Original Broadcaster Captioning (Enhanced). Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a quotation record.
00:00:01NINE EASTERN ON C SPAN THREE. C-SPAN NOW OUR FREE MOBILE VIDEO
00:00:04APP OR ONLINE AT C-SPAN DOT ORG.
00:00:13DEMOCRACY IS ALWAYS AN UNFINISHED CREATION.
00:00:16DEMOCRACY IS WORTH DYING FOR.
00:00:18DEMOCRACY BELONGS TO US ALL.
00:00:20WE ARE HERE IN THE SANCTUARY OF DEMOCRACY.
00:00:23GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES FALL ONCE
00:00:25AGAIN TO THE GREAT DEMOCRACY. THIS AMERICAN DEMOCRACY IS
00:00:29BIGGER THAN ANY ONE PERSON.
00:00:30FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY MUST BE
00:00:34CONSTANTLY GUARDED AND PROTECTED.
00:00:36WE ARE STILL AT OUR CORE, A DEMOCRACY.
00:00:39THIS IS ALSO A MASSIVE VICTORY
00:00:41FOR DEMOCRACY AND FOR FREEDOM.
00:00:50REPUBLICAN SENATOR DAN SULLIVAN AND HIS DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER IN
00:00:55ALASKA'S 2026 U.S. SENATE RACE, MARY PELL TOLA FACED OFF IN A
00:00:57DEBATE FOCUSED ON THE LAST FRONTIERS FISHERIES.
00:01:01UP NEXT, WATCH THE FULL DEBATE, COURTESY OF THE KODIAK CHAMBER
00:01:04OF COMMERCE.
00:01:11THANK YOU. NEXT, WE'LL HEAR FROM TWO OF THE FOUR U.S. SENATE CANDIDATES,
00:01:16MARY PELL TOLA AND DAN SULLIVAN. AS WE GET THROUGH EACH SECTION
00:01:19OF THE DEBATE, I'LL GO OVER THE PARAMETERS FOR THAT ROUND.
00:01:22BUT TO START WITH HERE ARE THE GROUND RULES. ONE, WE WILL BE USING A TIMER
00:01:28SYSTEM THAT HAS FLASHING LIGHTS. THE GREEN LIGHT WILL TURN ON WHEN YOUR TIME BEGINS.
00:01:32THE YELLOW LIGHT WILL BE LIT WHEN YOU HAVE 30S LEFT AND THE
00:01:35RED LIGHT WILL BE LIT WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
00:01:38WE ASK THAT ONCE THE RED LIGHT IS LIT THAT YOU END YOUR
00:01:41COMMENTS AT THAT TIME. A SECOND.
00:01:45PLEASE BE COURTEOUS.
00:01:47PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL AND DON'T INTERRUPT YOUR FELLOW CANDIDATES
00:01:51AND FINALLY, THIS IS A FISHERIES DEBATE.
00:01:53SO CANDIDATES MUST STAY ON TOPIC.
00:01:57I WOULD LIKE A PROMISE FROM EACH OF YOU THAT YOU WILL ADHERE TO
00:01:59THESE GROUND RULES AND ABIDE BY YOUR TIME LIMITS. WITH A THUMBS UP.
00:02:03THUMBS UP. THANKS VERY MUCH.
00:02:07ALL OF TODAY'S QUESTIONS WERE SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC OR THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY
00:02:10AND VETTED BY OUR LOCAL COMMITTEE, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF
00:02:14REPRESENTATIVE DVS FROM ALL SECTORS OF THE FISHING INDUSTRY.
00:02:17LET'S BEGIN WITH OPENING STATEMENTS.
00:02:19EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE 90S TO
00:02:21SHARE WITH A PUBLIC WHY YOU ARE THE BEST CANDIDATE TO REPRESENT
00:02:25ALASKA FISHERIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
00:02:29MARY PERHAPS FOLLOWS SINCE YOUR NAME BEGINS FIRST ALPHABETICALLY. WE'LL START WITH YOU FIRST.
00:02:33PLEASE, MARY 90S.
00:02:36THANK YOU TO THE KODIAK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR HAVING ME HERE
00:02:40TODAY. STRONG FISHERIES ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR ECONOMY.
00:02:45COMMUNITY NEEDS AND FAMILIES. SOME OF THE FISHERIES THAT HAVE
00:02:49SUSTAINED GENERATIONS OF ALASKANS ARE SUFFERING AT THE HANDS OF LOWER 48 FACTORY
00:02:54TRAWLERS. AND WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION. I WANT TO BE CLEAR.
00:02:56WE'RE IN THIS FIGHT TOGETHER AGAINST OUT-OF-STATE
00:03:00CORPORATIONS WHO EXPORT OUR FISH AND OUR PROFITS WHILE LEAVING
00:03:03OUR FISHERIES WORSE OFF.
00:03:05OUR FIGHT IS NOT AGAINST SMALL
00:03:07AND MIDSIZE BOATS THAT KEEP COMMUNITIES LIKE KODIAK STRONG.
00:03:11IT'S AGAINST THE OUT-OF-STATE CORPORATE GREED THAT LEADS TO
00:03:14WANTON WASTE AND DAMAGE TO OUR SEAFLOOR.
00:03:17I'VE BEEN FISHING IN ALASKA SINCE I WAS SIX YEARS OLD.
00:03:21I BECAME A PERMIT HOLDER WHEN I TURNED 12.
00:03:24I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE ON THIS
00:03:26STAGE WHO IS AN ALASKAN FISHERMAN.
00:03:30FISH IS IN MY BLOOD EARNED OVER
00:03:32GENERATIONS ON THE WATER.
00:03:36ALASKANS KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SENATOR WHO FIGHTS FOR FISH AND ONE WHO FISHES FOR
00:03:42DONATIONS. THAT'S WHY I'VE NOT TAKEN A SINGLE DOLLAR FROM OUT-OF-STATE
00:03:44CORPORATE TRAWLERS AND WHY I'VE
00:03:46NEVER OWNED A SHARE OF STOCK IN
00:03:48A FARMED FISH COMPANY.
00:03:51I'LL FIGHT TO BAN LOWER 48 FACTORY TRAWLERS FROM HARMING OUR FISH STOCKS.
00:03:55I'LL FIGHT TO REDUCE BYCATCH. AND I'LL FIGHT TO RESTORE
00:03:59ABUNDANCE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF ALASKA FISHERMEN.
00:04:02I'LL FIGHT TO SECURE REAL AND
00:04:04TIMELY DISASTER FUNDING AND
00:04:08THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
00:04:11WITH YOU.
00:04:15THANK YOU, MARY.
00:04:18THEN DAN SULLIVAN. AND THANK YOU TO THE CHAMBER.
00:04:21I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY. I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM THIS COMMUNITY.
00:04:2512 YEARS AGO, I PARTICIPATED IN THIS DEBATE AGAINST SOMEONE WHO
00:04:28HAD SERVED IN CONGRESS, TALKED A LOT ABOUT FISH, BUT GOT LITTLE
00:04:32DONE. I PROMISE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
00:04:35REAL RESULTS, NOT JUST TALK.
00:04:37I KEPT THAT PROMISE WORKING TOGETHER.
00:04:39I'VE LED ON A LONG LIST OF ACHIEVEMENTS, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
00:04:43SINGLE HANDEDLY BANNING RUSSIAN SEAFOOD IMPORTS AND NON GOING
00:04:46AFTER CHINESE IMPORTS. ESTABLISHING THE NEW USDA OFFICE
00:04:50OF SEAFOOD. PASSING MAJOR I.O.U. FISHING BILLS.
00:04:54SECURING OVER $600 MILLION IN TRADE RELIEF FOR ALASKA
00:04:58FISHERMEN AND OVER A HUNDRED MILLION FOR NOAA'S OCEAN OCEAN
00:05:01ACIDIFICATION PROGRAM. FIGHTING AND WINNING IN COURT
00:05:04FOR SOUTHEAST SALMON TRAWLERS IN OUR HALIBUT FISHERMEN AGAINST
00:05:07THE AMENDMENT 80 TRAWL FLEET PASSING THE LARGEST OCEAN
00:05:11CLEANUP LEGISLATION IN HISTORY,
00:05:13LEADING ON HISTORIC MULTIBILLION
00:05:15DOLLAR INVESTMENTS IN OUR FERRY SYSTEM AND COAST GUARD.
00:05:18AND LEADING ON REDUCING BYCATCH, INCLUDING THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE
00:05:22BILL IN HISTORY THAT WE WILL VOTE ON NEXT WEEK.
00:05:26HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE. OUR FISHERMEN DESERVE RELENTLESS
00:05:28FOCUS AND ACTION, NOT JUST TALK.
00:05:31DURING MY OPPONENT'S FIRST TERM IN CONGRESS, SHE DID NOT
00:05:35INTRODUCE ONE BILL DEALING WITH FISH IN TWO TERMS IN CONGRESS.
00:05:37SHE DID NOT HAVE ONE BILL SIGNED INTO LAW.
00:05:40I HAD 63 SIGNING THE LAW AND TWO
00:05:43TERMS MANY FOCUSED ON STRENGTHENING OUR FISHERIES.
00:05:47WE HAVE MANY CHALLENGES WORKING TOGETHER.
00:05:50I PROMISE TO CONTINUE DELIVERING
00:05:52REAL RESULTS FOR ALL OF YOU.
00:05:59FOR THE FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS, OUR TWO PANELISTS,
00:06:03MIKE LIT SO FORMERLY WITH NOAH FISHERIES AND CHELSEA RIDDLE
00:06:07WITH PACIFIC SEAFOOD WILL PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND ON AN ISSUE AND THEN ASK A SERIES OF
00:06:11QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT TOPIC TO THE CANDIDATES.
00:06:14EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE TWO
00:06:16MINUTES TO ANSWER EACH QUESTION. THANK YOU.
00:06:20TOPIC ONE IS IDENTIFYING AND
00:06:22ACHIEVING SEAFOOD PRIORITIES. ALASKA IS KNOWN FOR ITS
00:06:26WONDERFUL SEAFOOD AND SEAFOOD IS
00:06:29AN IMPORTANT ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR ALASKA'S COASTAL FISHING
00:06:32COMMUNITIES. THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY IS COMPLEX
00:06:35AND IT FACES MANY ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES ON THE HORIZON.
00:06:40QUESTION NUMBER ONE WHAT ARE THE TOP TWO FISHERIES ISSUES WHERE
00:06:43YOU CAN MAKE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE FOR ALASKA, AND WHY
00:06:46DID YOU CHOOSE THESE TWO ISSUES?
00:06:48WE WILL START WITH MR. SULLIVAN.
00:06:52WELL, LET ME BEGIN ON THE TOP TWO.
00:06:54FIRST, THE RUSSIANS ESSENTIALLY
00:06:58DECLARED WAR AGAINST ALASKA
00:07:01FISHERIES, AND THEY SAID IT.
00:07:03THEY'RE GOING TO FLOOD THE ZONE
00:07:05WITH REGARD TO THEIR SEAFOOD.
00:07:07IT DROVE DOWN PRICES IN ONE OF
00:07:10THE TOP THINGS THAT I HAVE DONE WITH REGARD TO OUR FISHERIES,
00:07:14THAT'S HELPED EVERYBODY. AND BY THE WAY, IT HELPS THE BYCATCH ISSUE IS GO AFTER THE
00:07:20RUSSIANS. IF YOU SAY, HEY, YOU'RE GOING TO ATTACK ALASKA, WE'LL GO AFTER
00:07:24YOU. I RELENTLESSLY WORKED ON GETTING
00:07:27A BAN ON ALL RUSSIAN SEAFOOD INTO THE UNITED STATES OF
00:07:31AMERICA.
00:07:32THIS TOOK A RELENTLESS WORK.
00:07:36THIS HAS HELPED OUR FISHERMEN
00:07:39ACROSS NOT ONLY ALASKA, BUT THE COUNTRY.
00:07:42AND NOW WE ARE GOING AFTER CHINA WITH REGARD TO THE SAME BAN.
00:07:46WHY? BECAUSE RUSSIAN TRAWLERS,
00:07:50CHINESE TRAWLERS RAVAGED THE OCEAN.
00:07:52THEY COMPETE UNFAIRLY AND THEY
00:07:55HAVE BEEN GOING AFTER OUR
00:07:59MARKETS. SO THE NUMBER ONE THING IS NOT
00:08:01ONLY TO CONTINUE THE RUSSIAN BAN, BUT I'VE GONE TO OTHER
00:08:05COUNTRIES TO TRY TO GET THEM TO
00:08:07GO AFTER THE RUSSIANS AND THE
00:08:09CHINESE IN TERMS OF BANNING THE IMPORTATION THAT HELPS WITH
00:08:13BYCATCH. IT HELPS WITH OUR FISHERMEN. IT HELPS EVERYBODY. THE SECOND ONE IS A POLICY GOAL
00:08:17THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO GET DONE,
00:08:19AND I GOT DONE FOUR YEARS.
00:08:23THAT'S A STAB WISHING A USDA
00:08:27OFFICE FOR SEAFOOD POLICY. WHAT DOES THIS DO?
00:08:31IT ENABLES AND WE GOT THAT DONE LAST YEAR.
00:08:33NOW I'M TRYING TO GET THAT INTO LAW. WE WILL GET THAT DONE AS WELL.
00:08:37MY BILL FOR ESTABLISHING OUT OF
00:08:40THE SEAFOOD POLICY OFFICE IS IN
00:08:43IS IN THE FARM BILL RIGHT NOW.
00:08:47THAT HELPS WITH REGARD TO ENABLING FISHERMEN TO HAVE
00:08:53ACCESS TO ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT FARMERS HAVE.
00:08:56AND FINALLY, GETTING MY BYCATCH BILL OVER THE GOAL LINE NEXT
00:09:01WEEK IN THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE.
00:09:05THANK YOU.
00:09:09STATES A SHORT QUESTION AT THE VERY END THERE.
00:09:12WHAT ARE THE TOP TWO FISHERIES ISSUES WHERE YOU CAN MAKE A
00:09:15MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE FOR ALASKA, AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE
00:09:19THESE TWO ISSUES? IT'S HARD TO NARROW IT DOWN TO TWO.
00:09:23CHELSEA I THINK THAT NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE TO REAUTHORIZE MAGNUSON.
00:09:27STEVENS ACT. THIS HASN'T BEEN REAUTHORIZED
00:09:30SINCE 2006 AND SO MUCH HAS
00:09:32CHANGED IN OUR WATERS AND IN OUR INDUSTRY.
00:09:35I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE TOP
00:09:37ISSUES FOR OUR FISHERMEN ACROSS EVERY SECTOR, ACROSS EVERY
00:09:41REGION, IS THE HIGH COST OF FUEL.
00:09:43THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE COST FOR
00:09:45ALL FISHERMEN.
00:09:47THIS WAR IN IRAN IS DRIVING UP
00:09:49OUR GAS AND DIESEL PRICES.
00:09:52DAN SULLIVAN HAS VOTED FOR THE
00:09:54WAR IN IRAN OVER TEN TIMES, TEN
00:09:57TIMES TO JACK UP YOUR PRICES. THIS SHOULD NOT BE.
00:10:00WE SHOULD NOT BE GOING TO WASHINGTON, D.C., TO FIGHT FOR
00:10:04ONE PARTY OR ANOTHER. WE SHOULD BE FIGHTING FOR OUR FISHERMEN. AND YES, WE DO NEED A USDA
00:10:08OFFICE OF SEAFOOD, BUT WE CAN'T
00:10:11CELEBRATE JUST YET. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT
00:10:15USDA OFFICE OF SEAFOOD IS FIGHTING FOR WILD STOCKS.
00:10:18ALASKAN STOCKS, NOT FARMED FISH,
00:10:21NOT THE DAN SULLIVAN USDA OFFICE
00:10:24OF FARMED FISH.
00:10:33THANK YOU.
00:10:35OUR SECOND QUESTION, CAN YOU PLEASE DETAIL YOUR PLAN TO
00:10:39ENGAGE WITH ALL IMPACTED STAKEHOLDERS BEFORE INTRODUCING
00:10:43LEGISLATION? MS. POTTS ALTHOUGH WE BEGIN WITH YOU. THANK YOU, MIKE.
00:10:47I AM VERY PROUD OF THE TRAWLING
00:10:51BILL, THE BYCATCH BILL THAT I INTRODUCE WHEN I WAS IN THE CONGRESS.
00:10:55THE TWO YEARS THAT I SERVED IN CONGRESS IN THE MINORITY.
00:10:58I WORKED WITH STAKEHOLDERS
00:11:00ACROSS THE STATE OF ALASKA. THAT'S WHY IT TOOK OVER A YEAR
00:11:03TO INTRODUCE THAT, BECAUSE I WAS
00:11:05ACTUALLY TALKING WITH PEOPLE
00:11:07WITH 907 AREA CODES ACROSS OUR STATE ABOUT HOW THE LEGISLATION
00:11:11IMPACTED THEM AND THEIR FISHERIES AND THEIR BOTTOM LINE.
00:11:15I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO ONLY BE TALKING TO ALASKANS.
00:11:18YOU HAVE TO BE AN ALASKAN AND YOU GET AN APPOINTMENT WITH ME.
00:11:21I DID NOT WANT TO HEAR FROM
00:11:24LOWER 48 SEATTLE, SEVEN LOWER 48
00:11:27FACTORY INDUSTRIAL TRAWLERS,
00:11:30FOLKS WHO ARE MOSTLY EMPLOYING
00:11:32NON-U.S. CITIZENS. I THINK THAT STAKEHOLDER
00:11:36OUTREACH, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT CAN INSTITUTE WORK, LISTENING TO
00:11:41ACTUAL ALASKANS IS THE NUMBER
00:11:43ONE JOB OF A U.S. SENATOR OF A ALASKAN SENATOR.
00:11:46AND THAT'S WHY EVERY COMMUNITY I GO TO, I HAVE MEET AND GREETS.
00:11:50I HAVE CONSTITUENT OPPORTUNITY,
00:11:52MEETING TIME, FACE TO FACE SO I
00:11:55CAN REALLY HEAR WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND AND IN YOUR HEART.
00:11:58AND YOU CAN SEE WHETHER OR NOT I
00:12:01AM UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, WHAT ALASKANS ARE
00:12:03SAYING, WHAT ALASKAN FISHERMEN FEEL THAT THEY NEED RIGHT NOW.
00:12:07THEY NEED LOWER GAS PRICES, LOWER DIESEL PRICES.
00:12:11WHEN I SMELL THE SCENT OF DIESEL, THE FIRST THING I THINK
00:12:14OF IS MY DAD'S VOLVO, PENTA
00:12:16INBOARD MOTOR AND THE SMELL OF
00:12:19THAT DIESEL AND EVERY DAY THAT
00:12:21DIESEL IS GETTING MORE AND MORE
00:12:23EXPENSIVE FOR OUR FISHERMEN, MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE TO MAKE
00:12:27ICE MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE FOR
00:12:29OUR PROCESSORS TO PROCESS THESE FISH. MOST OF OUR POWERHOUSES ARE
00:12:35GENERATE IT BY DIESEL. WE NEED A WE NEED A BREAK HERE.
00:12:40WE NEED SOME HELP. WE NEED SOMEBODY IN DC FIGHTING
00:12:42TO LOWER OUR COSTS, NOT TO JACK
00:12:46UP OUR COSTS.
00:12:52WE'LL TAKE A STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
00:12:55IT'S ACTUALLY WHAT I'VE BEEN ALL ABOUT. AND LET ME. LET ME LAY OUT THE PARAMETERS OF
00:12:59HOW I'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON
00:13:01REDUCING BYCATCH FOR YEARS. NOT IN A SLOGAN, BUT ACTUALLY
00:13:05GETTING IT DONE. LET ME BEGIN, AS I MENTIONED,
00:13:07STARTING WITH THE BAN, THE BAD
00:13:09ACTORS AND RUSSIAN AND CHINESE
00:13:14TRAWL CAUGHT FISH COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES THAT TOOK
00:13:17THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF WORK FOR ME AND MY TEAM WITH THE BIDEN
00:13:22ADMINISTRATION, WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, AND HEARING FROM ALASKAN FISHERMEN.
00:13:25THIS IS SOMETHING MY OPPONENT WAS M.I.A. SHE WAS VERY UNINVOLVED.
00:13:30ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES THAT
00:13:32WE GOT DONE FOR ALL ALASKANS. THIS IS GOING TO HELP EVERYBODY.
00:13:36BUT WE ALSO PASSED TO I YOU YOU
00:13:38FISHING BILLS THAT GO AFTER BAD ACTORS. ONE THAT IT JUST PASSED THE
00:13:42SENATE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO SANCTION RUSSIA, SANCTION CHINA
00:13:46AGAIN TO PREVENT THAT TRIAL COURT FISH COMING INTO THE
00:13:49UNITED STATES. I WAS ABLE TO INCREASE
00:13:53APPROPRIATE FINES FOR NOAA'S BYCATCH REDUCTION ENGINEERING PROGRAM.
00:13:56THAT'S A HUGE AREA.
00:13:58FOCUS ON BYCATCH.
00:14:00AND VERY IMPORTANTLY, I DEFENDED
00:14:03IN COURT WHEN OUR HALIBUT
00:14:05FISHERMEN WERE SUED BY THE AMENDMENT 80 TROUGH FLEET IN
00:14:10SEATTLE. I WAS THE ONE WHO WROTE THE BRIEF, GOT INVOLVED IN THE
00:14:13LITIGATION AND WE BEAT THE OUT
00:14:15OF STATE TRAWLERS WHO ARE COMING
00:14:17AFTER OUR HALIBUT FISHERMEN IN LITIGATION.
00:14:21WE'VE HAD STRONG ADVOCACY ON THE
00:14:24COUNCIL THAT I WENT TO THE
00:14:26COUNCIL LAST YEAR TO GET THE
00:14:28WESTERN ALASKAN CHUM BYCATCH
00:14:30LIMIT IN IMPLEMENT IT. THAT WAS ANOTHER AREA WHERE I
00:14:34WAS LEADING. AND THEN FINALLY MY ALASKA
00:14:37SALMON TASK FORCE HACKED THIS TAKES CONSENSUS.
00:14:39THIS BRINGS IN ALL ALASKANS, THE
00:14:43BEST MINDS. THAT WAS PASSED IN 2022.
00:14:46IT'S NOT EASY TO PASS A BILL.
00:14:49CONGRESSMAN PAUL TOLER, IT'S HARD. IT TAKES HARD WORK.
00:14:52IT WAS CONSENSUS THIS, THAT WE
00:14:54WORK TOGETHER TO LAY OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR SALMON RUNS
00:14:58AND HOW WE CAN ADDRESS STRENGTHENING THEM, INCLUDING
00:15:01GOING AFTER BYCATCH.
00:15:06THANK YOU. THE THIRD QUESTION IS WHAT ARE
00:15:10THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS FOR A U.S. SENATOR
00:15:13FROM ALASKA THAT WILL AFFECT THE FISHING INDUSTRY AND WHY?
00:15:17WE'LL START WITH MR. SULLIVAN.
00:15:20WELL, FIRST IS THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE.
00:15:24AND 12 YEARS AGO AT THIS DEBATE,
00:15:26I TOLD ALL OF YOU THAT I WOULD SEEK NOT ONLY A SEAT ON THE
00:15:30COMMERCE COMMITTEE, BUT I WOULD SEEK THE LEADERSHIP POSITION ON
00:15:33THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE TO HELP OUR ALASKA FISHERIES AND OUR
00:15:37FISHING COMMUNITIES. I KEPT THAT PROMISE.
00:15:40I CHOSE THAT COMMITTEE.
00:15:42I CHOSE TO BE THE CHAIRMAN OF THAT COMMITTEE.
00:15:44THE SUBCOMMITTEE IN TERMS OF
00:15:46OCEANS AND THE COAST GUARD. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
00:15:50WE'RE LAYING OUT FISHERIES AND
00:15:53COAST GUARD BILLS THAT HAVE HAD
00:15:55A HUGE POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR STATE.
00:15:57I'VE ALSO CHOSE TO BE ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
00:16:01COMMITTEE. BUT LET ME TALK. AND THAT'S ALSO DEALING WITH FISHERIES.
00:16:05SO I MADE THOSE PROMISES. I KEPT THOSE PROMISES.
00:16:09MY OPPONENT WOULD EMPOWER A
00:16:14SEATTLE WASH.
00:16:16INGTON BASED SENATOR TO BE THE NEXT CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE.
00:16:20ANY OPPORTUNITY TO GET BYCATCH
00:16:23BILLS PASSED, INCLUDING MINE,
00:16:26WOULD BE AUTOMATICALLY UNDERMINED IF YOU HAD THE
00:16:30CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE BEING FROM WASHINGTON
00:16:34STATE. THAT'S WHO MY OPPONENT IS LOOKING TO EMPOWER.
00:16:37BUT LET ME TALK ABOUT SOME OTHER THINGS WITH REGARD TO FISHERIES
00:16:41IN THE COMMITTEES ON WHICH I'M
00:16:46ON IN THE NEXT SIX YEARS. IF I'M REELECTED.
00:16:48I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE.
00:16:52WE WILL THEN REAUTHORIZE MAGNUS AND STEVENS.
00:16:55BUT WE SHOULD NOT REAUTHORIZE MAGNUSON STEVENS IF A SEATTLE,
00:17:01WASHINGTON SENATOR, MY OPPONENT,
00:17:03A SUPPORTING, WOULD BE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE.
00:17:07FINALLY, AS THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON THAT COMMITTEE, I WROTE, THE
00:17:11BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN COAST GUARD HISTORY.
00:17:14A $25 BILLION INVESTMENT IN
00:17:17RECAPITALIZING OUR COAST GUARD.
00:17:19KODIAK IS GOING TO GET AT LEAST $1 BILLION TO ICEBREAKERS AND TO
00:17:22FAST RESPONSE CUTTERS.
00:17:24NOT IMPORTANT WORK.
00:17:31GO AHEAD. THIS IS ONE OF MY LEAST FAVORITE
00:17:34QUESTIONS BECAUSE IT PRETENDS THAT I'VE ALREADY WON THE
00:17:38SELECTION. THIS ELECTION IS NOT A SLAM DUNK.
00:17:41THIS IS NOT A SURE THING.
00:17:42THIS THIS RACE IS NECK AND NECK.
00:17:45AND MY DEADLINE IS NOVEMBER 3RD.
00:17:48NOVEMBER 3RD IS THE DAY WE NEED TO REMEMBER TO GET OUT AND VOTE
00:17:51ACROSS OUR STATE.
00:17:54I THINK ALL COMMITTEES ARE GOOD COMMITTEES.
00:17:57I DO THINK THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE IN THE SENATE IS A
00:18:00SPECIAL IMPORTANT BECAUSE, NUMBER ONE, THIS COMMITTEE NEEDS
00:18:05TO AUTHORIZE NOAH.
00:18:07NOAH HAS YET TO BE AUTHORIZED.
00:18:09ALL THE DOGE CUTS THAT WE'VE
00:18:11SEEN IN THIS CRITICAL AGENCY, THESE ARE OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.
00:18:14THESE ARE OUR FEDERAL ALLIES. WE DO NOT HAVE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT.
00:18:19WE ARE FLYING BLIND WITHOUT THE
00:18:21SURVEYS AND THE RESEARCH THAT NOAH DOES.
00:18:24WE NEED TO ENSHRINE THAT AGENCY
00:18:26AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE RECURRING FUNDS. WE HAVE A DO NOTHING CONGRESS
00:18:30THAT HASN'T PASSED A REAL BUDGET SINCE THE LATE 1990S.
00:18:37THE 1990S, IT'S BEEN OVER. IT'S ABOUT 30 YEARS SINCE WE HAD
00:18:41A CONGRESS THAT COULD EVEN PASS A BUDGET.
00:18:45SO WE CAN'T HAVE NOAH JUST
00:18:47HANGING OUT ON A LIMB HOPING
00:18:50THAT THAT THIS AGENCY WILL BE FUNDED BY THE GOODNESS OF
00:18:52PEOPLE'S HEARTS. WE KNOW HOW LIFE AND DEATH THIS
00:18:57AGENCY IS NOT JUST FOR KEEPING A
00:18:59ROOF OVER OUR HEAD AND BEING
00:19:01ABLE TO PAY FOR THE GAS WE NEED,
00:19:03BUT ALSO TO GET WHETHER WE LIVE
00:19:05AND DIE BY OUR WEATHER HERE.
00:19:08WE LIVE AND DIE BY FEDERAL
00:19:10AGENCIES AND THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHO KEEP THOSE
00:19:12AGENCIES GOING. AND DAN SULLIVAN VOTED.
00:19:16HE WENT RIGHT ALONG WITH ALL
00:19:19THESE -- CATS MOWING DOWN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES THAT WE RELY
00:19:21ON THESE AGENCIES WEREN'T FULLY STAFFED TO BEGIN WITH.
00:19:25ALASKA HAS TAKEN MORE CUTS ON
00:19:29FEDERAL EMPLOYEES PERCENTAGE WISE THAN ANY OTHER STATE.
00:19:32AND NO OTHER STATE DEPENDS ON OUR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AS MUCH AS
00:19:35ALASKA DOES. YEAH. OH.
00:19:43OH. JUST.
00:19:47THANK YOU. OUR SECOND TOPIC IS LEVERAGING
00:19:51OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE USDA OFFICE OF SEAFOOD AND THE NOAH
00:19:55FISHERIES SEAFOOD STRATEGY.
00:19:57SO JUST THIS YEAR, USDA CREATED
00:20:00THE FIRST OFFICE OF SEAFOOD AND
00:20:02FISHERIES, ANNOUNCED REGIONAL PRIORITIES TO ADVANCE AMERICA
00:20:06FIRST SEAFOOD, WHICH BUILDS ON
00:20:082025 EXECUTIVE ORDER 14 TO 76, RESTORING AMERICAN SEAFOOD
00:20:14COMPETITIVENESS. ALASKA IS A MAJOR PART OF U.S.
00:20:17FOOD, CONTRIBUTING 60% OF DOMESTIC SEAFOOD PRODUCTION,
00:20:21WITH NINE OF THE TOP 20 PORTS FOR VOLUME IN U.S. COMMERCIAL LANDINGS.
00:20:25AT THE SAME TIME, SEAFOOD CONTINUES TO FACE CHALLENGES,
00:20:28INCLUDING INCREASED OPERATING COSTS AND COMPETITION IN GLOBAL
00:20:32MARKETS. SO OUR FIRST QUESTION, WHAT
00:20:36FEDERAL PROGRAMS WOULD YOU PROPOSE OR SUPPORT TO HELP
00:20:40ALASKA'S SEAFOOD PRODUCTS COMPETE IN DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS?
00:20:44MS. PATEL THANKS, MIKE.
00:20:48ALASKANS COUNT ON A DELEGATION TO BRING HOME THE PORK.
00:20:51WE CAN SHAPE THE SEAFOOD OFFICE
00:20:53TO MAKE IT WORK FOR ALASKA.
00:20:55AND THIS OFFICE CAN BE GREAT FOR ALASKA.
00:20:57BUT WE CANNOT CELEBRATE JUST YET.
00:20:59WE'RE MISSING OUT ON FUNDING BECAUSE OUR DELEGATION ISN'T
00:21:05INFORMED ON ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE.
00:21:08OUR REGULATORY FRAMEWORK IS
00:21:10ALREADY OVERLY COMPLICATED.
00:21:12WE NEED CLARITY.
00:21:14WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS
00:21:17NEW OFFICE HAS CONGRESSIONAL
00:21:19OVERSIGHT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE
00:21:21ON POINT AND PIVOTING WHEN THEY NEED TO PIVOT.
00:21:24WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE OUR OCEAN ECONOMY.
00:21:28NOA AND USDA SHOULD SUPPORT
00:21:30SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED FISHERMEN
00:21:34AND MEDIUM SIZED FISHING BOATS.
00:21:36WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT
00:21:39THEY'RE SUPPORTING OUR KELP, OUR NEW KELP FARMERS, OUR NEW
00:21:43SHELLFISH GROWERS. I'LL FIGHT FOR CLARITY TO MAKE
00:21:46THIS OFFICE WORK FOR ALASKA. WE SHOULD HAVE A FEDERAL OFFICE
00:21:50LIKE ASK ME THE ALASKA SEAFOOD
00:21:52MARKETING INSTITUTE. WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS DECADES
00:21:56AGO. OUR FISH ON THE EAST COAST.
00:22:00I SEE MORE AND NORWEGIAN FARMED
00:22:02SALMON THAN I SEE ALASKAN WILD
00:22:04CAUGHT SALMON. WE NEED TO FIX THAT.
00:22:07PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON AND D.C., PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE EASTERN
00:22:11SEABOARD, THEY WANT TO EAT WILD FISH. THEY WANT TO EAT ALASKA.
00:22:15WILD FISH. NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE KNOW THAT HALF
00:22:17OF THE WORLD'S RED SALMON, HALF
00:22:19OF OUR WILD CAUGHT SOCKEYE ARE FROM BRISTOL BAY.
00:22:23WE HAVE THE BEST FISH IN THE WORLD.
00:22:25WE SHOULD NEVER BE OUT MARKETED BY FARMED FISH.
00:22:29AND WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT
00:22:31THE USDA, OFFICE OF SEAFOOD
00:22:33DOESN'T BECOME THE DAN SULLIVAN
00:22:36OFFICE OF FARMED FISH.
00:22:43THANK YOU. MR. SULLIVAN. WELL, IF THERE'S EVER A QUESTION
00:22:47OR AN ISSUE THAT DISTINGUISHES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MY RECORD
00:22:50OF GETTING THINGS DONE AND MY
00:22:52OPPONENT'S RECORD OF TALK, IT'S THIS.
00:22:54SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET THIS USDA
00:22:58OFFICE OF SEAFOOD RIGHT HERE, SOMETHING I'VE BEEN WORKING ON
00:23:01FOR YEARS. TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
00:23:04ALASKANS THIS FOR OVER 100 YEARS, FARMERS HAD POLICY
00:23:10PROGRAM SAID HELP SO MANY FARMERS FROM USDA AND OUR
00:23:14FISHERMEN NEVER GOT ACCESS LOANS, CROP INSURANCE, ALL THESE
00:23:18THINGS. AND THEY'VE BEEN OUTSIDE THE DOOR OF THE USDA.
00:23:21THEY'RE NOW INSIDE THE DOOR. THE DOOR IS OPEN. IT IS A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY.
00:23:26IT'S SOMETHING I'D WORKED ON THROUGH THREE DIFFERENT
00:23:29SUCCESSIVE ADMINISTRATIONS. WE GOT IT DONE.
00:23:32I WAS GLAD IT WAS A KODIAK FISHERMAN, STERLING PROUT, WHO
00:23:36WAS AT THE OPENING WHEN WE HAD THREE CABINET MEMBERS, ANNOUNCES. BUT WE NEED TO ALSO GET IT INTO
00:23:41LAW. AND I HAVE LEGISLATION THAT DOES THAT.
00:23:44WHEN THE CONGRESSWOMAN WAS IN OFFICE FOR TWO TERMS, SHE NEVER
00:23:47INTRODUCE ANY BILL TO GET THIS INTO LAW.
00:23:51SHE DIDN'T INTRODUCE A COMPANION BILL.
00:23:52AND I ACTUALLY, AFTER SHE LOST
00:23:55IN 2024, IN DECEMBER OF 2024, SHE INTRODUCED A BILL TO FINALLY
00:23:59DO THIS. TALK ABOUT TOO LATE.
00:24:02TALK ABOUT NOT BEING FOCUSED ON
00:24:04THIS THIS ISSUE, THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE.
00:24:06MY BILL IS NOW IN THE FARM BILL
00:24:10BECAUSE WE BROUGHT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE,
00:24:13SENATOR JOHN BOZEMAN, UP TO KODIAK TO LEARN ABOUT THESE
00:24:17ISSUES. FINALLY, WE ALSO HAVE THIS
00:24:19OFFICE OF SEAFOOD AMERICAN
00:24:23COMPETITIVENESS FROM THIS ADMINISTRATION. I WROTE A LOT OF THIS TO HELP
00:24:26OUR FISHERMEN. THIS IS AN ALL OF THE GOVERNMENT
00:24:29APPROACH TO SEAFOOD, TO OUR FISHERIES.
00:24:34EVERY AGENCY. I HOSTED A ROUNDTABLE DURING THE
00:24:37BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THE OBAMA
00:24:40ADMINISTRATION WITH CABINET SECRETARIES ON THESE ISSUES.
00:24:44MY OPPONENT WAS M.I.A. NEVER LET ON THESE NEVER FOCUS
00:24:47ON THESE. THANK YOU, SENATOR.
00:24:49APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
00:24:53OUR SECOND QUESTION ON THIS TOPIC.
00:24:55WHAT KINDS OF PROGRAMS AND SOLUTIONS WOULD YOU PUSH FORWARD
00:24:59TO ALLEVIATE INDUSTRY CHALLENGES, INCLUDING VARIABLE
00:25:01FISH PRICES AND GLOBAL MARKETS,
00:25:03AND INCREASED FUEL AND LABOR COSTS?
00:25:06MR. SULLIVAN. SO I THINK THE FIRST ONE GOES
00:25:10BACK TO THE RUSSIAN BAN THAT WE
00:25:14GOT IN PLACE, AND THE CHINESE
00:25:17BAN THREE YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE
00:25:20HERE AT CAMP FISH. AS I MENTIONED, THE RUSSIANS HAD
00:25:25DECLARED THAT THEY WERE AT WAR WITH ALASKA FISHERMEN, WITH
00:25:29AMERICAN FISHERMEN FLOODING THE MARKET. WE STOPPED THAT.
00:25:33WE PUT IN PLACE A BAN AND WE
00:25:36BROUGHT IN THE ABILITY TO RAISE
00:25:39PRICES FOR OUR FISHERMEN BECAUSE
00:25:42THE FLOOD OF RUSSIAN SEAFOOD
00:25:46INTO THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN STOPPED.
00:25:48AGAIN, I AM VERY GLAD TO HAVE LED THOSE EFFORTS WITH SO MANY
00:25:52PEOPLE HERE, BUT WE NEED TO
00:25:55CONTINUE THAT BAN, EXPAND IT AND
00:25:57THEN GO AFTER THE CHINESE WHO ALSO HAVE SIMILAR UNSUSTAINABLE
00:26:01PRACTICES, WHAT THEIR TRAWL FLEET AND UNSUSTAINABLE
00:26:06ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES IN WHICH THEY UNDERTAKE FISHING.
00:26:10SO THOSE BANS ARE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
00:26:13WE NEED TO BUILD ON THE USDA,
00:26:15THE OFFICE OF SEAFOOD AND WHEN
00:26:17IT COMES TO ENERGY, WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND I KNOW
00:26:20PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING. IT IS A CHALLENGE WE DO HAVE
00:26:23HIGH COSTS WITH REGARD TO DIESEL AND OTHER THINGS.
00:26:26I HAVE ESTABLISHED A WHITE HOUSE
00:26:29TASK FORCE FOCUSED ON ALASKA
00:26:33ENERGY TO HELP WITH SUPPLIES TO DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT
00:26:37FUNDING TO GET WAIVERS WITH
00:26:40REGARD TO THE EPA TO PRODUCE
00:26:42MORE DIESEL IN ALASKA. BUT HERE'S THE THING.
00:26:45OUR CHALLENGE IS ON ALASKA HAVE
00:26:47TO BE RESOLVED BY PRODUCING
00:26:50ALASKA ENERGY FOR ALASKANS. THAT'S THE BEST WAY GOING
00:26:54FORWARD. MY OPPONENT WOULD ALLY HERSELF
00:26:56WITH THE ANTI-COAL ALASKA ENERGY
00:26:59GROUPS IN CONGRESS WHO WILL DO WHAT THEY ALWAYS DO SHUT DOWN
00:27:02ALASKA ENERGY AND THAT WOULD BE
00:27:05REALLY HORRIBLE FOR ALL ALASKANS, INCLUDING OUR
00:27:10FISHERMEN. THANK YOU. MS. FLOTILLA, COULD YOU SAY THE
00:27:14QUESTION ONE MORE TIME? SURE. WHAT KINDS OF PROGRAMS AND
00:27:18SOLUTIONS WOULD YOU PUSH FORWARD TO ALLEVIATE INDUSTRY
00:27:20CHALLENGES, INCLUDING VARIABLE FISH PRICES IN GLOBAL MARKETS
00:27:24AND INCREASED FUEL AND LABOR COSTS?
00:27:26WELL, I DO THINK, AGAIN, HAVING
00:27:29A FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT MATCHES
00:27:31THE ASMI PROGRAM IS THE BOTTOM LEVEL.
00:27:35WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO REALLY
00:27:39SHOWCASE THE SEAFOOD THAT WE
00:27:41HAVE TO TO DOMESTIC MARKETS AND
00:27:43GLOBAL MARKETS.
00:27:45WE REALLY HAVE TO WORK ON
00:27:47BRINGING DOWN FUEL PRICES. AND EVERYONE IN THIS AUDIENCE,
00:27:52EVERYONE IN THE LISTENING AUDIENCE KNOWS.
00:27:54SO MUCH OF THE COST OF FUEL IS TIED TO THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ
00:27:57RIGHT NOW. AGAIN, TEN TIMES THE CURRENT
00:28:01SENATOR HAS VOTED FOR THIS WAR IN IRAN.
00:28:04TEN TIMES HE'S VOTED TO JACK UP OUR PRICES.
00:28:08THIS IS A DIRECT LINK TO THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ.
00:28:10AND THIS COST OF ENERGY AFFECTS
00:28:14EVERYONE, BOTH IF YOU'RE ON A
00:28:18FACTORY TRAWLER OR THE SMALLEST FISHING BOAT IN THE OCEAN, IF
00:28:22YOU HAVE A FAMILY RUN OPERATION
00:28:26PROCESSING FISH OR THE BIGGEST PROCESSING PLANT IN THE STATE.
00:28:30WE'VE GOT TO BRING DOWN FUEL PRICES. WE HAVE TO INVEST IN BOTTOM
00:28:35TECHNOLOGY. WE HAVE TO PROTECT AND EXPAND
00:28:37AND GROW OUR OCEAN ECONOMY, OUR
00:28:41CULTURE. WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AROUND THE CORNER FOR DISASTERS,
00:28:44NOT JUST THE ONE OFF DISASTER THAT WE JUST CAME OUT OF.
00:28:48WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME ABILITY TO LOOK UP OVER THE DASHBOARD AT
00:28:52WHAT'S COMING AND HAVE AGENCIES
00:28:56THAT ARE FULLY STAFFED, NOT JUST
00:28:58HALF HEARTED PROGRAMS WITH NO
00:29:00FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT THEM.
00:29:04WE HAVE TO DO MUCH, MUCH BETTER
00:29:07AT SUPPORTING OUR FISHERMEN AND REALLY LISTENING TO WHAT YOU
00:29:11NEED. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO PRODUCE
00:29:14ICE THESE DAYS?
00:29:16WE ARE BEING PRICED OUT OF
00:29:18PETROLEUM AND WE'RE BEING PRICED OUT OF OUR LIVES IN ALASKA
00:29:22BECAUSE OF THE WAR IN IRAN.
00:29:30I THANK YOU BOTH AT THIS POINT.
00:29:32I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY
00:29:34APPRECIATION FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND YOUR EXPERIENCE AND YOUR
00:29:37HONESTY IN SPEAKING WITH US. I CONTINUE, PLEASE, TO SHOW RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER.
00:29:41THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU. THANK YOU. SO THIS TIME, LET'S HAVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR BOTH OF OUR
00:29:48CANDIDATES.
00:29:53SO LET'S TAKE IT A LITTLE BIT LIGHTER. THIS HAS BEEN PRETTY HEAVY.
00:29:56AND I KNOW YOU KNOWLEDGE THAT FOR THE NEXT ROUND WE'LL GO TO THE PADDLES THAT YOU HAVE AS
00:30:00THESE QUESTIONS INVOLVE YES OR NO ANSWERS, THE CANDIDATES WILL
00:30:04RESPOND. YES. BY RAISING THE GREEN PANEL ARE
00:30:08NO BY RAISING THE RED PEDAL. FIRST QUESTION, DO YOU THINK THE
00:30:12NEW USDA OFFICE OF SEAFOOD IS GOOD FOR ALASKA?
00:30:16BOTH YES. YES. THANK YOU. STEMMER TOO.
00:30:19DO YOU BELIEVE OVER HARVEST IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IN THE NORTH
00:30:23PACIFIC? FISHERIES OVER HARVEST? AGAIN, THE QUESTION IS DO YOU
00:30:26BELIEVE OVER HARVEST IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IN THE NORTH
00:30:31PACIFIC?
00:30:32FISHERIES TOO? YES. YES.
00:30:36THANK YOU. 300 FEDERAL WORKFORCE PROGRAMS
00:30:40BE EXPANDED TO ADDRESS ALASKA
00:30:42SEAFOOD PROCESSING, LABOR
00:30:45SHORTAGES AND TWO. YES. YES. THANK YOU. DO YOU SUPPORT FEDERAL ASSISTANCE TO MAKE ALASKA'S
00:30:49FISHING VESSELS SAFER AND MORE EFFICIENT, TOO? YES.
00:30:53THANK YOU. AND FINALLY, SHOULD U.S.
00:30:57POLICIES AND FUNDING INCREASE DOMESTIC VALUE?
00:31:00ADD SEAFOOD PROCESSING CAPACITY? LET ME READ THAT AGAIN.
00:31:04I MAY HAVE SCREWED THAT UP. SHOULD THE UNITED STATES
00:31:06POLICIES AND FUNDING IN CREASE
00:31:08DOMESTIC VALUE ADDED SEAFOOD
00:31:10PROCESSING CAPACITY AND TO YEARS?
00:31:13I THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. KEY KEEP THOSE PADDLES READY.
00:31:16WE DO HAVE A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
00:31:20DO THE NORTH PACIFIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL AND KNOW
00:31:22FISHERIES ADEQUATELY CONSIDER
00:31:24IMPACTS ON SUBSISTENCE USERS, SALMON MIGRATION HABITAT AND
00:31:29INDIGENOUS WAYS OF LIFE.
00:31:33SENTENCE ANSWER YES OR NO.
00:31:36WE HAVE TWO NOS. THANK YOU.
00:31:38NEXT QUESTION SHOULD THE FEDERAL
00:31:40GOVERNMENT INCREASE INVESTMENT IN ALASKA'S SEAFOOD
00:31:45INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROCESSING CAPACITY? WE HAVE TWO YESES.
00:31:49DO YOU PRIORITIZE INCREASED FUNDING FOR U.S. COAST GUARD
00:31:54AIRCRAFT, MARINE VESSELS AND TRAINED PERSONNEL TO ENSURE
00:31:56SAFETY AT SEA FOR OUR FISHERMEN? WE HAVE TWO YESES.
00:32:01DO YOU BELIEVE CLIMATE CHANGE IS ALREADY SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTING ALASKA'S ECOSYSTEMS AND
00:32:06FISHERIES? WE HAVE TWO YESES.
00:32:08LAST QUESTION DO YOU SUPPORT
00:32:11MAINTAINING OR INCREASING FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ALASKA
00:32:15FISHERIES AND ECOSYSTEMS? SURVEYS?
00:32:17TWO YES, THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU.
00:32:20FOR THE NEXT ROUND, OUR TWO PANELISTS, MIKE BLEDSOE,
00:32:24FORMERLY WITH NOVA FISHERIES AND CHELSEA RIDDLE, THE PACIFIC
00:32:27SEAFOOD WILL PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND ON AN ISSUE AND THEN
00:32:30ASK A SERIES OF QUESTIONS ABOUT
00:32:34THAT ISSUE, ABOUT THAT TOPIC TO THE CANDIDATES.
00:32:36EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO ANSWER EACH QUESTION.
00:32:40THANK YOU. TOPIC NUMBER THREE IS THE ROLE
00:32:43OF CONGRESS AND MANAGING FISHERIES AND BYCATCH.
00:32:47THE NORTH PACIFIC FISHERIES MANAGEMENT COUNCIL IS THE
00:32:50PRIMARY REGULATORY BODY BODY BODY FOR FEDERAL COMMERCIAL
00:32:54FISHERIES MANAGEMENT IN ALASKA. UNDER THE MAGNUSON STEVENS ACT
00:32:58OR MSA. MSA REQUIRES A ROBUST PUBLIC
00:33:02PROCESS. STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT INDUSTRY IN MAKING THAT BALANCE IS THE
00:33:06TEN NATIONAL STANDARDS.
00:33:08THE COUNCIL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING BYCATCH.
00:33:12BYCATCH OCCURS IN ALL FISHERIES AND SETTING BYCATCH LIMITS AT ZERO.
00:33:16WHAT EFFECTIVELY SHUT DOWN COMMERCIAL FISHERIES?
00:33:20QUESTION NUMBER ONE ALL FISHERIES IS HAVE BYCATCH,
00:33:23INCLUDING COMMERCIAL SPORT,
00:33:25PERSONAL USE AND SUBSIST AND A GOAL OF ZERO BYCATCH IS NOT
00:33:30REASONABLE. WHAT COULD YOU DO TO SUPPORT REDUCING BYCATCH IN FISHERIES
00:33:33WHILE BALANCE ING THE INTERESTS
00:33:35OF ALL IMPACTED STAKEHOLDERS AND
00:33:38INCLUDING COMMUNITIES LIKE KODIAK?
00:33:40WE'LL START WITH MR. DOLLAR.
00:33:44THANK YOU, CHELSEA. ALASKA NEEDS A SENATOR WHO
00:33:48UNDERSTANDS COMMERCIAL FISHING
00:33:49AND WILL WILL WORK WITH ANYONE TO DELIVER FOR OUR FISHERMEN AND
00:33:54OUR COMMUNITIES, NOT ENOUGH
00:33:56ALASKANS ARE IN D.C. WORKING FOR
00:33:59US TO UNDERSTAND OUR SEAFOOD
00:34:01INDUSTRY AND OUR FISHERMEN.
00:34:04WE HAVE OUTDATED AND IN EFFICIENT, LOWER 48 BUREAUCRACY
00:34:07AND WE HAVE OUTDATED AND
00:34:09LEGISLATION OUTDOOR ID
00:34:12LEGISLATION AND RULES THAT DON'T
00:34:14WORK FOR ALASKAN FISHERMEN.
00:34:16MAGNUSON STEVENS DOES NEED TO BE
00:34:18REVISED TO CURTAIL BYCATCH STANDARDS.
00:34:23NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR EIGHT AND NINE DO NEED TO BE TIGHTENED UP.
00:34:28WE ALASKANS ALMOST ALL OF US,
00:34:31AGREE ON THIS.
00:34:33ALASKAN NATIVES SHOULD HAVE 1 OR
00:34:382 SEATS ON THE COUNCIL THAT NORTH PACIFIC FISHERIES
00:34:40MANAGEMENT COUNCIL DOES NOT REFLECT THE MAJORITY OF
00:34:44ALASKANS. IT DOES NOT REFLECT THE ALASKAN POPULATION.
00:34:48WE NEED ALASKAN NATIVES TO BE
00:34:51ABLE TO SIT ON THAT COUNCIL. BOTH CONGRESSMAN YOUNG AND
00:34:54SENATOR MURKOWSKI HAVE BEEN IN STAUNCH SUPPORT OF THIS.
00:34:57I DON'T KNOW WHAT ON EARTH THE RESISTANCE WOULD BE.
00:35:00THEY'D STILL BE OUTNUMBERED.
00:35:01WE'VE GOT TO WORK WITH OUR NEW
00:35:04GOVERNOR TO LOOK AT THE MAKEUP
00:35:06OF THE NORTH PACIFIC FISHERIES
00:35:08MANAGEMENT COUNCIL.
00:35:10AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
00:35:15HAVE FUNDING INCREASES FOR BOTH
00:35:17ENFORCEMENT AND MONITORING.
00:35:19I BELIEVE THAT THE FEDERAL
00:35:22GOVERNMENT SHOULD HELP INVEST IN
00:35:25COMMERCIAL FISHING BOATS, ON
00:35:27TRAWLERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY
00:35:31DO HAVE EXCLUDER SO THAT THERE IS REAL TIME MONITORING SO THAT
00:35:34WE ARE NOT DEVASTATING OUR OUR
00:35:38ENVIRONMENT. WE HAVE NO UP BIKE CATCH RULES
00:35:41ON THE BOOKS NOW THAT ARE NOT BEING ENFORCED.
00:35:45LET'S JUST START WITH ENFORCING THE RULES.
00:35:47WE HAVE.
00:35:51THANK YOU, MR. SULLIVAN. WELL, AS I AS I MENTIONED
00:35:55EARLIER, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE BYCATCH ISSUE FOR YEARS.
00:35:57IT REQUIRES IS A MULTIFACETED APPROACH.
00:36:01AND THAT BEGINS WITH GOING AFTER
00:36:04THE BAD ACTORS, THE RUSSIANS,
00:36:06THE CHINESE IMPLEMENT ENDING THE
00:36:08TRAWL BYCATCH BAN, WHICH I WAS ABLE TO DO.
00:36:12SECONDLY, PASSING LEGISLATION
00:36:15WHICH I'VE ALSO DONE, GOING
00:36:17AFTER AND SANCTION, ALLOWING
00:36:20THESE FISHING FLEETS, THE IOU,
00:36:22FISHING BILLS, THE TARGETED, THE RUSSIAN AND CHINESE TRAWL
00:36:28BYCATCH FLEETS. WE'VE INCREASED THE ANNUAL
00:36:31APPROPRIATIONS FOR NOAH BYCATCH RESEARCH.
00:36:34AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, DEFEND
00:36:36IT IN COURT AND LED THE EFFORT
00:36:39TO DEFEND HALIBUT FISHERMEN WHEN
00:36:42THEY WERE SUED BY THE AMENDMENT
00:36:4580 TRAWL FLEET IN SEATTLE. AND WE WON THAT.
00:36:49WE I WEIGHED IN WITH STRONG
00:36:51ADVOCACY AS IT RELATES TO THE
00:36:53WESTERN ALASKAN BYCATCH CHUM LIMIT AND WITH THE COUNCIL.
00:36:57BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I'VE WORKED OVER YEARS WITH ALASKANS
00:37:01IN A CONSENSUS MANNER TO GET
00:37:04BILLS PASSED BY ALASKA SALMON
00:37:05TASK FORCE ACT, WHICH WAS THE
00:37:08MOST COMPREHENSIVE BILL TO LOOK
00:37:10AT HOW WE GET STRONG SALMON
00:37:14RUNS, RETURNED TO OUR STATE. IN OUR STATE WATERS.
00:37:17IT LOOKED AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT AREAS IN CLUDING BYCATCH.
00:37:22A A FRAMEWORK AND A PATHWAY TO MOVE FORWARD, WHICH SET THE
00:37:27STAGE FOR MY COMPREHENSIVE
00:37:29BYCATCH REDUCTION ACT, WHICH WE
00:37:32WILL BE BRINGING TO VOTE ON IN
00:37:34THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE NEXT WEEK.
00:37:36THE ONE WAY IN WHICH WE WILL NOT GET ANY BYCATCH LEGISLATION DONE
00:37:40IS IF THE SEA SENATORS FROM SEATTLE WHO SUPPORT AND
00:37:46FUNDRAISE FOR MY OPPONENT BECOME THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMERCE
00:37:50COMMITTEE. THAT'S HOW YOU STOP THIS IN ITS TRACKS.
00:37:53WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS.
00:37:55WE NEED TO DO MUCH MORE.
00:38:00THANK YOU.
00:38:02OUR NEXT QUESTION BYCATCH IS
00:38:04OFTEN PRESENTED AS A BINARY
00:38:07CHOICE BETWEEN PROTECTING THE LONG TERM HEALTH OF ALASKA'S
00:38:10FISH POPULATION VERSUS PROTECTING THE ECONOMIC
00:38:13INTERESTS OF THE FISHING INDUSTRY. DO YOU THINK THIS IS AN ACCURATE
00:38:18CHARACTERIZE THE OCEAN? WHY OR WHY NOT? MR. SULLIVAN, START WITH YOU.
00:38:22I THINK THE WAY IN WHICH YOU TEED UP THE QUESTION THAT IT
00:38:26IMPACTS ALL FISHERIES IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW.
00:38:29BUT THE REASON IN WHICH WE TOOK
00:38:31SO MUCH TIME TO DRAFT MY BYCATCH
00:38:36LEGISLATION IS BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THE COUNCIL BILL WAS NOT
00:38:40MOVING FAST ENOUGH. WE THOUGHT THE COUNCIL WAS NOT
00:38:45LOOKING AT THE DATA. WE THOUGHT THE COUNCIL WAS NOT
00:38:48FOCUSED PROPERLY ON DEADLINES.
00:38:50SO ALTHOUGH YOU DON'T ALWAYS ARE YOU DON'T ALWAYS WANT TO
00:38:54INTRODUCE LEGISLATION AND TO DIRECT THE COUNCIL TO MOVE
00:38:58FORWARD WITH REGARD TO DEADLINES WHEN THEY ARE NOT IN MANY WAYS
00:39:02DOING THEIR JOB. I THINK IT'S AN APPROPRIATE ROLE
00:39:06FOR CONGRESS TO DO THAT. SO MY BILL FORCES ACTION.
00:39:10IT DIRECTS ACTION TO REDUCE BYCATCH, INCLUDING ON OBSERVED
00:39:14FISH MORTALITY, LIMITING TRAWL
00:39:18GEAR, CONTACT WITH THE SEA FLOOR
00:39:20IN CREATING TRANSPORT PARENTS
00:39:23SEE WITH REGARD TO THE COUNCIL ROLE, WHICH WE THINK IS NEEDED,
00:39:27THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT THERE'S CONFLICT OF INTEREST. THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT THE
00:39:31COUNCIL IS MOVING TOO SLOWLY.
00:39:33THIS IS THE OVERSIGHT ROLE THAT
00:39:36I BELIEVE THE CONGRESS SHOULD
00:39:38PLAY WITH REGARD TO THE COUNCIL
00:39:40ON BYCATCH IN THIS IS WHY THIS
00:39:43BILL THAT WE'VE WORKED ON FOR A
00:39:45NUMBER OF YEARS IS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
00:39:48THERE IS A BALANCE. OF COURSE, YOU DON'T WANT 100
00:39:51U.S. SENATORS TRYING TO
00:39:53LEGISLATE FISH ALLOCATION IN THE
00:39:55NORTH PACIFIC.
00:39:57BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN THE
00:40:00COUNCIL IS NOT WORKING ON AN
00:40:02IMPORTANT ISSUE LIKE BYCATCH
00:40:04REDUCTION, WHICH ALASKANS ARE
00:40:06VERY FOCUSED ON, IT NEEDS TO MOVE, IT NEEDS TO WORK.
00:40:10AND THAT'S WHY MY COMPREHENSIVE BILL, THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE
00:40:13BYCATCH REDUCTION BILL EVER
00:40:15INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS, IS GOING
00:40:17TO GET A VOTE NEXT WEEK IN THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE, AND IT'LL BE
00:40:22IMPORTANT. THANK YOU, MS.
00:40:27BARTOLO. THANK YOU, MIKE.
00:40:30MIKE HATCH FOR ALL FISHERMEN IS INEVITABLE, YOU KNOW, AND
00:40:34ESPECIALLY WITH CERTAIN GEAR TYPES, GILLNETS ARE PRETTY
00:40:39UNFORGIVING. BUT WHEN THE BYCATCH IS IN THE
00:40:43METRIC, TONS OF JUVENILE HALIBUT, JUVENILE SALMON,
00:40:48JUVENILE CRAB, THAT'S A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF BYCATCH.
00:40:52AND WE HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR
00:40:55YEARS ALASKAN IS REGULAR
00:40:57ALASKANS HAVE BEEN GOING AND
00:41:01PRESENTING THEIR TESTIMONY BEFORE THE NORTH PACIFIC FISHERIES MANAGEMENT COUNCIL.
00:41:05I THINK YOU GET THREE MINUTES IF YOU'RE A REGULAR PERSON, IF
00:41:08YOU'RE REPRESENTING OTHER PEOPLE, YOU GET SIX WHOLE MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING.
00:41:13THIS IMPORTANT.
00:41:15AND THE THE DISCUSSION HAS
00:41:18BOILED DOWN TO THE WORLD, TO THE
00:41:20WORD PRACTICABLE, PRACTICABLE
00:41:25AMOUNT OF BYCATCH. WHAT DOES PROJECT THECABLE MEAN?
00:41:30AND FOR MANY PEOPLE WHO LIVE WHO
00:41:34DEPEND ON HUNDREDS OF GROWN
00:41:37SALMON TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES, HUNDREDS OF GROWN HALIBUT GROWN
00:41:42CRAB PRACTICABLE, IT'S A TOUGH
00:41:44PILL TO SWALLOW AND WE'VE GOT TO
00:41:47GET OUR ARMS AROUND WHAT DOES
00:41:50PRACTICABLE AMOUNT MEAN WHEN WE
00:41:52ARE HARVESTING MORE BYCATCH THAN
00:41:55PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD A 12,000
00:41:58YEAR RELATION SHIP WITH THAT SPECIES AND WHOSE WHOLE
00:42:03COMMUNITY EXISTS BECAUSE OF THIS
00:42:05LONG TERM, LONG TIME
00:42:07GENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH SALMON WHEN THEY'RE BEING ACED
00:42:11OUT BY INDUSTRIAL FACTORY TRAWLER.
00:42:14ON TAKING OUT METRIC TONNES OF
00:42:16FORAGE FISH FOR ALL OF THESE
00:42:19CRITICAL SPECIES THAT WE RELY
00:42:21ON, SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE.
00:42:23AND I'M PROUD OF THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE. I'M PROUD TO BE ONE OF A
00:42:27MOVEMENT OF ALASKA BIRDS RISING
00:42:30UP TO ADDRESS THIS.
00:42:35THANK YOU.
00:42:38QUESTION NUMBER THREE WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ARE THE PRIMARY
00:42:41CAUSES OF DECLINES IN KING AND
00:42:44CHUM SALMON IN ALASKA? WE'LL START WITH MR. DOLLAR.
00:42:48I DO THINK IT'S A MYRIAD OF THINGS, CHELSI. I KNOW THAT IT IS.
00:42:52YOU KNOW, IT CAN'T HAVE BEEN GOOD THAT WE HAD FIVE SNOW OR
00:42:55LESS WINTERS AT THE HEADWATERS OF THOSE. THE TWO BIGGEST RIVERS IN OUR
00:43:00STATE. THAT HAS LASTING IMPACT.
00:43:03FIVE SNOW, LESS WINTERS, YOU KNOW, BY THE FIFTH SUMMER WE HAD
00:43:07CHUM SALMON FLOATING DOWN OUR
00:43:09RIVER UNMOLESTED, JUST FLOATING
00:43:12DOWN OUR RIVER. THEY HAD HAD TWO HEART ATTACKS
00:43:15BECAUSE OUR RIVER WAS OVER 70°F.
00:43:19IT WAS 98 PLUS DEGREES IN THE SUN.
00:43:23THIS IS REALLY HARD ON SALMON,
00:43:25BUT AND THAT'S MORE CHALLENGING TO GET GET OUR ARMS AROUND
00:43:29CLIMATE ACIDIFICATION. THAT IS NOT AS EASY TO GET OUR ARMS AROUND.
00:43:32BUT REMOVING METRIC TONS OF
00:43:34FORAGE FISH EVERY YEAR, YEAR
00:43:36AFTER YEAR, GENERATION AFTER
00:43:40GENERATION HAVING METRIC TONS OF
00:43:43OUR JUVENILE HALIBUT, SALMON AND
00:43:45CRAB REMOVED FROM THE ECOSPHERE
00:43:47SYSTEM YEAR AFTER YEAR ARE PLOWING UP.
00:43:51YOU KNOW, EVEN THE MID-WATER TRAWLS.
00:43:53IT'S BECOME KNOWN THAT 80% OF
00:43:56THE TIME THE MID-WATER TRAWLS ARE DRAGGING THE BOTTOM.
00:43:58THIS CANNOT BE GOOD FOR OUR ECOSYSTEM.
00:44:02THIS IS THE ONE PLACE WHERE
00:44:05CONGRESS, ALASKANS HAS AN
00:44:07OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, NO, THIS IS A MANMADE IMPACT.
00:44:11WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO TO
00:44:14ADDRESS THIS SYSTEM QUICKLY.
00:44:16WE CAN GET OUR ARMS AROUND THIS ONE.
00:44:19WASTE IS NOT GOOD FOR ANYONE.
00:44:21ONE WASTE CATCHES UP WITH US AND EVERYONE WHO LIVES ON THE WATER
00:44:25KNOWS THAT.
00:44:26WE KNOW HOW THE BALANCE OF THIS
00:44:29ECOSYSTEM IS VERY DELICATE.
00:44:32AND IF YOU'RE ADDING TO IT ON
00:44:34TOP OF ACIDIFICATION, ON TOP OF
00:44:38OCEAN TEMPERATURE, RISE, YOU KNOW, WHEN DO WE SAY UNCLE?
00:44:44SO I KNOW IT IS A MYRIAD OF THINGS.
00:44:46I KNOW IT IS A CHALLENGE, BUT
00:44:48LET'S START WHERE WE CAN.
00:44:54THIS IS AGAIN, A DIFFERENCE
00:44:58BETWEEN MY OPPONENT AND MYSELF. THIS IS A CRITICAL ISSUE.
00:45:01IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE FACING ALASKA.
00:45:04AND WHAT I WAS ABLE TO DO IN
00:45:082022, WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU,
00:45:10EVERY STAKEHOLDER IN OUR STATE,
00:45:12WE SAID, WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF
00:45:16THIS GREAT VARIABILITY IN SALMON RUNS THROUGHOUT THE STATE?
00:45:18WHY IS IT HAPPENING? LET'S WORK TOGETHER AND GET
00:45:22CONSENSUS. SO I PASSED THE BILL.
00:45:26CONGRESSMAN PAUL, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT EASY TO PASS A BILL ON FISHERIES. WELL, I PASSED ONE OF MY MANY
00:45:30BILLS ON FISHERIES. THE ALASKA SALMON TASK FORCE ACT. I HOPE PEOPLE CAN LOOK AT IT.
00:45:34IT BROUGHT EVERYONE TOGETHER.
00:45:36THE BEST MINDS IN THE STATE WITH
00:45:38A HEAVY FOCUS ON INDIGENOUS
00:45:41ALASKANS ON THE YUKON, ON THE
00:45:43CUSP BETWEEN TO SAY WHAT IS
00:45:45CAUSING THIS AND WHAT'S THE ROAD
00:45:47MAP IN WHICH WE, ALAS, SCIENCE
00:45:50SHOULD COME TOGETHER TO HAVE A WAY FORWARD FOR WHAT WE ALL
00:45:53WANT, WHICH IS STRONG, HEALTHY SAM IN FISHERIES THROUGHOUT OUR
00:45:57STATE. AND OF COURSE IT WAS AN AREA OF
00:45:59MANY THINGS FROM THESE EXPERTS
00:46:02UNIVERSITY, STATE, LOCAL,
00:46:04FEDERAL, INDIGENOUS.
00:46:06IT WAS CLIMATE CHANGE AND OCEAN ACIDIFICATION.
00:46:09IT WAS COMPETENT MISSION WITH
00:46:11OTHER FISHERY IS OUT IN THE OCEAN.
00:46:14RUSSIAN HATCHERY IS ARE
00:46:16PRODUCING BILLIONS OF SALMON. IT WAS FRESHWATER HABITAT.
00:46:20IT WAS SALMON PREDATOR WAS ALL
00:46:22OF THIS IS IN THIS REPORT. AND OF COURSE IT WAS ALSO
00:46:27BYCATCH. THIS IS A ROADMAP ON HOW WE GET
00:46:30BACK TO STRONG, HEALTHY SALMON RUNS AND BRING A ALASKANS
00:46:35TOGETHER. THAT'S WHAT MY LEGISLATION IS. IT'S NOT EASY TO DO THAT.
00:46:38IT'S NOT EASY TO GET CONSENSUS. BUT THE NEXT STEP FROM THIS
00:46:43REPORT WAS RESEARCH GAPS.
00:46:46WE HAVE RESEARCH GAPS ON SALMON.
00:46:48I AM ADDRESSING THESE WITH NOAH.
00:46:51I'M ADDRESSING MUCH STRONGER,
00:46:54ROBUST RESEARCH AS IT RELATES TO SALMON IN THIS.
00:46:57AND OF COURSE, THIS LEGISLATION
00:47:01PRODUCED THE BYCATCH REDUCTION ACT THAT WE'RE VOTING ON NEXT
00:47:03WEEK IN THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE.
00:47:10WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE SHORT
00:47:13ANSWER OR LIGHTNING ROUND, WHERE WE ASK CANDIDATES FOR BRIEF
00:47:17RESPONSES. SO PLEASE LIMIT YOUR ANSWERS TO
00:47:1930S OR LESS FOR THESE QUESTIONS. FIRST QUESTION WHAT HAVE YOU
00:47:24ACCOMPLISHED RELATED TO FISHERIES IN YOUR TIME IN CONGRESS? MR. SULLIVAN PLEASE.
00:47:28WELL, I WON'T REPEAT MY OPENING STATEMENT BECAUSE IT'S OVER 30S
00:47:32BUT I HAVE COME IN TO THIS JOB
00:47:36EVERY SINGLE DAY FOCUSED ON FISHERIES, PROBABLY MORE THAN
00:47:39ANY OTHER ISSUE. I HAVE THE BEST TEAM. WE HAVE PRODUCED.
00:47:43WE HAVE CREATED ALL KINDS OF
00:47:45OPPORTUNITIES AND IT IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME AND MY
00:47:49OPPONENT. FIRST TERM IN THE CONGRESS. SHE NEVER INTRODUCED ONE BILL ON
00:47:53FISH, NEVER GOT A BILL PASSED AND SIGNED INTO LAW.
00:47:55I HAD NUMEROUS BILLS DEALING
00:47:59WITH FISHERIES AND OTHER ACTIONS THAT HELP OUR FISHERIES IN
00:48:03ALASKA. THAT'S NOT ALL I CAN YOU RESTATE IT?
00:48:06WHAT HAVE YOU ACCOMPLISHED RELATED TO FISHERIES IN YOUR
00:48:09TIME IN CONGRESS? WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS REALLY PROUD TO HAVE WORKED ON
00:48:13AND SENATOR DAN SULLIVAN, I WORKED ON THIS TOGETHER, IS
00:48:17UNCLOGGING DISASTER RELIEF FUNDS
00:48:20OUT OF THE OFFICE BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT AND LOOKING AT LONGER
00:48:24TERM SOLUTIONS FOR MAKING SURE THAT FISHERMEN AND FISHING
00:48:28FAMILIES GET THOSE DISASTER FUNDS IN A MORE TIMELY WAY.
00:48:31I AM UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO FIGHT FOR FISHERMEN IN WASHINGTON,
00:48:36D.C. I'VE BEEN FISHING SINCE I WAS SIX. I'VE WORKED IN COMMERCIAL FISHING.
00:48:40I'VE WORKED WITH PROCESSORS. I WORKED AS A TENDER BOAT PERSON.
00:48:43I COULD GO ON AND ON WITH THE FISHING LIST THAT I HAVE.
00:48:48THANK YOU. BEFORE SUPPORTING A SPECIFIC LAW
00:48:51OR POLICY PROPOSAL, HOW WOULD YOU EVALUATE ECONOMIC RIPPLE
00:48:54EFFECTS IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND AND BALANCE THE NEEDS OF ALL
00:48:57ALASKAN COMMUNITIES? MISSPELT. HOLT, PLEASE.
00:49:01WE KNOW THAT ALASKA HAS A VERY
00:49:03HOLISTIC ECONOMY. AND I THINK IN ALASKA WE KNOW
00:49:07THIS BETTER THAN ANY OTHER PLACE
00:49:10BECAUSE THERE ARE SO FEW OF US AND WE'RE ALL RELATED.
00:49:14WE'RE ALL CONNECTED. WHEN THE PRICE OF FUEL GOES UP
00:49:18FOR MAKING MORE ICE OR FUELING
00:49:20UP YOUR BOAT, IT AFFECTS EVERY SINGLE OTHER THING.
00:49:24WHEN IT COSTS MORE FOR
00:49:28PROCESSORS TO PROCESS THAT FISH, WHEN IT COSTS MORE TO SHIP IT
00:49:31OUT TO CONSUMERS. THAT AFFECTS EVERYTHING.
00:49:34WE'VE GOT TO LOWER OUR FUEL PRICES. MR.
00:49:37SULLIVAN THE KEY IS ENGAGEMENT
00:49:39AND OPEN DOOR POLICY WITH ALL
00:49:42ALASKANS AND THEN VIEW WHAT THE CHALLENGES ARE AND WORK
00:49:46RELENTLESSLY TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE BREAKTHROUGHS. WE DID THAT DURING COVID.
00:49:49A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS FROM THE KODIAK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
00:49:53I'VE DONE THAT IN LITIGATION WHEN OUTSIDE GROUPS HAVE COME
00:49:55AFTER OUR HALIBUT FISHERMEN, OUR
00:49:57SOUTHEAST TROLL SALMON FISHERMEN.
00:50:00I GOT IN THE COURTROOM, FOUGHT FOR THEM IN AID.
00:50:04OF COURSE, WHEN OUR FISHERMEN SAID, SENATOR, THE RUSSIANS ARE
00:50:07AT WAR WITH US, FLOODING
00:50:10MARKETS, YOU GOT TO BAN THE IMPORTATION RUSSIAN SEAFOOD.
00:50:13WE DID THAT AS WELL.
00:50:19THE U.S. COAST GUARD PROVIDES VITAL SEARCH AND RESCUE
00:50:22OPERATIONS, BUT ALASKA BASED ASSETS ARE INCREASINGLY DIVERTED
00:50:26TO OTHER NATIONAL SECURITY MISSIONS. HOW WILL YOU ENSURE ADEQUATE
00:50:31VESSELS, AIRCRAFT AND TRAINED PERSONNEL REMAIN AVAILABLE IN
00:50:33ALASKA FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE AND SAFETY AT SEA FOR OUR FISHERMEN?
00:50:37MR. SULLIVAN WELL, I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS.
00:50:41I OFFER THE LARGEST RECAPITALIZATION OF THE COAST
00:50:44GUARD IN U.S. HISTORY.
00:50:46LAST YEAR, $25 BILLION TO
00:50:51RECAPITALIZE THE ENTIRE U.S. COAST GUARD.
00:50:53ALASKA IS GOING TO BENEFIT MORE THAN ANY OTHER STATE BY FAR.
00:50:56THIS COMMUNITY IS GOING TO BENEFIT MORE THAN ANY OTHER
00:50:59COMMUNITY, TOO. ICEBREAKERS IN KODIAK TO FAST
00:51:03RESPONSE CUTTERS, NEW C-130S, NEW AGE 60S.
00:51:07WE ARE GETTING THAT THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
00:51:10AND MY OPPONENT HAS BEEN SAYING SHE WAS AGAINST THAT LAW, WHICH
00:51:14I THINK IS REMARKABLE.
00:51:17SO, YEAH, IT DOESN'T.
00:51:26MERIT. HOW WILL I SUPPORT THE COAST
00:51:29GUARD FUNDING OR SAY AGAIN YET
00:51:33AT THE END OF THE QUESTION, HOW WILL YOU ENSURE ADEQUATE VESSELS, AIRCRAFT AND TRAINED
00:51:38PERSONNEL WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE IN ALASKA FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE
00:51:40AND SAFETY AT SEA FOR OUR FISHERMEN? OKAY.
00:51:43I'M PROUD OF THE WORK THAT I DID ON THE ON THE HOUSE SIDE WITH
00:51:47THE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
00:51:51BECAUSE OF MY SUBCOMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT ON COAST GUARD.
00:51:53I WAS AN APPROPRIATOR. I'M VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT
00:51:57WE GOT ALASKA'S FIRST ICE BREAKER IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF
00:52:01THE WORK I DID ACROSS TO THE
00:52:03SENATE SIDE, BECAUSE ON THE
00:52:05SENATE SIDE, MY PARTY WAS IN POWER.
00:52:08I WAS I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT I DID TO TO
00:52:12SUPPORT OUR OUR STATION HERE.
00:52:14I HAVE TWO SONS WHO PROUDLY SERVED IN THE COAST GUARD.
00:52:17I WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT OUR COAST
00:52:22GUARD. I THANK YOU.
00:52:24ALASKA LEADS THE NATION ON
00:52:27SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT. THAT COLLECTION AND MONITORING
00:52:30OF OUR FISHERIES. HOW WOULD YOU ENSURE ADEQUATE
00:52:33FUNDING FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES AND
00:52:35THE CRITICAL SCIENCE THEY
00:52:37PROVIDE, BEGINNING WITH MARY.
00:52:40THANK YOU, SENATOR STEVENS.
00:52:42FIRST OF ALL, I NEVER WOULD HAVE BACK THESE DRACONIAN.
00:52:46DON'T CUTS THAT WE HAVE SEEN FROM WASHINGTON, D.C. SINCE 2025.
00:52:50THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENTAL
00:52:53EFFICIENCY BY ELON MUSK THAT
00:52:55SENATOR SULLIVAN HAWLEY SUPPORTED.
00:52:58HAWLEY SUPPORTED MOWING DOWN
00:53:01HUNDREDS OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE MANNING
00:53:05THESE THESE CRITICAL AGENCIES, THESE AGENCIES.
00:53:08AGAIN, THE WORK THEY DO IS LIFE
00:53:11AND DEATH FOR US IN ALASKA.
00:53:24IT'S A DAN SULLIVAN. IF YOU COULD RESPOND TO THAT.
00:53:27SO SURVEYS AND KNOW ARE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL. I'VE BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER OF
00:53:30OUR SURVEYS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN THIS
00:53:34LAST BUDGET, WE GOT AN INCREASE
00:53:36IN $10 MILLION TO NOAA'S SURVEYS.
00:53:38I'VE SUPPORTED OVER $100 MILLION
00:53:41OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION WORK WITH
00:53:44REGARD TO NOVA AND PUSHBACK ON
00:53:48THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. ON SURVEYS AS IT RELATED TO THE
00:53:51OSCAR DYSON, WHICH IS NOW HOME
00:53:53PORTED HERE, GOT ALMOST A $100 MILLION CONTRACT TO MAKE SURE
00:53:56THEY COULD DO THE SURVEYS FOR NOAH, AND WE GOT A NEW VESSEL,
00:54:00THE FAIRWEATHER HOME PORTED IN
00:54:03KETCHIKAN FOR NOAH SURVEYS AS WELL. THANK YOU.
00:54:07THIS IS THE LAST SEGMENT OF THE FORUM.
00:54:10EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO PRESENT THEIR CLOSING STATEMENTS.
00:54:14DAN SULLIVAN IF YOU'D GO FIRST. WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
00:54:19CHAMBER FISHING IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF ALASKA.
00:54:22IT IS THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR CULTURE AND HAS BEEN THE
00:54:26CORNERSTONE OF MY WORK IN THE SENATE.
00:54:28GETTING THINGS DONE, NOT JUST
00:54:30TALKING HEALTHY FISHERIES AND STRONG FISHING COMMUNITIES ARE
00:54:33NOT JUST CAMPAIGN TALKING PORTS. FOR ME, I HAVE A VERY STRONG
00:54:37RECORD IN THIS AREA. THESE ARE COMPLEX STATE ISSUES.
00:54:39THEY TAKE HARD WORK AND CONSENSUS ISSUES THAT HAVE IN
00:54:43THE HEART OF OUR STATE SINCE STATEHOOD.
00:54:45FISHERIES DEMAND FOR FOCUS FROM
00:54:47YOUR SENATOR, A WORKHORSE WHO'S
00:54:50GOING TO GIVE THESE ISSUES THERE ALL IN SENIORITY IN THE SENATE,
00:54:55PARTICULARLY ON THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES FISHERIES.
00:54:57I HAVE THAT SENIORITY AND LOOK FOR IT FORWARD SHARING THAT
00:55:02COMMITTEE IN THE NEXT SIX YEARS. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU, PARTICULARLY THE CHAMBER.
00:55:06I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM SO MANY HERE.
00:55:09ALASKA'S FISHERMEN WANT
00:55:11ESSENTIAL SMALL BUSINESS MEN AND WOMEN.
00:55:13YOU'RE A MODEL FOR GRIT AND DETERMINATION.
00:55:17ON NOVEMBER 3RD, ALASKANS HAVE A
00:55:19CHOICE SOMEONE WHO GETS THINGS DONE AND SOMEONE WHO TALKS.
00:55:23I'D BE HONORED BY YOUR VOTE.
00:55:27THANK YOU VERY ALL YOUR CLOSING
00:55:30STATEMENT, PLEASE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
00:55:34AND I LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH ALL OF YOU IN THE SENATE.
00:55:38FOR US, FISH IS MORE THAN FOOD. IT'S OUR WAY OF LIFE.
00:55:41IT'S WHO WE ARE. I STARTED COMMERCIAL FISHING IN
00:55:45ALASKA WHEN I WAS SIX YEARS OLD. I'VE SPENT MY LIFE FIGHTING FOR
00:55:47ALASKA FISHERIES, AND IT'D BE A PRIVILEGE FOR ME TO CONTINUE
00:55:51THAT LIFELONG FIGHT. AS YOUR SENATOR. ALASKANS NEED A SENATOR WHO
00:55:55UNDERSTANDS THE INS AND OUTS OF COMMERCIAL FISHING AND WILL WORK
00:55:58WITH ANYONE TO DELIVER FOR OUR
00:56:00FISHERMEN AND OUR COMMUNITY. THIS FIGHT IS BIGGER THAN ANY
00:56:04ONE PERSON. WE'RE PART OF A MOVEMENT TOGETHER.
00:56:08LOOK AROUND. THERE'S A TIDAL SHIFT HAPPENING IN ALASKA RIGHT NOW.
00:56:11WE NEED A SENATOR WHO'S GOING TO RESPOND TO THE SEA CHANGE, NOT
00:56:14FIGHT AGAINST ALASKANS ON THESE ISSUES LIKE WE'VE HAD FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS.
00:56:19WE DON'T NEED A SENATOR FUELED BY CORPORATE GREED OF LOWER 48
00:56:23OUT OF STATE FACTORY TRAWLERS AND ONLY OFFERS HALF HEARTED
00:56:27SOLUTIONS. WHEN AN ELECTION YEAR ROLLS AROUND IN THE SENATE, I'LL
00:56:30ALWAYS PUT ALASKA FISHERMEN FIRST.
00:56:33I'LL CRACK DOWN ON THE LOWER 48 FACTORY TRAWLER IN INTERESTS
00:56:36THAT ARE BLEEDING OUR STATE DRY. AND I'LL FIGHT EVERY DAY TO
00:56:40SUPPORT ALASKA FISHERMEN AND
00:56:42SECURE THE FUTURE OF ALASKA FISHERIES.
00:56:44THANK YOU.
00:56:55YOU'RE WATCHING C SPAN THREE.
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00:57:13TO THE PEOPLE AND INSTITUTE TIONS THAT SHAPE OUR NATION.
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00:57:24PRESIDENTIAL SPEECHES. BRIEFINGS IN HISTORIC MOMENTS AS THEY HAPPEN.
00:57:28NO COMMENTS. FREE. NO SPIN.
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00:58:02LIVE THIS MORNING AT NINE EASTERN ON C-SPAN THREE.
00:58:05THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
00:58:07HEARS FROM FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL DURING A HEARING ON
00:58:10OVERSIGHT OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION.
00:58:13WATCH IT LIVE THIS MORNING AT NINE EASTERN ON C-SPAN THREE. C-SPAN NOW OUR FREE MOBILE VIDEO
00:58:19APP OR ONLINE AT C-SPAN DOT ORG.
00:58:23IMAGINE THIS. YOU'VE JUST BEEN ELECTED TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
00:58:25NOW IT'S YOUR TURN TO STEP UP TO THE PODIUM AND BEGIN YOUR FIRST
00:58:29SPEECH WITH THE WORDS. MR. SPEAKER, I RISE TODAY FOR
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00:58:38HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO CREATE A 5 TO 6 MINUTE DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE ISSUE.
00:58:42YOU WOULD TACKLE FIRST AS A NEW MEMBER OF CONGRESS AND WHAT
00:58:45SOLUTIONS YOU THINK COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE. INTERVIEW LOCAL LEADERS,
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00:59:092027, FOR OFFICIAL RULES AND EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO GET
00:59:13STARTED. VISIT STUDENT CAM FOR YOUR VOICE MATTERS.
00:59:17YOUR IDEAS MATTER.
00:59:18NOW IT'S TIME TO MAKE YOUR CASE.
00:59:22VICE PRESIDENT J.D. VANCE AND THE HEAD OF THE SMALL BUSINESS
00:59:24ADMINISTRATION, KELLY LEFFLER, SPOKE ABOUT TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
00:59:28POLICY DURING A RALLY IN SUPPORT OF KANSAS REPUBLICAN SENATOR
00:59:30ROGER MARSHALL.
00:59:33THIS RUNS ABOUT 40 MINUTES.
00:59:48GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
00:59:55THANK YOU ALL. PLEASE HAVE A SEAT, FIRST OF ALL, GOOD MORNING TO OUR GREAT FBI AGENTS