Alabama
Congress has passed and President Obama has signed into law a year-end spending and tax deal that includes important relief for seasonal seafood, tourism and restaurant employers around the Gulf and across the country. For more than a year, the Gulf Seafood Institute has joined with dozens of small business stakeholders to fight for the fixes included in H-2B legislation which will go into effect immediately.
The Fiscal Year 2016 Omnibus Appropriations Act heading to the White House for a Presidential signature includes $10 million for Gulf of Mexico fisheries data collection, stock assessments and research due to the tireless efforts led by Alabama’s Senator Richard Shelby and Florida’s Representative David Jolly.
Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker has appointed Gulf Seafood Institute’s President Harlon Pearce, along with three other new advisors, to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee.
The Gulf charter-for-hire fleet is making yet another leap towards greater accountability as nearly 200 charter-for-hire boats become equipped with electronic data collection systems that will allow for accurate and real time data on red snapper and other critically important recreational species.
Recently introduced legislation by Congressman David Jolly of Florida will hopefully lead to a more accurate count of red snapper and other reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico.
Festive occasions. Loved ones gathered together. Familiar holiday tunes. And a delectable aroma coming from the kitchen. Must be Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season. And if a mouthwatering oyster dressing rounds out that holiday meal, well shucks, that’s some good holiday eatin’!
Legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives to reform the H-2B seasonal guest-worker program.
Regional management of the Gulf red snapper fishery continued to be a hot topic during the last Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council of 2015 held at the Hilton Galveston Island hotel.
Two new oil spill science outreach publications have been released from the Sea Grant Oil Spill Science Outreach Team. They focus on fishery landing and disasters and the impact of the BP Deepwater Horizon spill on Gulf seafood.
Steve Crockett planted the first off-bottom oysters in the Gulf as a reef restoration projects for the Mobile Bay National Estuary program. Fifteen years later Point Aux Pins Oysters is one of the largest Gulf off-bottom oyster operations supplying restaurants and grocery chains across the South.
Sitting on a beach enjoying the sunset has been a perk enjoyed by Jennifer Young during her last seven years as a food safety specialist based in Hawaii, but in her heart she missed the bayous of Louisiana and the Gulf seafood she enjoyed.
Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske listened earlier this week as members of the Gulf seafood and business communities expressed concerns over H2B visa issues, international seafood safety and testing, international food coding and other issues.
In a highly contested vote, the Gulf Council voted to remove snapper quota from the commercial fishery while allocating additional quota to the recreational sector.
After a very successful two-year Founding Member period, GSI is now initiating its standing, long-term dues structure recently approved by the Board of Directors. With this new dues structure, GSI will be well positioned to solicit new members as the organization continues to grow in numbers and scope.
Are you a hardworking commercial fishing family determined to keep your way of life alive? If so an award winning production company developing a documentary reality series about multi-generational fishing families is looking for you.
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