Ernest Rodrigue
April 16, 2007
Antoinette Rodrigue
April 18, 2007
Legal actions taken by a rival shrimp advocacy group demanding an administrative review of tariffs on foreign shrimp could delay payments to fishermen, according to members of the Southern Shrimp Alliance.
Over 150 shrimpers were on hand Thursday night at the Larose Civic Center to hear an update from SSA board representatives Cathy Blanchard, of Cut Off, and Scott St. Pierre, of Golden Meadow.
The SSA is an alliance of shrimp fishermen from eight states who have brought successful tariff actions against six foreign countries.
To date, $102 million in tariff monies have been allocated to affected fishermen in the eight-state region, with almost $40 million of that going to shrimping interests in Louisiana, Blanchard said.
Future tariff money could be delayed n or not received at all n if the Louisiana Shrimp Association continues its demand to have tariffs on foreign shrimp reviewed, Blanchard and St. Pierre told the crowd. The organization is seeking the review in the wake of a U.S. Department of Commerce finding that the foreign shrimpers dumped underpriced shrimp in the U.S. market, to determine if additional tariffs can be charged.
“The 2007 (tariff) distributions are at risk,” Blanchard said, urging shrimpers to “take a stand and call their legislators at the state and federal level.” Attendees were given the names and addresses of all the elected officials to be contacted.
“We will get nothing if the LSA does not back off on their demands for an administrative review,” she said.
An administrative review would closely examine the actions of exporting countries. According to federal regulations, monies cannot be dispensed for the year if the request for the review is not disposed of by June, said SSA attorney Brad Ward.
The SSA initiated the trade action against six exporting countries, St. Pierre told the LSA members. “We won and we received the money from those countries that went to many of you, and to some LSA members as well. The money also allowed us (SSA) to hire a staff and attorneys to keep fighting for you. LSA opposed the actions and they are still fighting us. Their [the LSA’s] request for an administrative review could keep this money in limbo for months or even longer,” he said.
Both St. Pierre and Blanchard urged the shrimp fishermen to contact state and federal lawmakers and ask that the review quickly be cancelled. Attendees were given sample letters to send to legislators.
Attempts to contact LSA representatives for comment on the matter were unsuccessful as of press time.
Sharon Fabre, wife of LSA board member A.J. Fabre, said that she could not comment on the matter and that her husband was unavailable for comment on the issue.
