02/23/2005 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES

       CSHJR  6(FSH)-LABELING OF FISH /SHELLFISH PRODUCTS                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WAGONER announced CSHJR 6(FSH) to be up for consideration.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KERTTULA,  sponsor,   said  there  are  currently                                                               
labeling requirements for  country of origin and  wild and farmed                                                               
salmon.  Unfortunately,   the  USDA   is  thinking   of  removing                                                               
processed  fish from  those requirements.  That includes  canned,                                                               
smoked and  pouched products. She  thinks this is wrong  and that                                                               
people should still be able to benefit from labeling.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:42:55 PM                                                                                                                    
TABATHA  WILIAMS,  intern  working for  Representative  Kerttula,                                                               
said  she is  from a  fishing family  and said  that the  fishing                                                               
industry  provides  many jobs  for  Alaskans  and that  even  the                                                               
tourist  industry  depends  on   the  Alaska  seafood  industry's                                                               
reputation to attract its clientele.  Farmed fish has been linked                                                               
to cancer-causing toxins  and high mercury levels.  We don't want                                                               
our  wild   and  healthy  salmon   to  be  associated   with  the                                                               
notoriously  bad press  farmed fish  has earned  over the  recent                                                               
years.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:44:38 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  ELTON  moved  to  pass CSHJR  6(FSH),  version  F,  from                                                               
committee   with    attached   fiscal   notes    and   individual                                                               
recommendations. There were no objections and it was so ordered.