On Wednesday, March 23, four United States senators called for urgent support for the fishing industry as it endures severe economic hardship in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic.
Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) led a letter to the senate noting that the closure of domestic restaurants and international markets has created widespread slowdowns and shutdowns for fishermen and seafood processors.
As part of the urgently needed support, the letter highlights a variety of ways Congress can help the industry, including: establishing federal procurement programs for U.S. seafood products, federal fisheries disaster assistance funding, and the inclusion of support mechanisms for vessel loan payments assistance in any economy-wide coronavirus response package.
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