association, describing the American fishing fleet's recent encounter with the Russian military in the Bering Sea.

$300 million for fisheries

The U.S. Senate last night passed a gigantic coronavirus economic rescue package that includes $300 million in assistance to "fishery participants."

Here's the actual language from the bill (H.R. 748). The language begins:

"The Secretary of Commerce is authorized to provide assistance to Tribal, subsistence, commercial, and charter fishery participants affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which may include direct relief payments."

The $2 trillion bill still needs House and presidential approval.

Congressional hearing set on fishery disasters

Details in this press release.

Washington watch

We have a major congressional hearing Thursday on "North Pacific Perspectives on Magnuson-Stevens Act Reauthorization."

Click here for details, including the witness list.

Alaska to receive $21 million in disaster aid

Alaska will receive nearly $21 million of the $75 million Congress recently appropriated for fishery disaster relief nationally.

Here's the official announcement.

Federal officials in 2012 declared a disaster in Alaska due to poor Chinook salmon returns to the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers, as well as Cook Inlet.

A 'Deadliest Catch' captain goes to Washington

CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, left, with Keith Colburn, captain of the Bering Sea crab boat Wizard. Twitter photo @crabwizard

Keith Colburn, owner and captain of the Bering Sea crab boat Wizard, went to Washington, D.C., last week to talk about how the partial government shutdown threatens to delay Tuesday's start of the red king crab season.

"I’m a small businessman in a big ocean with big bills. I need to go fishing," Colburn said during a Friday hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee.

Read his written testimony here.

Colburn, whose boat is featured on the TV show "Deadliest Catch," also paid a visit to CNN.

Shutdown threatens to delay king crab fishery

In this floor speech, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., explains how a continuing government shutdown could cost the Alaska fishing industry millions of dollars.

Congress to explore sustainable seafood labeling

A U.S. Senate subcommittee is holding a hearing today on "The Role of Certification in Rewarding Sustainable Fishing."

The star witness will be Jeff Rice of Walmart.

Stefanie Moreland, a special assistant to Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell, also will testify.