Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that the entire US branded canned tuna industry, including StarKist, Chicken of the Sea/Samoa Packing, and Bumble Bee support his efforts to strengthen the US tuna fishing fleet. 

“In a letter dated August 7, Mr. Shue Wing Chan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Chicken of the Sea/Samoa Packing, submitted a letter to my office in support of H.R. 3669, a bill I introduced to strengthen our US tuna fishing fleet and protect the jobs of our cannery workers,” Faleomavaega said.  “The full text of his letter is included below.”

Dear Chairman Faleomavaega:

I am writing in support of H.R. 3669, a bill you recently introduced to promote the US flag distant water tuna fleet.  We are pleased that the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure included the provisions of the bill in the manager’s amendment when the House considered and passed the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2008.

Chicken of the Sea International operates a tuna canning facility in American Samoa.  Our canning operations require a secure and reliable source of tuna.  In recent years, the U.S. tuna fleet has dwindled, but, thankfully, new investments to revitalize the fleet have helped rebuild it.  Chicken of the Sea has negotiated an agreement, as has Bumble Bee, with the newly built US vessels entering the fishery in the Western Tropical Pacific giving us a right of first refusal to purchase fish harvested.  We have exercised this right on almost all the fish we have been offered.  This fish, along with other purchases, forms a basis for a pool of fish the Chicken of the Sea and Thai Union draw upon.  The various sources in the pool are directed to various canning locations, including Chicken of the Sea/Samoa Packing, based on least cost.  For example, fish caught closer to Bangkok is offloaded in Bangkok, allowing the Chicken of the Sea plant in Pago Pago to receive fish caught closer to American Samoa.  This arrangement helps guarantee our canneries will receive the fish they need to continue operation.  Since we know we will receive the fish we need, this dependable source of fish helps stabilize our cannery operations and ensures our workers have jobs, especially in American Samoa, regardless of whether or not our fish is offloaded in port.

I am aware that one or two boat owners have expressed concern that your legislation would somehow diminish the potential for American Samoa’s shipbuilding and repair industry by allowing foreign built, U.S. owned and documented tuna boats to fish in the U.S. EEZ’s around uninhabited Pacific Islands like Baker and Howland.  Unfortunately, this concern is misguided.  Our national policy of allowing foreign built, U.S. flag fishing vessels to fish in fishery conservation zones and territorial seas adjacent to the Pacific territories was established almost 25 years ago when Representative Won Pat of Guam authored legislation to allow this fishing activity.  The purpose of the legislation, like yours, was to promote the U.S. fishing industry, recognizing that a Pacific Island based shipbuilding industry could not be competitive.

Your legislation builds on a 25-year old policy to promote the U.S. flag, U.S. owned fishing industry in the Pacific.  The legislation and your support for a revitalized tuna fleet will also help ensure U.S. canneries have available to them the raw material they require.

I want to thank you for your leadership in U.S. fisheries issues.

Sincerely,
Shue Wing Chan
President and Chief Executive Officer
Chicken of the Sea International

“On August 8, 2008, Mr. Chris Lischewski, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bumble Bee also submitted a similar letter in support of H.R. 3669,” Faleomavaega said.  “The full text of his letter is included below.”

Dear Chairman Faleomavaega:

I am writing in strong support of H.R. 3669, a bill you introduced last year to promote the U.S. flag distant water tuna fleet.  We were pleased that the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure included the provisions of the bill in the manager’s amendment when the House considered and passed the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2008.

Bumble Bee Foods operates two of the last U.S. tuna canneries in Los Angeles, California and Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.  As you are aware, the domestic canning industry faces very stiff competition from imports produced in low wage countries in SE Asia and Latin America.  We have only been able to survive and save hundreds of domestic cannery jobs by utilizing frozen tuna loins in our plants.  Having our fish cleaned and loined outside the U.S. has allowed us to continue operations while paying competitive wages and providing medical benefits to our plant workers in the U.S.

Our canning operations require a secure and reliable source of tuna.  In recent years, the U.S. tuna fleet has dwindled but thankfully new investments to revitalize the fleet have helped rebuild the Samoan-based South Pacific Tuna Treaty fleet.  Our company, along with Chicken of the Sea, negotiated an agreement so that we have the right of first refusal to purchase fish harvested from these U.S. flag vessels.  This arrangement helps ensure that our canneries will receive the tuna they need to continue operation.  In Bumble Bee’s case, the fish is generally cleaned in Thailand with the cleaned, frozen loins shipped to either Los Angeles or Puerto Rico for canning.  For Chicken of the Sea, this secure source of fish enters their supply pool which is then utilized at their processing facilities.  This is important to American Samoa because it not only ensures that Chicken of the Sea/Samoa Packing will receive the fish they require, but also because it means that they can continue to purchase whole fish from local boats.

I have heard that owners of one or two tuna fishing vessels have expressed concern that your legislation would somehow diminish the potential for American Samoa’s fishing, shipbuilding and repair industry by allowing foreign built, but U.S. owned and documented tuna boats to fish in the EEZs around uninhabited U.S. Pacific Islands like Baker and Howland.  Unfortunately, this concern is unwarranted.  Our national policy of allowing foreign built, U.S. flag fishing vessels to fish in fishery conservation zones and territorial seas adjacent to the Pacific territories was established almost 25 years ago when the U.S. Representative from Guam authored his legislation to allow this fishing activity.  The purpose of the legislation, like yours, was to promote the U.S. fishing industry in the prolific Pacific Ocean fishery.

Your legislation builds on a 25-year old policy to promote the U.S. flag and U.S. owned fishing industry in the Pacific.  The legislation and your support for a revitalized tuna fleet will help to ensure the continuity of the U.S. tuna fleet in the Pacific and the survival of the U.S. tuna processing industry in Samoa.

I want to thank you for your leadership in U.S. fisheries issues.

Sincerely,
Christopher D. Lischewski
President and Chief Executive Officer
Bumble Bee Foods

“At the time of the negotiation regarding the revitalization of the US tuna fishing fleet, StarKist was up for sale and was not in a position to enter into an agreement with the South Pacific Tuna Corporation to purchase fish harvested from these U.S. flag vessels,” Faleomavaega said.  “Now StarKist is finalizing its sale for $363 million to Dongwon, a Korean enterprise, and, therefore, is limited in what it can publicly say about H.R. 3669.”

 “However, on August 7, 2008, Ms. Susan S. Jackson, Vice President, Government/Industry Relations & Seafood Sourcing of Del Monte StarKist Seafood, issued the following statement:”

Dear Congressman Faleomavaega:

StarKist believes that a strong United States tuna fleet is critical for the US tuna industry and American Samoa. 

Sincerely,

Susan S. Jackson
Vice President, Government/Industry Relations
& Seafood Sourcing
Del Monte Foods
StarKist Seafood

 “On the issue of American Samoa’s future, all three of the US branded canned tuna companies believe that a strong US tuna fishing fleet is critical for the US tuna industry and critical for American Samoa.  I believe the same and will continue to do everything I can, no matter what, to keep our canneries strong and protect the jobs of our cannery workers, especially since more than 80% of our private sector economy is dependent either directly or indirectly on our tuna canneries which employ more than 74% of our private sector workforce,” Faleomavaega concluded.