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Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, February 18, 2018
CONTACT: Shelia Megson
Chief of Staff
503-986-1401
Shelia.Megson@oregonlegislature.gov
Click Here for the Bill
SALEM – A bipartisan
bicameral piece of legislation; introduced and Chief Sponsored by Senator
Roblan (D-Coos Bay) and Representative David Brock Smith (R-Port Orford) looks
to better track crab and other marine base food susceptible to domoic acid and
other food related issues that could pose a threat to human consumption.
“We have an ever-increasing
frequency of domoic acid test results that have a negative impact on our
coastal industries,” said Senator Roblan. “This is evident in the delay of this
year’s crab season, as well as the recent closure on Friday due to high levels
of domoic acid found in Brookings,” he said. “We have been working with our industries
and agencies to come up with a better solution to protect our consumers,
without having such a wide impact on our producers”.
SB 1550 looks to the location
of the seafood caught and if a problem is discovered in one location, product
data can be tracked to check nearby locations for a similar issue. If one is
not found, area closures can be isolated and much smaller rather than have
larger, regional closures like the current crab harvest closure that occurred
last week from Cape Blanco to the border.
“Our crab fishers are
struggling and so are their families,” said Representative David Brock Smith,
whose District is affected by the recent closure. “With the delay in opening of
the Crab Season due to elevated levels of domoic acid, and now the regional
closure off southwest Oregon, our fishers are being hit extremely hard and this
bill couldn’t come soon enough for them,” said Brock Smith. “This tracking and
data collection will help isolate the affected areas and allow more certainty
to ODA on localized closures,” he said. “This legislation will also allow for
more flexibility in evisceration orders, while keeping the public safe and helping
our fishing industries continue to be successful.”
SB 1550 is expected to pass
the Senate Floor on Monday and move to Representative David Brock Smith’s House
Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources on Wednesday to be worked on his
side of the Capitol.
Rep. David Brock Smith
represents House District 1, which includes Curry, Coos, Douglas and Josephine
counties. This press release and an archive of previous press releases issued
by Rep. David Brock Smith’s office are available on the web at: www.oregonlegislature.gov/smithd.
 House District 1
Curry, Coos, Douglas & Josephine Counties
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1401
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-379, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.DavidBrockSmith@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/smithd
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