Commercial Fishermen Safety Act of 2005

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce The Commercial Fishermen Safety Act of 2005, a bill to help fishermen purchase the life-saving safety equipment they need to survive when disaster strikes. I am pleased to be joined by my good friend from Massachusetts, Senator Kennedy, in introducing this legislation. Senator Kennedy has been a leader in the effort to sustain our fisheries and to maintain the proud fishing tradition that exists in his State and mine.

Recent portrayals of the commercial fishing industry in film and in literature have provided the American public with glimpses of the challenges and dangers associated with earning a living from the sea. These stories and movies merely scratch the surface of what it is like to be a modern-day fisherman. Everyday, members of our fishing communities struggle to cope with the pressures of running a small business, complying with burdensome regulations, and maintaining their vessels and equipment. Added to these challenges are the dangers associated with fishing, where disaster can strike, often without notice.

Year-in and year-out, commercial fishing ranks among the Nation's most dangerous occupations, often as the most dangerous occupation. Between the years of 1992, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics began compiling occupational safety statistics, and 2003, 756 commercial fishing-related fatalities have been documented. This profession is roughly 30 times more dangerous than the average occupation.

Too often, commercial fishing has proved tragic throughout our coastal waters including the north Pacific, the Gulf of Mexico, and the north Atlantic. The New England fishing community is no stranger to heartbreak. The 2004-2005 winter proved no exception, with the December 20, 2004 sinking of the Northern Edge. Five fishermen were lost during this incident, which was the worst loss of life in the New England fishing community since 1991. One fisherman, Pedro Furtado, was saved when the Northern Edge went down. Pedro was able to locate a life raft, to which he clung for half an hour in high winds and freezing temperatures before being rescued by the crew of a nearby scallop boat. This incident could have been even more tragic, if vital lifesaving safety equipment were not at hand.

Not all disasters at sea end with a loss of life. Fishermen also tell stories of dramatic rescues, stories that all have something in common: safety equipment. On February 9, 2005, a 38-foot gillnet vessel, Hollywood, sank 45 miles off of Cape Ann, Massachusetts. Aboard this boat were three fishermen, all of who survived. These men survived despite 40 degree water temperatures. Two of the three crew members were wearing survival suits, and they all were able to get into a life raft before the boat sank.

Tragedy has again visited the New England fishing community. This month alone, two New England vessels have sank, during a time of year that is generally not as hazardous for the industry. On the evening of July 13, the Sirius sank 25 miles south of Matinicus Island, Maine. Sadly, the captain of the Sirius was lost. Fortunately, the two remaining crew members were rescued by fellow fishermen. Just four, short days later, another fishing vessel, Princess, sank off of Chatham, Massachusetts. Fortunately, the entire crew of this vessel was rescued, due in no small part to their safety equipment.

Coast Guard regulations require all fishing vessels to carry safety equipment. The requirements vary depending on factors such as the size of the vessel, the temperature of the water, and the distance the vessel travels from shore to fish.

Required equipment can include a life raft that automatically inflates and floats free, should the vessel sink; personal flotation devices or immersion suits which help protect fishermen from exposure and increase buoyancy: EPIRBs, which relay a downed vessel's position to Coast Guard Search and Rescue Personnel; visual distress signals; and fire extinguishers.

When an emergency arises, safety equipment is priceless. At all other times, the cost of purchasing or maintaining this equipment must compete with other expenses such as loan payments, fuel, wages, maintenance, and insurance. Meeting all of these obligations is made more difficult by a regulatory framework that uses measures such as trip limits, days at sea, and gear alterations to manage our marine resources.

The Commercial Fishermen Safety Act of 2005 lends a hand to fishermen attempting to prepare in case disaster strikes. My bill provides a tax credit equal to 75 percent of the amount paid by fishermen to purchase or maintain required safety equipment. The tax credit is capped at $1500. Items such as EPIRBs and immersion suits cost hundreds of dollars, while life rafts can reach into the thousands. The tax credit will make life-saving equipment more affordable for more fishermen, who currently face limited options under the federal tax code.

Safety equipment saves lives in an occupation that has suffered far too many tragedies. By extending a tax credit for the purchase of federally required safety equipment, Congress can help ensure that fishermen have a better chance of returning home each and every time they head out to sea.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce The Commercial Fishermen Safety Act of 2005, a bill to help fishermen purchase the life-saving safety equipment they need to survive when disaster strikes. I am pleased to be joined by my good friend from Massachusetts, Senator Kennedy, in introducing this legislation. Senator Kennedy has been a leader in the effort to sustain our fisheries and to maintain the proud fishing tradition that exists in his State and mine.

Recent portrayals of the commercial fishing industry in film and in literature have provided the American public with glimpses of the challenges and dangers associated with earning a living from the sea. These stories and movies merely scratch the surface of what it is like to be a modern-day fisherman. Everyday, members of our fishing communities struggle to cope with the pressures of running a small business, complying with burdensome regulations, and maintaining their vessels and equipment. Added to these challenges are the dangers associated with fishing, where disaster can strike, often without notice.

Year-in and year-out, commercial fishing ranks among the Nation's most dangerous occupations, often as the most dangerous occupation. Between the years of 1992, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics began compiling occupational safety statistics, and 2003, 756 commercial fishing-related fatalities have been documented. This profession is roughly 30 times more dangerous than the average occupation.

Too often, commercial fishing has proved tragic throughout our coastal waters including the north Pacific, the Gulf of Mexico, and the north Atlantic. The New England fishing community is no stranger to heartbreak. The 2004-2005 winter proved no exception, with the December 20, 2004 sinking of the Northern Edge. Five fishermen were lost during this incident, which was the worst loss of life in the New England fishing community since 1991. One fisherman, Pedro Furtado, was saved when the Northern Edge went down. Pedro was able to locate a life raft, to which he clung for half an hour in high winds and freezing temperatures before being rescued by the crew of a nearby scallop boat. This incident could have been even more tragic, if vital lifesaving safety equipment were not at hand.

Not all disasters at sea end with a loss of life. Fishermen also tell stories of dramatic rescues, stories that all have something in common: safety equipment. On February 9, 2005, a 38-foot gillnet vessel, Hollywood, sank 45 miles off of Cape Ann, Massachusetts. Aboard this boat were three fishermen, all of who survived. These men survived despite 40 degree water temperatures. Two of the three crew members were wearing survival suits, and they all were able to get into a life raft before the boat sank.

Tragedy has again visited the New England fishing community. This month alone, two New England vessels have sank, during a time of year that is generally not as hazardous for the industry. On the evening of July 13, the Sirius sank 25 miles south of Matinicus Island, Maine. Sadly, the captain of the Sirius was lost. Fortunately, the two remaining crew members were rescued by fellow fishermen. Just four, short days later, another fishing vessel, Princess, sank off of Chatham, Massachusetts. Fortunately, the entire crew of this vessel was rescued, due in no small part to their safety equipment.

Coast Guard regulations require all fishing vessels to carry safety equipment. The requirements vary depending on factors such as the size of the vessel, the temperature of the water, and the distance the vessel travels from shore to fish.

Required equipment can include a life raft that automatically inflates and floats free, should the vessel sink; personal flotation devices or immersion suits which help protect fishermen from exposure and increase buoyancy: EPIRBs, which relay a downed vessel's position to Coast Guard Search and Rescue Personnel; visual distress signals; and fire extinguishers.

When an emergency arises, safety equipment is priceless. At all other times, the cost of purchasing or maintaining this equipment must compete with other expenses such as loan payments, fuel, wages, maintenance, and insurance. Meeting all of these obligations is made more difficult by a regulatory framework that uses measures such as trip limits, days at sea, and gear alterations to manage our marine resources.

The Commercial Fishermen Safety Act of 2005 lends a hand to fishermen attempting to prepare in case disaster strikes. My bill provides a tax credit equal to 75 percent of the amount paid by fishermen to purchase or maintain required safety equipment. The tax credit is capped at $1500. Items such as EPIRBs and immersion suits cost hundreds of dollars, while life rafts can reach into the thousands. The tax credit will make life-saving equipment more affordable for more fishermen, who currently face limited options under the federal tax code.

Safety equipment saves lives in an occupation that has suffered far too many tragedies. By extending a tax credit for the purchase of federally required safety equipment, Congress can help ensure that fishermen have a better chance of returning home each and every time they head out to sea.

Mr. President, today I am reintroducing legislation, together with my colleagues Senators Mikulski, Landrieu, Warner and Allen to bolster efforts to restore the Anacostia River.

I spoke during the 108th Congress about the need for this legislation and I want to underscore the principal reasons today. The Anacostia River is a resource rich in history and with tremendous natural resource and recreational potential. It is home to 43 species of fish, some 200 species of birds, as well as more than 800,000 people whose neighborhoods border the watershed. Flowing through Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland and emptying into the Potomac at the District of Columbia, the watershed consists of a 176 square mile drainage area. One of the most urbanized watersheds in the United States, the Anacostia suffers a series of problems including trash, toxic pollution from urban runoff, sewage pollution from leaking sewer lines and combined sewer overflows, sediment pollution from erosion, and loss of fish and wildlife and recreational resources. It is a resource that has long been abused and neglected, but one that, in my view, can and must be protected and restored.

Efforts to begin rejuvenating the Anacostia watershed began formally in 1987 when the State of Maryland, Montgomery and Prince George's Counties, and the District of Columbia signed an Anacostia Watershed Restoration Agreement. The Agreement authorized the Washington Area Council of Governments, COG, to manage the restoration program and the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, ICPRB, to protect the resources and facilitate public participation. COG created an Anacostia Watershed Restoration Committee, AWRC, to coordinate and implement restoration projects throughout the watershed. Since that time, local, State, and Federal Government agencies, as well as the Anacostia Watershed Society, the Anacostia Citizens Advisory Committee and other environmental organizations and dedicated private citizens have contributed significant resources toward re-establishing the Anacostia watershed ecosystem.

Thanks to this cooperative and coordinated Federal, State, local and private effort, we are beginning to make some progress in restoring the watershed. A Six Point Action Plan was signed in 1991 setting ambitious and broad-reaching goals for the river's restoration. In 1993 we celebrated the successful restoration of 32 acres of emergent tidal wetlands by the Army Corps of Engineers at Kenilworth marsh. The project has shown significant results in improving tidal water flow through the marsh, and reducing the concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus in the area and demonstrates what can be achieved in urban river restoration. There have been other success stories as well in urban stream restoration in Montgomery and Prince George's counties, removing barriers to fish passage and reforestation efforts throughout the watershed, to name only a few. In 1999, a new Anacostia Watershed Agreement was signed to strengthen the regional governmental commitment to Anacostia restoration. There are today more than 60 local, State and Federal agencies involved in Anacostia watershed restoration. And more than $100 million has been spent cleaning up the river. There is clearly much for which we can all be proud. But the job of restoring the Anacostia watershed is far from complete. The Anacostia is still one of North America's most endangered and threatened rivers. It is designated one of three ``regions of concern'' for toxics in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The legislation which we are introducing authorizes more than $200 million in Federal assistance over the next 10 years to restore the Anacostia. Of these funds, $170 million is authorized to address the biggest pollution problems in the watershed--storm water runoff and failing waste-water infrastructure. As the builder of much of

the original infrastructure and a major user, the Federal Government has an important responsibility to help stem the flow of this pollution and comply with the Clean Water Act. The remaining funds will allow the Administrator of EPA, working together with an ``Anacostia Watershed Council'' of State and local officials, to develop a comprehensive environmental protection and resource management plan for the watershed, for several Federal agencies to join in the implementation of the plan.

The Anacostia River suffers from centuries of impacts and changes. Once a healthy, thriving river, it is today severely degraded. This legislation is urgently needed if we are to achieve the goal of making the Anacostia and its tributaries swimmable and fishable again. It is my hope that provisions of this measure will be included in the reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this measure.

Mr. President, I rise to introduce a bill that will enhance science education for kids of all ages--including my age.

This bill capitalizes upon the natural allure of our oceans and coastlines to spark an interest in science. This will improve the general science literacy of Americans, which is a key to remaining competitive in today's global economy.

The bill will also foster a deeper appreciation of our oceans and fragile coastal environment. As the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, Ocean Commission, pointed out in a report last year, our oceans and their resources are in trouble. Fishery stocks are declining . . . development is changing our coastal environments . . . and water quality has become a problem in many areas.

We won't solve these challenges overnight. The future of our oceans and coastal regions rests with young people--so we must nurture their interest in ocean and coastal science.

The Ocean Commission also pointed out that the level of science knowledge among graduating high school seniors is well below other nations. We must bridge this science gap. And one of the best ways to get kids excited about science is by drawing on their own experiences of our oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes. Kids are captivated by marine science. Their eyes light up when you show them an octopus squirting ink, a porpoise leaping out of the water, or an ocean wave pounding the shore.

The bill we are introducing today, Ocean and Coastal Literacy in Urban and other Environments--or Ocean CLUE--will ensure that our students have an opportunity to learn about the ocean.

Agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Science Foundation and NASA already have wonderful ocean education programs. Ocean CLUE will provide a Task Force to coordinate these activities and help shape a national ocean and coastal education strategy.

Our bill will also create a program within NOAA that will complement existing programs and satisfy an area of need identified by the Ocean Commission: minority representation in ocean and coastal careers.

Our new K-12 program will also focus on urban areas. Though many coastal problems can be traced far up watersheds to suburban and rural watersheds, problems are often most acute in population centers. This new urban focus will complement existing ocean and coastal science programs. My hope is that any science teacher nationwide will be able, with the click of a mouse, to easily find an ocean and coastal education program that perfectly suits their needs.

Our oceans are one of the greatest legacies we will bequeath to our children and grandchildren. We must also bequeath to them the knowledge and training to manage this crucial resource. This bill will do that.

I want to thank my colleagues who are co-sponsoring this legislation: Senators Inouye, Boxer, Levin, and Sarbanes.

I ask Unanimous Consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.