Alaskan Native and Representative Peltola Part of Bipartisan American Seafood Caucus

U.S. Representatives Garret Graves (R-LA), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Rob Wittman (R-VA), and Mary Peltola (D-AK) recently initiated the bipartisan American Seafood Caucus. This group aims to create a unified platform for discussing seafood policies, emphasizing the importance of domestic seafood over foreign products that may not meet U.S. quality, sustainability, or legal standards. The caucus’s co-chairs, representing all major U.S. coastlines, seek to include diverse members from various regions, underlining their commitment to a level playing field for American seafood in global and domestic markets.

Graves highlighted the struggles of Louisiana’s fishing communities against unfair trade practices, inflation, and natural disasters, noting the regional differences in seafood policy but emphasizing commonalities.

“In Louisiana, we’ve seen our fishing communities struggle to survive against unfair trade practices, crippling inflation, and energy costs, as well as natural disasters. Members of Congress often have regional differences in our approach to seafood policy, but we have more issues in common than we often realize, and the caucus gives us a platform to find solutions. Our south Louisiana communities stand to gain from this bipartisan effort,” Graves said.

Kilmer spoke of the seafood tradition in his region, from the Puget Sound to the Pacific Ocean, and the caucus’s dedication to preserving this heritage and promoting industry sustainability. Wittman pointed out Virginia’s rich maritime history and the economic significance of its seafood industry, expressing pride in joining this bipartisan effort to support sustainable practices and economic growth in coastal communities.

“For generations, from the Puget Sound to the Pacific Ocean, seafood has been more than a source of sustenance – it’s been a way of life for folks from our region,” Kilmer said. “Today, members of the bipartisan American Seafood Caucus stand united in our commitment to safeguarding this heritage. We’re dedicated to ensuring that our seafood industry thrives – creating jobs, powering local economies, and putting us on a sustainable path so that future generations can fish for salmon, dig for clams, and enjoy Dungeness crab at the annual seafood festival in my hometown. Together, we’ll advocate not just for the health of our waters but the health of our people and our communities.”

Rep. Wittman spoke of the initiative, “The Commonwealth of Virginia boasts a rich maritime heritage and a vibrant seafood industry, which have been a major economic driver for generations,” Wittman said. “I’m proud to join my colleagues from across the aisle and country to launch the American Seafood Caucus, which will enable Congress to champion our nation’s seafood industry by promoting sustainable practices, economic growth, and job creation in our coastal communities.”

Peltola emphasized the nutritional and quality aspects of American and Alaskan seafood, its global reach, and its importance in the food system. She stressed the need for a national strategy to counteract harmful fishing practices and market flooding by countries like Russia and China, and expressed pride in co-founding the caucus to protect America’s domestic fishermen and oceans.

“American and Alaskan seafood feeds millions at home and around the world,” Peltola said. “It is nutritious, sustainable, and among the highest quality in the world. It is as important to our food system as other agricultural products. The federal government should treat it that way and prioritize the health and productivity of our oceans. Right now, Russia and China are pursuing exploitative trawling that is damaging our fisheries and processing that is flooding the global market with environmentally harmful, unethically produced seafood. America needs a national strategy to respond and protect our domestic fishermen. I am proud to co-found this bipartisan caucus and help lead the way for all of America’s oceans.”