Acting Ranking member of USDA Appropriations Subcommittee Rep. Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01), has issued the following statement on language included in the House USDA, Rural Development and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Bill. This language addresses the invasive blue catfish species in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. Under the language, included at the request of Ranking Member Harris, the USDA must create a system of providing waivers from USDA inspection requirements to invasive blue catfish processors that are in compliance with less burdensome FDA regulations for the safe processing of fish. The language will assist both processors and anglers in bringing this fish to market and facilitate reduction of the invasive blue catfish populations in the Bay in alignment with the State of Maryland’s Bay conservation strategies.
“Blue catfish are an invasive species which feed on many species native to our Bay, including blue crabs. As our watermen have demonstrated time and time again, one of the most formidable tools we have at our disposal in reducing the blue catfish population is to fish them out of the Bay and bring them to market. Because of burdensome USDA inspection procedures, it has become increasingly difficult for watermen to do just that. New language included at my request in the Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Bill will require the blue catfish inspection process to be moved from USDA to a less burdensome but just as safe regime under the FDA. In doing this, we are eliminating unnecessary regulation and allowing easier commercial catch of blue catfish which would help control the growing population of this harmful species.”
For media inquiries, please contact Congressman Harris’ Washington, DC office at 202-225-5311, or contact Anna Adamian at: Anna.A@mail.house.gov.
Capt. Robert Newbey says
So, the USDA is going to create a system of regulations that are less burdensome and still in compliance with the FDA regulations for blue catfish processing, and all this coming up in an election year!! First of all, we’ve been working on this blue catfish regulation nonsense for over 5 years, and on this election cycle it’s finally moving forward. Do you really think that the federal government can realign policy from one department to another to downplay regulations put in place by the other department? Wow, sounds relatively easy. Not! This is for fiscal year 23, and you will find out that there will be more butt dragging by these government agencies on this matter then you can shake a stick at. I participated in a meeting last night in Dorchester County with the Waterman and Andy Harris’s ” representative” Keith Graffius concerning just this issue. Mr Graffius, on behalf of congressman Harris, informed the good Waterman that they need to lobby their Federal delegation on this blue catfish matter so that the AMENDMENT can move forward concerning the regulations on the blue catfish. Really, hard working people are supposed to take their time and compile letters and phone calls to our local Congressional delegation to convince them to move congressman Harris’s AMENDMENT forward? I think with the big money that the congressman gets, he should be doing that and just relying on us to support him. After all, this has been an issue for the past 4 years, or maybe five, and now the issue comes to light 5 days before a critical election process. Coincidence huh!!
Stephen Schaare says
Hi Robert, I admire the man for trying.
Yes, all those concerned with this matter should take action.
Rattle some cages, shake some trees. Squeaky wheel gets the grease. Steve