Sunday, September 29, 2013


IUU Fishing and Ocean Acidification – Sea Port’s Letter to Congress:



Dear Senator Reid, Speaker Boehner, Senator McConnell, and Representative Pelosi,

Sea Port Products Corp is a member of a diverse group of stakeholders that share a common interest in healthy U.S. fisheries that support a robust domestic seafood industry and vibrant coastal communities. We are writing to urge you to support and quickly pass the International Fisheries Stewardship and Enforcement Act (S. 269/ H.R. 69) and the Pirate Fishing Elimination Act (S. 267) and to ratify the Port State Measures Agreement.  These bipartisan bills and the agreement would improve the detection and prosecution of illegal fishing on the high seas, keep suspected foreign illegal fishers out of U.S. ports, and protect U.S. fishermen, our domestic seafood supply, and enhance the sustainability of global marine fisheries. 

While we overwhelmingly support the passing of S. 269/H.R. 69, S. 267, and the Port State Measures Agreement, Sea Port would like to bring to your attention the larger crisis of emerging ocean acidification.  We believe that the increase in ocean acidity and global warming caused by the record levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere could have profound negative effects on the entire world’s fisheries that dwarf the current regulatory issues of illegal fishing, overfishing, and bycatch.

The global burning of fossil fuels, wood, and other organic matter to provide energy for a growing world population produces an ever-increasing concentration of atmospheric CO2 that both warms and acidifies our oceans.  Ocean acidification is inhibiting the ability of shellfish larvae and certain plankton to incorporate calcium into their bodies to assure their proper development and survival.  It is possible that the emerging negative consequences of ocean acidification will make all historical overfishing damages look tame by comparison.

Thank you for your consideration of passing S.269/H.R.69 & S.267 and the agreement.  In addition, thank you for considering the much wider focused perspective that identifies the increasing atmospheric concentration of CO2 and the emerging negative impacts it has on the entire world’s marine ecosystems.

David Glaubke, Director of Sustainability Initiatives

Note to Sea Port’s industry partners/customers:  Please use all or any portion of this letter to voice your support for these bills directly with your Congressional & House Representatives.

Please feel free to leave any comments or opinions.