Public
Fisheries Seminars
Posted:
10/21/04
On Wednesday,
December 1, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., the LSU AgCenter's Sea
Grant Marine Extension Program, in cooperation with the National
Fisherman Magazine, is sponsoring a day of Commercial Fishermen's
Seminars at the International Workboat Show at the Ernest
M. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.
This year, instead
of spreading the seminars over a variety of topics, the program
will focus on the situation within the shrimp industry. Only
three possible solutions to these difficult economic times
within the shrimp fishery exist: reducing imported shrimp,
increasing demand specifically for US-produced shrimp or changing
shrimp management to produce more profits per fisherman.
In addressing
the first option, the Southern Shrimp Alliance pursued and
won an antidumping petition against the six largest shrimp
exporting countries. For four of the six countries, the tariffs
was quite low though. Also, the likelihood of increased imports
from countries not petitioned against is high.
Efforts to promote
domestic shrimp have begun with formation of a corporation,
Wild American Shrimp Inc, to handle promotional funds and
direct promotion efforts. Promotion will be long term work.
The third option,
changing shrimp management, is the subject of the seminars.
Discussion will open with a presentation by the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) on what they learned from their intensive
series of public meetings on their Shrimp Business Plan and
what they plan to do from here.
The NMFS presentation
will be followed by three presentations on the challenges
and opportunities in changed shrimp management as seen from
the state level. John Roussel of Louisiana, Vernon Minton
of Alabama and Robin Riechers from Texas will make these presentations.
Attendance is free. MARK YOUR CALENDARS.
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