Every once in awhile, SSA is able to send out some good news to the industry and today is one of those days. Reading from the attached letter from Assistant Administrator of NOAA Fisheries, Eileen Sobeck to Douglass Boyd, Chairman of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, “to address the language in the FY 2014 Omnibus Appropriations regarding this program, NMFS will modify the cellular electronic logbook program cost-sharing plan to reimburse vessel permit holders for properly installed electronic logbook units. Over the coming months, we will work to determine the level of and mechanism for reimbursement.”
This is good news for the shrimp industry and it helps offset the costs to the fisherman for installation of the new ELBs. As we all know, the continued effort monitoring without interruption of data collection is vital to the shrimp fishery for many reasons, including by-catch estimates, sea turtle capture and effort levels. SSA thanks the shrimp industry supporters in Congress for their dedication to and continued support of the industry and for including the language in the FY 2014 Omnibus Appropriations that makes this reimbursement possible. SSA also thanks the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and the Shrimp Committee for their support and the letter that was sent by the Council to Assistant Administrator Sobeck regarding this issue. The SSA very much appreciates the timely attention of Ms. Sobeck to this matter. The ELB program and the efforts that everyone has put forth regarding this issue should serve as a prime example of how folks can work together for a common cause.
Please see the attached letter.
Please contact this office if you have any questions regarding this issue. 727-934-5090