Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Supports seafood gleaning pilot program in Monmouth and Ocean counties.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Senate Resolution supporting a seafood gleaning pilot program in Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Whereas, Commercial fishing is a crucial part of the history, culture, and economy of the Jersey Shore; and
Whereas, The annual harvest of New Jersey's commercial fishing industry is valued over $166 million with over 107 million pounds of seafood harvested annually; and
Whereas, It is estimated that approximately 20 percent, or 2 billion pounds, of the entire United States fisheries catch is discarded each year, and not put into productive use; and
Whereas, Utilizing a portion of that discarded seafood waste would make a substantial impact on hunger nationwide by securing a much-needed source of protein for food banks, pantries, and soup kitchens available year-round; and
Whereas, More than 1 million residents of New Jersey, including 375,000 children suffer from food insecurity, while nationwide more than 49 million people including 16 million children face food insecurity; and
Whereas, These problems with food security persist despite the fact that New Jersey is one of the wealthiest states in the nation, and the United States discards up to 40 percent of the food it produces; and
Whereas, A group from the commercial fishing industry in New Jersey is seeking to reduce hunger by creating a new program to use discarded seafood by gleaning, i.e., to gather seafood after it is harvested; and
Whereas, The State has enacted several measures encouraging and protecting traditional gleaning on farmland, including the creation of "New Jersey Gleaning Week" and liability protections for organizations performing gleaning; and
Whereas, Members of the commercial fishing industry in the State have made applications to the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration in the United States Department of Commerce for grants that would help establish a seafood gleaning program; and
Whereas, The seafood gleaning program would partner with seafood processors and distributors, food banks, aquaculturists, processors, and other interested parties to create and distribute useable fishery products from discarded and underutilized fish and seafood; and
Whereas, Several municipalities in Monmouth and Ocean counties, including Toms River Township, the Borough of Lavallette, and the Borough of Bay Head, have passed resolutions expressing support for such programs; and
Whereas, The establishment of a seafood gleaning program would allow New Jersey to be at the forefront of reducing food waste and increasing food security among its citizenry, and it is fitting and proper for the Legislature to commend and support such efforts; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House supports the efforts of member of the New Jersey fishing industry to create a seafood gleaning pilot program in Monmouth and Ocean counties, and urges the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration to issue grants in furtherance of such an effort to reduce waste and increase food security in the State.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the Freeholders of Monmouth County, the Freeholders of Ocean County, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, and the Administrator of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
STATEMENT
This resolution expresses support for a seafood gleaning pilot project in Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Commercial fishing is a crucial part of the history, culture, and economy of the Jersey Shore. The annual harvest of New Jersey's commercial fishing industry is valued over $166 million with over 107 million pounds of seafood harvested annually. It is estimated that approximately 20 percent, or 2 billion pounds, of the entire United States fisheries catch is discarded each year, and not put into productive use. Utilizing a portion of that discarded seafood waste would make a substantial impact on hunger nationwide by securing a much-needed source of protein for food banks, pantries and soup kitchens available year-round.
Members of the commercial fishing industry in New Jersey are seeking to reduce hunger by creating a new program to use discarded seafood by gleaning, i.e., to gathering seafood after it is harvested. New Jersey has enacted several measures encouraging and protecting traditional gleaning on farmland, including the creation of "New Jersey Gleaning Week" and liability protections for organizations performing gleaning. Members of the commercial fishing industry have made applications to the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration for grants that would help establish a seafood gleaning program. The seafood gleaning program would partner with seafood processors and distributors, food banks, aquaculturists, processors, and other interested parties to create and distribute useable fishery products from discarded and underutilized fish and seafood. Several municipalities in Monmouth and Ocean counties, including Toms River Township, the Borough of Lavallette, and the Borough Bay Head, have passed resolutions expressing support for such programs. The establishment of a seafood gleaning program would allow New Jersey to be at the forefront of reducing food waste and increasing food security among its citizenry, and it is fitting and proper for the Legislature to commend and support such efforts.