Letter to Chairmen Cochran and Shelby and Senators Byrd and Mikulski
Dear Chairmen Cochran and Shelby and Senators Byrd and Mikulski:
As you prepare the supplemental appropriations bill for fiscal year 2006, we respectfully request that you include $20 million in emergency funding to assist shellfishermen in New England's coastal communities, who are suffering severe economic impacts from last year's disastrous red tide outbreak, greater than any the region has had in more than 30 years.
The red tide - caused by toxic algae - led to the closure of shellfish beds along New England's coast for much of May through September 2005. In Massachusetts alone, 1.3 million acres --- 77 percent --- of its marine waters were closed to harvesting shellfish, such as mussels, oysters and clams.
The red tide closures cost Massachusetts more than $10 million in shellfish landings and potentially much more in indirect costs to the fishing industry. Fisheries in Maine and New Hampshire also suffered significant losses from the closures. The coastal area from Gloucester, Massachusetts to Portland, Maine was closed to shellfishing beginning in the first week in May, and much of the remainder of Maine's coast was closed in subsequent weeks.
The closing of these beds in state and federal waters was necessary to prevent human consumption of the red tide toxins, but it created enormous hardship for New England shellfishermen and the industry itself, and this hardship has still not been adequately remedied.
In fact, on June 16, 2005, the Department of Commerce declared New England's red tide outbreak a commercial fishery failure eligible for assistance under Section 312(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. However, Section 312(a) assistance is contingent upon an appropriation.
We believe that the red tide outbreak along the coast of New England is an issue of national concern, and we urge the Committee to include $20 million to help mitigate its impact on our fishing communities.
With respect and appreciation, and we thank you for considering our request.
Sincerely,
Senator Edward M. Kennedy
Senator John F. Kerry
Senator Olympia Snowe
Senator Susan Collins
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