[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 18, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6599-S6600]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. MURKOWSKI:
  S. 1521. A bill to prohibit Federal agencies from requiring seafood 
to be certified as sustainable by a third party nongovernmental 
organization and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I rise to discuss the Responsible 
Seafood Certification and Labeling Act which I am introducing today. 
This bill addresses an issue of great importance to fishermen, seafood 
producers and coastal communities in my state and around the country--
the issue of how fisheries are managed sustainably. Based on the most 
recent economic data, the Alaska seafood industry supported more than 
63,000 direct jobs and contributed over $4.6 billion to the state's 
economy. Nationally, those numbers go up to 165,800 total jobs and an 
economic contribution of $15.7 billion.
  The salmon fisheries are a major part of my State's seafood economy 
and commercial fishermen around the State harvested more than 265 
million salmon this season. With nearly 1 in 7 Alaskans employed in the 
commercial seafood industry, and numbers like the ones I just shared, 
you can understand why I take seriously how the Federal Government 
affects my State's fishermen.
  On June 5, the National Park Service announced new guidelines to 
promote healthy food options for concessionaires at National Park 
Service facilities. These guidelines include the following statement:

       Where seafood options are offered, provide only those that 
     are `Best Choice' or `Good

[[Page S6600]]

     Alternatives' on the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch 
     list, certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship 
     Council, or identified by an equivalent program that has been 
     approved by the NPS.

  Within the week, I was hearing from constituents, and they were not 
happy. Digging further into the origins led to policies developed by 
the Department of Health and Human Services and the General Services 
Administration that served as precursors to the NPS Guidelines, and an 
indication that this is a broader problem within the Federal 
Government.
  How bad could this be? Why are these guidelines a problem? Why I am 
so concerned? Before delving into those questions, I want to 
acknowledge what some of you may know: Alaska salmon is a `Best Choice' 
according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. You can check your smart phone 
app. Problem solved, no impediment to the Park Service allowing its 
vendors to serve Wild Alaska salmon to its visitors, or any other 
Federal agency creating a problem for wild Alaska seafood . . . right? 
Wrong! It is a problem, a big problem, and here is why.
  I believe it is bad Federal policy to allow third party certifiers, 
including Non-Governmental Organizations, NGOs, from the UK, to be the 
arbiters of what seafood is allowed to be sold in National Parks, or 
procured by Federal agencies. Not too long ago, wild Alaska salmon 
served as the flagship species for--MSC. Now MSC is disparaging the 
``sustainability'' of Alaska salmon. These NGOs have political agendas, 
lack transparency, and are soliciting payment for their certification 
schemes. These NGOs are meddling, and their efforts to usurp Federal 
and State management expertise is harming U.S. seafood interests. What 
started as voluntary efforts to differentiate well-managed fisheries, 
to create market value for seafood products, to reward responsible 
fishermen and processors, has turned into an aggressive scheme 
apparently intent on taking over federal and state management 
responsibilities, intruding into the fabric of fisheries management in 
my State and around the country. The U.S. currently spends almost a 
billion tax dollars each year to sustainably manage American fisheries 
in compliance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act. There is no reason to let 
groups with no accountability interfere with this process.
  On July 12 I sent a letter to HHS, GSA, and the Park Service stating 
my concerns, defending wild Alaska seafood, and requesting that all 
three agency heads meet with me to discuss how to change these 
guidelines. At an Energy and Natural Resources Committee oversight 
hearing on the Park Service's maintenance backlog, I questioned 
Director Jarvis on this issue. When Director Jarvis responded that he 
would make sure wild Alaska seafood would be included, I said that is 
not good enough, this is a national issue important to seafood 
interests around the country, and federal agency regulations, policies 
and guidelines need to be changed to eliminate the references to third 
party certification NGOs.
  The bill I am introducing today will prohibit any U.S. Federal agency 
from requiring or endorsing the use of any third party non-governmental 
organization's label, criteria or other scheme to certify fish or 
seafood as sustainable. This prohibition will apply to any federal 
agency's purchase of fish or seafood, the sale of fish or seafood by a 
vendor or lessee on federal land or property, and any reference to a 
seafood sustainability standard developed by a third party non-
governmental organization in any regulation, policy or guideline.
  This is the right Federal policy for the Alaska seafood industry, and 
for our Nation's fishermen and coastal communities that depend on 
healthy and sustainable fisheries. It also is the right policy to 
ensure that hard working fishermen and the coastal communities that 
depend on them are not disadvantaged by the agenda of several misguided 
NGOs.
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