A blow struck for fishermen

It was nearly two months ago that more than 400 fishermen packed into an American Legion hall, where they addressed officials who took the time to meet with them and discuss the crisis gripping their industry, an event put together by the Louisiana Shrimp Association, which is emerging as a credible and powerful force on behalf of those who trawl and skim for a living.

If you were there you would have seen a living-color picture of the men and women who doggedly continue, despite every conceivable obstacle, that stands in their way.

They will meet again Aug. 8 at 3 p.m., also at the American Legion hall on Legion avenue in Houma.

Among the obstacles — as pointed out by the fishermen themselves at the June meeting — is the specter of global trade and its consequences.

This story has long been told, but largely ignored by the people who have a chance to do something about it.

U.S. Sen. John Kennedy took the time to attend the meeting. He listened. He spoke. He made a promise that he would help.

And he has.

Kennedy proposed an amendment to a key spending bill, the Interior, Environment, Financial Services, and General Government Appropriations Act of 2019. The bill provides money for a plethora of government services, including those performed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The amendment was cosponsored by Louisiana’s senior senator, Bill Cassidy.

Among other things, that agency is charged with is inspection of seafood that comes into this country to make sure it does not include bad things like banned antibiotics.

But there are so many inspectors and so for now only 2 percent of the shrimp that comes here from other places is checked.

Kennedy’s amendment allots an additional $3.1 million for stepped up inspections. The senate approved the amendment by a vote of 87-11 and the bill in its entirety now awaits senate approval. If passed it goes to President Donald Trump for his signature. If all goes well then by Kennedy’s estimate that extra money will result in 26 percent more inspections. The senator was able to overcome concerns that may have existed about protectionism by focusing, in an impassioned floor speech, on the health risks associated with shrimp raised in overseas aquaculture operations.

“Louisiana produces the best seafood in the world,” Kennedy said. “Unfortunately, our commercial fishermen have to compete with foreign fishermen who are unfairly subsidized by their governments, face virtually no environmental regulations and pump their product full of drugs. Other countries know they can cheat because the U.S. can only inspect a fraction of what’s coming in. That’s about to change.”

Cassidy also had strong words about the issues surrounding imports.

“Louisiana shrimpers are being undercut by inferior, uninspected seafood from foreign countries,” Cassidy said. “This measure increases the FDA’s ability to inspect foreign seafood coming into our country, protecting American consumers and Louisiana workers.”

There is also some news from the White House for shrimpers. A 10 percent U.S. tariff on Chinese shrimp is a possibility as part of a pending salvo in the burgeoning trade war between the two nations. Kennedy and other lawmakers who support Louisiana fishermen question the efficiency of tariffs, some of which are already in place thanks to a hard-won battle by the fishermen and processors who spent a lot of money to go the regulatory route. As Kennedy said during the Louisiana Shrimp Association meeting — and has fishermen have come to learn — tariffs are easily sidestepped by repackaging of shrimp subject to them, rerouting them through other nations.

For now, however, it appears that Kennedy and Cassidy have struck a successful blow on behalf of shrimpers who struggle because of low dockside prices brought about by the deluge of cheap overseas shrimp. For a change, fishermen may have something to smile about as they prepare for the coming August shrimp season. Their elected representatives are not only listening, but acting on their behalf.