Commercial and sport charter groups urge action on vessel discharge bills
SEAFOODNEWS.COM By Peggy Parker - Nov. 25, 2014
Last week two bills were introduced in the U.S. Senate to extend an exemption, expiring next month, for commercial and charter fishing vessels from incidental vessel discharge rules.
If the exemption expires, fishing vessels across the nation will be subject to regulations that would, as Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski says, “impose operational limitations and physical modifications to vessels, many of which just do not make sense for fishing vessels, including trying to limit the ‘environmental impacts of rainwater or waves running off their deck.’ ”
By the end of the day yesterday, an impressive group of 50 individuals and organizations representing most of the nation’s fisheries, came together to urge the Senate to take whatever action it could before Congress adjourns for the year...
To Read Full Story Login Below.