Taking aim at 'lavish lifestyles'

Congressman Don Young has another idea to get at the Russians: Seize their superyachts.

Protecting oceans, or creating bureaucracy?

Alaska Congressman Don Young says he's introduced legislation to "direct NOAA to establish the American Fisheries Advisory Committee." Here's the press release.

About that $300M in COVID-19 relief

This just in from Alaska Congressman Don Young:

Alaska's fishing industry is a critical economic driver for our state. Unsurprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted fisheries across our country. I sent a bipartisan letter with over 35 House colleagues to the U.S. Department of Commerce, urging immediate distribution of the assistance secured by Congress in the CARES Act to fishery participants, including tribal, subsistence, commercial, and charter fishery participants. Fishing communities are facing extreme hardship, and I will continue doing all I can to support them and the fishermen who depend on these good jobs. Click here to read our full letter.

Obama administration doesn't like Young's bill

The Obama administration last week issued a statement indicating Alaska Congressman Don Young's rewrite of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act might not pass muster with the president.

If Obama were presented with Young's legislation (H.R. 1335), "his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill," the statement says.

The Magnuson-Stevens Act is the foremost federal law guiding management of the nation's commercial fisheries.

Young says his legislation would reauthorize and "strengthen" the act.

But the administration statement says in part:

H.R. 1335 would interfere with the tremendous success achieved in rebuilding overfished fisheries by setting rebuilding targets that are not based on sound, credible science, and that unnecessarily extend the time to rebuild fisheries. In making these changes, H.R. 1335 introduces a series of ambiguous provisions that could improperly extend rebuilding periods, delaying the significant economic and environmental benefits of rebuilt fisheries to both fishermen and the Nation as a whole.

Young's bill passed the House Natural Resources Committee on April 30.

Young offers marine sanctuary bill

U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, has introduced legislation (H.R. 332) that could make it harder to designate marine sanctuaries off Alaska.

The text of the bill is not yet available.

Begich, Young net UFA endorsements

U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, says United Fishermen of Alaska has endorsed his re-election bid.

The Begich campaign says longtime Alaska Congressman Don Young, a Republican, also has UFA's support.

Read more here.

UFA is the state's top commercial fishing organization. No word yet whether the group likes Gov. Sean Parnell for another term.

Is Congressman Young in trouble?

The House Committee on Ethics has opened an investigation into U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska.

The committee will look at "allegations that he, or persons acting on his behalf, improperly obtained, received, or accepted gifts, improperly used official resources or campaign funds for personal purposes, failed to report certain gifts on his annual Financial Disclosure Statements, and made false statements to federal officials."

Naturally, this is getting widespread attention. Here are links to a few news reports:

APRN
Anchorage Daily News
The Washington Post
The Washington Times

Fear of super salmon

As has been widely reported, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has made a preliminary finding that production of a genetically engineered line of supersized Atlantic salmon "would not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment in the United States."

A Boston-based company, AquaBounty Technologies, wants to produce eggs at a facility on Canada's Prince Edward Island, then ship the eggs to a land-based salmon grow-out facility in the highlands of Panama.

Market-sized fish would be processed into fillets and steaks in Panama prior to retail sale in the United States.

Naturally, Alaska's wild salmon industry and its political defenders believe this is just a horrible idea, and are resisting in much the same way they have always resisted competition from aquaculture.

Last week, Alaska Sen. Mark Begich introduced a bill to bar sales of genetically engineered salmon in the United States unless another agency, NOAA, also finds it would have no significant impact.

"The FDA lacks the expertise to judge the impact of escaped Frankenfish on wild salmon stocks," Begich said.

Alaska Congressman Don Young likewise aims to make life difficult for AquaBounty salmon. He has offered a bill to "require all genetically engineered fish sold for consumption to be labeled as such."

The FDA is taking public comment on its preliminary finding until Feb. 25.

Bills aim to protect fishing permits from creditors

Below is a joint press release from Alaska's congressional delegation.

The legislation was filed as S. 608 in the Senate and H.R. 1210 in the House.

March 18, 2011

Alaska delegation introduces Maritime Lien Reform Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Alaska delegation on Thursday introduced the Maritime Lien Reform Act of 2011.

The legislation would protect fishermen who hold Alaska commercial fishing permits.

The legislation also would prohibit maritime liens from being imposed on permits and protect the right of fishermen to continue to earn a livelihood by engaging in commercial fishing. Similar legislation was introduced in 2006 and 2008 but neither bill became law.

"The legislation is imperative to protect all fishermen's ability to continue to make a living and provide income for their families and to meet their debts," Sen. Lisa Murkowski said. "It will keep fishermen on the water employed with the one asset in which they can keep earning a living and address their creditors."

"Commercial fishing is the backbone of the economy in Alaska's coastal communities and an individual's fishing permit needs to be protected," Sen. Mark Begich said. "This bill will prevent fishermen from having a lien slapped on their ability to fish, and allow them to work through problems they may have. It will help keep permits in local communities and keep fishermen working."

"Commercial fishing is one of the largest industries in our state and a valuable commodity not only to Alaska but to the country," Rep. Don Young said. "This bill protects fishermen's ability to make a profit and pay off their debts without taking away their prime source of income. Debts cannot be paid off if there are no earnings, so this legislation is a win-win for fishermen, creditors and Alaska."

Alaska law already prohibits liens on Alaska limited entry permits, but a court decision threw that into doubt by determining that a fishing license was subject to a maritime lien under federal admiralty law. The decision has become the rationale for attempts to take Alaska fishing permits in federal bankruptcy court and the legislation is the best way to protect these permits and fishermen.

The legislation would not only benefit Alaskan residents. There are over 13,000 individuals who hold Alaska commercial entry permits. While approximately 75 percent of the permits are held by Alaska residents, permit holders live in all 50 states.

Alaska's big three incumbents look like winners

Murkowski, right, sitting pretty election night. Deckboss photo

Alaska's incumbent Gov. Sean Parnell and longtime Congressman Don Young, both Republicans, cruised to apparent victory Tuesday night.

The numbers also looked favorable for U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who was forced to run as a write-in candidate after losing the Republican primary to Joe Miller.

With nearly 99 percent of precincts reporting, the write-in votes stood at 81,876 or 41 percent of the total, compared to 68,288 or 34.2 percent for Miller and 47,414 or 23.7 percent for Democrat Scott McAdams.

Barring a reversal of fortune, or a successful legal challenge from Miller, Murkowski appears to have pulled off the very rare feat of winning a Senate seat as a write-in.

PVOA likes Republican incumbents

The Petersburg Vessel Owners Association favors U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, U.S. Rep. Don Young and Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell in the Nov. 2 election.

Here are the written endorsements: Murkowski, Young, Parnell.

Don Young says he's in the clear

This was posted today on U.S. Rep. Don Young's website:

A Statement From The Office Of Congressman Young

Washington D.C., Aug 4 —

Congressman Young's legal team has been notified that after full cooperation from the Congressman, the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice has concluded their investigation and declined prosecution of Congressman Young.