Maine Seafood Alliance, representing and advocating for all aspects of the Maine seafood industry.

MSA Directors Make Recommendations for Funds Distribution

July 26, 2006

SOURCE: MSA Press Release

At its July 25 meeting, the directors of the Maine Seafood Alliance (MSA) voted to make the following recommendations with regard to the distribution of
Red Tide Disaster Relief Funds.

MSA will maintain its position of strong support for the harvesters who work in the shellfish industry, while constantly pursuing new and better ways of management and monitoring of our industry to ensure that such disasters are minimized in the future.

We, however, fully understand the need for further red tide research. We support the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) in its efforts to obtain new and better testing equipment and will pursue every avenue in assisting the DMR with its funding as needed.

During our discussion, a strong consensus emerged that individual harvesters of wild shellfish who are able to demonstrate a loss of income due to red tide closures should be the only beneficiaries of disaster relief funding.

MSA, therefore, strongly urges our political leaders to ensure that all 2 million dollars of disaster relief goes to where it is needed the most, to the harvesters of wild shellfish.

The Maine Seafood Alliance will be distributing petitions for support of its recommendations for disbursement of federal relief funds for red tide closures of 2005. Anyone may sign these petitions.