SEAFOOD SAFETY 



WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1993 



House of Representatives, 

 Subcommittee on Fisheries Management, 

 Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 



Washington, DC. 

 The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 2:00 p.m., in room 

 1334, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Thomas J. Manton 

 [chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding. 



Present: Representatives Manton, Hughes, Unsoeld, Taylor, 

 Hamburg, Cantwell, Coble, and Hochbrueckner. 



Staff Present: Jim Mathews, Staff Director; Linda Livingston, As- 

 sistant to Staff Director; Ann C. Vogt, Assistant to Chief Counsel; 

 Greg Lambert, Counsel; Suzanne J. Waldron, Press Secretary; Jean 

 Flemma, Jill Brady, Bill Wright, and Ed Lee, Professional Staff; 

 Cynthia Wilkinson, Minority Chief Counsel; Rodney H. Moore, Jr. 

 and Laurel Bryant, Minority Professional Staff; Shelley Cole, Joan 

 Coyle, and Margherita Woods, Staff Assistants; Lori Rosa, Legisla- 

 tive Clerk, and Julie Roberts, Sea Grant Fellow. 



Mr. Manton. Ladies and gentlemen, we will start the business of 

 the Committee. 



OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. THOMAS J. MANTON, A U.S. REP- 

 RESENTATIVE FROM NEW YORK, AND CHAIRMAN, SUBCOMMIT- 

 TEE ON FISHERIES AND MANAGEMENT 



Mr. Manton. Good afternoon and welcome. Today the Subcom- 

 mittee takes up the issue of seafood safety and considers H.R. 1412, 

 legislation introduced by Representative Unsoeld to establish a Na- 

 tional Shellfish Safety Program. The safety of seafood is of great 

 importance to me, both in my position as Chairman of this Subcom- 

 mittee, and as a representative of the largest seafood consuming 

 State in the Union, the beautiful State of New York. 



Fish and shellfish are a healthy, nutritious part of our diet. Sea- 

 food is low in fat, sodium, and cholesterol, yet high in protein. Also, 

 seafood is the best source of OMEGA 3 acids, which recent studies 

 suggest reduce the risk of heart disease. 



But as we ourselves are learning, no organism can continue to 

 thrive or indeed survive in a polluted environment. The most effec- 

 tive action we can take to ensure the integrity and quality of the 

 fish and shellfish harvested in U.S. waters is to ensure these 

 waters are free of pollutants. Healthier waters mean healthier fish 

 and shellfish. This Subcommittee, as well as the full Merchant 

 Marine and Fisheries Committee, is dedicated to this task. Howev- 

 er, our work does not end here. 



(1) 



