BILL NUMBER: AJR 39	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER  100
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  AUGUST 28, 2012
	ADOPTED IN SENATE  AUGUST 16, 2012
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 20, 2012
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 8, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members Chesbro and Huffman
   (Coauthor: Assembly Member Hagman)
   (Coauthors: Senators Evans and La Malfa)

                        MAY 9, 2012

   Relative to California seafood.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AJR 39, Chesbro. California seafood.
   This measure would express the Legislature's support of the use of
a portion of federally generated seafood product import revenues for
the domestic marketing and promotion of California fish and seafood.




   WHEREAS, California fish and seafood products face ever-increasing
domestic competition from imported seafood products, with more than
80 percent of the total fish and seafood consumed annually in the
United States currently originating from foreign countries; and
   WHEREAS, Effective domestic marketing of California seafood in the
face of aggressive competition from foreign products requires
innovative and consistent promotion to highlight the high quality,
seasonal abundance, and sustainability of California seafood; and
   WHEREAS, The California fishing and seafood industry has paid for
promotional activities to provide the greatest return on the
investments made by fishing associations and councils; and
   WHEREAS, Despite the money raised within the California fishing
and seafood industry, promotional activities are limited and
underfunded; and
   WHEREAS, Annual funding for domestic production of California
seafood is not sufficient to effectively develop the thriving markets
that sustainable California seafood products merit, especially when
confronted with nationally supported promotional programs aimed at
United States consumers by key rival producer countries; and
   WHEREAS, There is not a federally funded national seafood
marketing fund available for the domestic marketing of American
seafood; and
   WHEREAS, The federal government collects approximately
$400,000,000 annually through customs laws regulating the importation
of seafood products, many of which compete with California's seafood
products; and
   WHEREAS, Revenue from antidumping and countervailing duties on
imported fish and fish products collected by the United States
government total hundreds of millions of dollars annually; and
   WHEREAS, Funds collected from the importation of seafood products
are not available for the domestic marketing of American seafood; and

   WHEREAS, Using a portion of the revenue collected on the
importation of foreign seafood products to promote American seafood
and sustainable fishing practices to domestic consumers will expand
consumer appreciation of domestic fisheries, secure and improve
competition for American fisheries and seafood processing jobs,
create robust and enduring domestic markets, attract investors from
all sectors of the economy, and greatly enhance the nutritional value
of American diets; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature supports the use of a
portion of federally generated seafood product import revenues for
the domestic marketing and promotion of California fish and seafood;
and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the
President pro Tempore of the United States, and to each Senator and
Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.