00                       HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 6                                                                     
01 Relating to the labeling of fish products and processed food items containing fish to                                   
02 identify the country of origin and to distinguish between wild and farmed fish and fish                                 
03 products.                                                                                                               
04 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
05       WHEREAS Americans deserve wholesome foods and information about the contents                                    
06 and production of their food supply; and                                                                                
07       WHEREAS concerns have recently been raised about the safety of farmed fish; and                                 
08       WHEREAS Alaska's fish production is distinct from farmed fish production because                                
09 Alaska fish are wild, free-ranging, and, therefore, naturally wholesome and healthy; and                                
10       WHEREAS there are numerous outstanding issues regarding public policy, fair trade,                              
11 and the social and economic consequences of farmed fish production; and                                                 
12       WHEREAS more and more consumers are expressing a preference for, and                                            
13 requesting, wild fish over farmed fish; and                                                                             
14       WHEREAS both the Alaska State Legislature and the United States Congress have                                   
15 passed labeling laws specifically to inform consumers about fish and other food products; and                           

01       WHEREAS the United States Department of Agriculture has exempted processed                                      
02 food items from federal country of origin labeling requirements; and                                                    
03       WHEREAS the only Alaska fish products available to many Americans are canned,                                   
04 smoked, or otherwise processed;                                                                                         
05       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports the timely labeling of                                
06 fish and fishery food products in the market place to identify the country of origin and to                             
07 distinguish between wild fish and farmed fish; and be it                                                                
08       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports the labeling of                                     
09 processed food items containing fish to identify the country of origin of the fish and to                               
10 distinguish between wild fish and farmed fish.                                                                          
11       COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable George W.  Bush, President                             
12 of the United States; the Honorable Don Evans, United States Secretary of Commerce; the                                 
13 Honorable Ann M. Veneman, United States Secretary of Agriculture; and the Honorable Ted                                 
14 Stevens and the Honorable Lisa Murkowski, U.S.  Senators, and the Honorable Don Young,                                  
15 U.S.  Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.