This meeting of the House Special Committee on Fisheries will come to order.
The time is 10-0-1 on Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026, members present, our representative
COP, representative Elam, Representative Hymshoot, and my sub-chair students.
We have a quorum to conduct our business.
Please silence your phones.
We're asking that members and we are asking
that Members of the audience, please not approach the table.
If you want to pass a note or get the attention
of any committee member,
please ask or give the
attention of my committee date Jane.
And she would be delighted to help you.
We have been joined by Representative McCabe.
I'd like to thank Andrew Magnusson,
House Fisheries Committee Secretary,
and Chloe Miller from the Juneau LIO
for technologically and teleconferencing support.
Appreciate you both.
Today's meeting, we are having our second hearing
on HDR 29 ban on Russian seafood.
We last heard this resolution on Thursday, January 29th, where we introduced the CS
and had invited testimony and set an amendment date from Monday, February 2nd.
There is one amendment.
Is my intention to take public testimony to move the amendment?
And if it is the will of this committee to remove HJR 29 today?
Re-cap will be presented to us by Representative Greening, my chief of staff.
Matt Greenning, sorry Matt, I just gave you a promotion.
Say I'll take the promotion madam chair.
Right, good point, thank you.
Thank you Madam Chair.
For the record, Matt Greening, staff to the House Fisheries Committee,
as a brief recap, H.E.R. 29 calls on President Trump to extend executive orders.
14.024, 14068, and 14114, which prohibit the import of Russian seafood into the U.S.
Those executive order are set to expire on April 15th of this year.
The resolution further calls
on the President, federal agencies, our congressional delegations,
and the US Congress to enhance federal enforcement of the executive
And we have finally got to the spot where Russian seafood is off the market domestically, it's having a positive impact on prices so far that we've seen and we need to encourage our federal partners to to re-up and strengthen that ban on Russian
seafood. I would note that. We have Jeremy Woodrow online available to answer any technical questions. With that, Madam Chair, I'm happy to
answer. Any questions from the committee? Thank you. Does this committee have any questions for Mr. Greening?
As Mr. Greening mentioned, we have Jeremy Woodrow online.
He is the Executive Director for Alaska Seafoods Marketing Institute.
If you might have any questions.
I will now open public testimony.
Is there anyone in the room that would like to testify?
Seeing none is there anyone online there is no one on
There is
Mr. Shockler
Can you hear we can hear you if you would take your name unmuted, so watch out
Yeah, no kidding put if he would state your Name and affiliation for the record and begin your testimony, please
I am a commercial fisherman in Kodiak, Alaska
of the last 50 years.
And my name is Bruce Shockler.
And begin your testimony.
OK, well, thank you for the opportunity.
Yeah, this, in one hand, might seem like just sort
of a redundant thing for everyone to do,
but I think it's pretty important.
You know, as if he is, everything is with the whole renegotiation of the war in Ukraine
and what could happen, what might happen.
I think it's just really important to let the administration know how important we feel
this is.
what they're going to do about trade sanctions and that type of thing. If this war gets over,
I'm sure it will. But it's just important that they understand that we support
this ban on Russian seafood. And if they decide that
they don't want the ban anymore, that maybe there'll be other considerations based on our
Thank you, mr. Shockler. Do we have any questions from this committee for mister Shocklar?
Seeing none, we appreciate your time for
testifying mrs. Shakler
with that I see no others and I say no other's online for
testimony I will close public testimony and
With that, I would like to introduce and move amendment number one
I'll object for purposes of discussion.
Thank you, Representative Cott.
Amendment number one came at the request of the industry
and it's to include the honorable Jameson Greer,
United States trade representative,
to the people to be copied with this motion.
Mr. Greier works on trade issues in DC
and is familiar with the subject.
And Representative McCabe.
Thank You, Madam Chair.
did some research on this amendment as you probably knew I might. Several years
ago I also researched a similar amendment and I went into the U.S. Trade
Representatives website when Ms. Kai I think was her name was the trade
representative and i found that there was actually no mention in her page when
you click on the Alaska link of Alaska seafood none zero.
So, I pitched a fit and I think Mr. Woodrow was also knowledgeable of that or was around
when I did so.
Well, when in there again this time and there is still no mention of Alaska seafood in our
industry and the benefits and worldwide reach of our industry in the Alaska link on the
U.S. trade representative page.
Interestingly enough, as you scroll down through there, at some point, it changes to Alabama,
almost like the website person, whoever is developing their website, needs a geography lesson.
So, I wrote a letter to Mr. Jamison Greer.
and I requested that he change it.
But I would also like, as me, our premier marketing firm
for Alaska Seafood to write a letter to Mr. Greer
and ask him to explain why seafood is not listed
on the U.S. Alaska seafood,
is listed on The U S Trade Representatives website
when you click on Alaska.
It's hugely disappointing.
So, I just want to put that on the record.
I have a copy of the letter.
I'll give it to you when we're done.
But I think ASME needs to step up and write a very strong letter
saying, what are we doing here?
You guys are the U.S. trade representative.
And that would seem to be ASMA's job as part of their job anyway.
So.
Thank you, Representative McKay.
Appreciate that.
Mr. Woodrow, would you like to respond to the request
that's been made of you?
Yes, can you hear me madam chair? We certainly can
Through the chair representative McCabe, we hear you allowed me clear and we'll start tracking that letter right away
Thank you, sir. Somehow. I knew you would. Thank You, mr. Wood wrote appreciate it. Are there other comments?
With that
Madam Chair, I withdraw my objection. There are no further objections I
will consider
Amendment number one to have been adopted
Thank you
Is there are there any further comments or discussion on the original?
resolution from this committee
Seeing none with that representative cop I would entertain a motion
Madam Chair, I move to report HGR 29 version 34-LS1314 backslash and out of committee as amended
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note.
Thank you. There being no objections, HJR 29, version
34 dash LS13 14 back slash in moves out
of Committee as Amended with Individual Recommendations and
Our next meeting is scheduled possibly on Thursday.
I'm not sure if we, in fact, will go forward.
We're reevaluating the schedule that we had established,
and so we will be in touch with you by the end of the day today
as to whether or not their impact will
be a Thursday meeting.
So with that,
We would say no further business to come before this committee. We will adjourn at
10 12 nicely done