Press Release

United States Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Tim Bishop blasted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for failing to properly notify the local fishing industry that a closure of the squid fishery was imminent, costing local fishermen thousands of dollars in haul preparation costs that cannot be recovered. Last Friday, NOAA sent out notification to a limited universe of fishing interests, via fax, notifying them that the 90 percent of the Longfin Squid fishery had been harvested and would be closed the following Monday. Word of the impending closure did not reach many in the industry until days later, after many boats were at sea, having purchased fuel, ice, and provisions for up to five days. To ensure a communication failure of this size does not happen again and cost the already struggling industry tens of thousands of dollars, Schumer, Gillibrand, and Bishop called on NOAA to revamp its notification system to include opt-in text messaging and email, increasing its facsimile database, and enhanced notification via radio and fishing industry publications. The lawmakers also called on NOAA to provide a minimum of five days notice before a fisheries closure to allow fishermen to better plan so that out of pocket costs, that cannot be recovered, are not wasted.