Rep Bill Cassidy, M.D. on Louisiana Seafood
by Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
High heels and wingtips clicking and clacking on marble steps. Ewell Smith, (rear left), Krystal Cox, Kristin McLaren and Harlon Pearce in a Senate stairwell. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
High heels and wingtips, clicking and clacking on marble steps. The constant buzz of voices, bouncing off the walls of flag-lined corridors. Hands continuously in motion, shaking and passing paper after paper from one to another.
These were the sights and sounds of “Walk the Hill” week, with the Louisiana Seafood Board and members of the Gulf Oyster Industry Council (GOIC).
Ewell Smith, executive director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, and assistant executive director Kristin McLaren and staff member Krystal Cox joined other seafood advocates from five Gulf states in Washington, D.C.
Year after year, they meet with federal agencies, congressmen, senators and their staff to educate them on the needs and concerns of the state’s diverse seafood industries: crab, oyster, shrimp, finfish, alligator and crawfish.
“This annual event is the one opportunity each year where we can communicate face-to-face the needs of our Louisiana seafood community,” said Smith.
“It is important to every fisherman, processor, distributor, chef and restaurant in Louisiana to have those that represent us in Washington knowledgeable on the effects of the programs and legislation they initiate.”
A “Thank You” for Passage of RESTORE Act
Bob Jones, of Southeastern Fisheries Association, is impressed with the results of the trip. He has been coming to the hill since 1964, but this is the first year with the GOIC.
“This year’s trip is basically a big ‘thank you’ for the efforts of the Gulf legislators in passing the RESTORE Act and getting money for the Gulf.” he said. “The issues going forward are how do you bring the oyster industry back, and how we develop what we believe are sustainable fisheries.”
Louisiana Sen. David Vitter discusses legislation important to the seafood delegation. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
RESTORE stands for the federal Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economics of the Gulf Coast States Act. It ensures 80 percent of all Clean Water Act penalties paid in connection with the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill go into a trust fund to rebuild the Gulf Coast.
The 18th annual Louisiana pilgrimage started on a low point. Mike Voisin, owner of Motivatit Seafood in Houma and co-founder of the annual trip, suffered a major heart condition a few days before leaving. Voisin died the Saturday following the final day of the walk.
“We miss Mike, but we know he would want us to move forward,” said Chris Nelson of Alabama’s Bon Secure Fisheries.
An event co-founder and a close friend of Voisin, Nelson added: “This year, we didn’t have a super large agenda. In addition to updating legislators on how RESTORE Act money will be spent, we are educating them on the devastating effect of the proposed revisions to the H-2B program will have on fishing industries – as well as asking for proper Gulf fishing management data and stock assessments.”
Louisiana’s crab, oyster and shrimp fisheries – and even its alligator farms – rely on those who will travel to and work in the United States by way of an H-2B visa. Each visa is a one-time pass to fill a seasonal job vacancy that cannot be filled by an American worker. Proposed revisions to the program will create economic hardships for them, business owners say.
Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board executive director Ewell Smith (left) discusses the boards annual report with Louisiana Representative Charles Boustany. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
Nelson said Gulf states are committed to an aggressive seafood marketing campaign. “Each of the five states now has a seafood marketing group, and the efforts of those are being coordinated by the Seafood Marketing Coalition. We are seeing that bear a lot of fruit already, but we hoping to ramp that up even higher this coming year.”
Sal Sunseri, of New Orleans P & J Oyster Company, joined the group for the first time. “Chris did a great job standing in for Mike. It is important for our story to be heard and visiting each of these offices influences the very survival of our industry. Most of them have been great supporters, so we are very happy and proud of our guys.”
By the end of the weeklong event, the group of 30+ seafood veterans visited more than 30 congressional and administration offices, including all but one of the senatorial offices representing the Gulf states.
Importance of the Louisiana Seafood Board
“It is important to have an independent, seafood marketing board like ours because we have to work with a wide variety of governmental agencies,” explained McLaren.
Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu discusses her support for the continuous promotiona and marketing efforts of the Seafood Board. to re-establish the Louisiana seafood brand. In Background GOIC consultant Margret Henderson and Chef Keith Frantz from Covington’s restaurant LOLA . Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
“The politics of seafood cross many boundaries: federal, state, local and even private. The education process we have established on Capitol Hill is just one of the many programs to keep government legislators and officials aware of the needs of the Louisiana fishing communities.”
Standing in his Capitol Hill office, Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) acknowledges the importance the Louisiana Seafood Board brings to building the state’s seafood brand in the world economy.
“There is an oyster house here in D.C. that refuses to serve Louisiana oysters,” said the congressman. “There continues to be a need to convey to other people the quality and safety of the seafood we put out.”
On the other side of the hill, Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.) has found common ground with her Louisiana congressional colleague on this issue.
“The Louisiana Seafood Board has done a fantastic job at reestablishing the brand,” she said, while meeting with the Gulf delegation. “This is important for our various fishing communities and those whose livelihood depend upon its survival. I am 100 percent behind keeping the board and its programs in place.”
Camaraderie Coast to Coast to Coast
“Walking the Hill” builds camaraderie among the fishing industries of the Gulf, as well as those from both coasts.
Oyster shuckers Stormin’ Norman and Hollywood Henderson, both from Acme Oyster House, joined chefs Keith Frantz and Cory Bahr and Wilbert Collins of Collins Oyster Company to represent Louisiana oyster cuisine to more than 500 D.C. politicos at Acadiana Restaurant.
Celebrating with an oyster toast, Chef Cory Bahr from Restaurant Cotton in Monroe greats guests to the reception. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
Shuckers and chefs from both coasts joined the Louisiana representatives to serve a variety of oyster dishes to the overflow crowd.
The annual reception, “Let the World Be Your Oyster,” is sponsored by the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission, TABASCO, Shell Oil and Deschutes Brewery.
Acme Oyster House Shuckers Stormin’ Norman and Hollywood Henderson clown around with TABASCO bottles with chefs and shuckers from both coasts at the oyster reception. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
“The Seafood Board has built strong independent relationships, with both public agencies and private companies,” Smith pointed out.
“We have access not only to some of the greatest seafood in the world, but also the best chefs. Events like this shows to those creating the politics of seafood, how important it is to have proper and effective legislation and programs in place.”
Sunseri agrees with that assessment. “Seafood, especially oysters, is the most regulated food in the U.S.” he said. “It seems that the federal government continues to force us to jump through hoop after hoop.
“At some point, enough is enough. We need to do an even better job of educating the federal agencies. Otherwise, there will soon be no more Gulf seafood anyone to enjoy.”
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