Increases
in Shrimp Gear & Dealer Fees to Fund Shrimp Anti-dumping
Petition
Posted:
10/14/04
Louisiana licensed
shrimpers and the wholesale/retail seafood dealers who purchase
shrimp will pay additional fees in license years 2005 and
2006 to help fund the shrimp anti-dumping petition.
To assist the Louisiana
shrimp industry and counter the illegal importation of unfairly
priced foreign shrimp into the United States, Act 904 of the
2004 regular legislative session requires commercial fishermen
who purchase gear licenses for trawl, skimmer or butterfly
nets to pay a new annual fee.
Endorsed by the
Louisiana Wild Caught Shrimp Trade Action Advisory Council,
the act stipulates payment only once during each of the two
years, regardless of the number of shrimp net gear licenses
purchased. The additional annual fees are $10 for residents
and $40 for nonresidents, increasing the total annual fees
to $20 for residents and $80 for nonresidents. All new fees
collected are to be deposited into the Shrimp Trade Petition
Account.
This new fee is
in addition to the shrimp gear fee currently collected for
deposit into the Seafood Marketing and Promotion Account for
shrimp marketing and promotional activities administered by
the Louisiana Seafood Marketing and Promotion Board.
Additionally, any
wholesale/retail seafood dealer who is required to pay shrimp
excise tax will also pay a new annual fee of $150 for residents
and $600 for nonresidents. Any wholesale/retail seafood dealer
who bought, sold, acquired, handled or purchased in excess
of 250,000 pounds of shrimp equivalent to head-on weight during
the previous license year will pay an additional annual fee
of $1,000. These fees are also for deposit into the Shrimp
Trade Petition Account and will be assessed for license years
2005
and 2006 only.
LDWF license renewal
notices sent to shrimpers and to wholesale/retail dealers
who purchase shrimp will contain reminders concerning these
new fees. Commercial licenses for license year 2005 will be
available for purchase beginning November 15, 2004. It is
estimated that these new fees will generate approximately
$268,000 annually over the next two years to fund the trade
action.
In June, Governor
Kathleen Blanco authorized the use of $350,000 in federal
grant funds (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/U.S.
Department of Commerce Award No. NA03NMF45203) in support
of the trade action. The Louisiana Wild Caught Shrimp Trade
Action Advisory Council is also continuing to examine and
recommend additional funding sources in support of the trade
action.
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