New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF, WE-Sag Harbor) has introduced a three-bill package to aid the State’s commercial fishing industry. Thiele stated, “Commercial fishing remains a vital part of our economy and our tradition on Long Island. Our fishermen are under siege like never before from federal and state regulations and a tough economic climate. We need to foster the industry, not strangle it in red tape and regulations. These legislative proposals would take critical steps to put New York State on the side of our commercial fishermen.”

The proposals are as follows:

• A.2514 - Directs the State Attorney General to bring legal actions challenging existing inequitable fishing quotas that discriminate against New York state commercial fishermen, against the National Marine Fisheries Services or any other federal agency involved with such quotas.
• A.5193 - Creates a commercial fishing jobs development program under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Economic Development and establishes a Commercial Fishing Advocate to advocate for the commercial fishing industry within state government.
• A.6893 - Establishes a Task Force to create a program to promote the marketing and sustainability of New York seafood.

Thiele explained, “For years New York commercial fishermen have labored under federal quotas that are based on faulty data which arbitrarily and capriciously discriminate against New York State fishermen. The federal government has failed to act and New York State has stood by and done nothing. This bill would finally challenge these unfair quotas and give our fisherman their day in court. Secondly, the creation of a Commercial Fishing Advocate would finally give voice to the needs of our fishermen when decisions are being made that affect the fishing industry. Finally, the creation of a seafood marketing plan would help to increase demand for the product, creating demand and jobs for our coastal communities. Massachusetts and Rhode Island have already created such programs. New York cannot continue to lag behind our neighboring seafood producing states.”

State Senator Ken LaValle co-sponsors these bills in the State Senate.