Cantwell, Herrera Beutler Introduce Bill to Support Dungeness Crab Fishermen, Provide Stability to Fisheries

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03) introduced bipartisan bills in the Senate and House, respectively, to permanently extend a decades-long fishery management agreement that has been vital to Washington state's Dungeness crab fishery.

The states of Washington, Oregon, and California cooperatively manage the West Coast crab fishery in federal waters under a tri-state agreement that Congress first authorized in 1998. The act would make that existing authority permanent. The agreement expired without a replacement in 2016.

Since early January, crab fleets from Northern California to Washington state have kept their boats in port as part of a disagreement with seafood processors. Although an agreement was recently reached, the Cantwell and Herrera Beutler bills will help to reintroduce much-needed stability to the industry.

"The Dungeness crab fishery is critical to fishermen and coastal economies in Washington state," Cantwell said. "This legislation preserves an effective agreement that has allowed Pacific Coast states to sustainably manage our crab fisheries for many years."

"The permanent extension of the tri-state agreement is imperative for the future success of the West Coast dungeons crab fishery," said Herrera Beutler. "Allowing the authorization to lapse creates uncertainty for the West Coast crab fishery and we need to reauthorize this management plan as soon as possible so crab fishermen can continue supporting hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in benefits to our communities."

Crab populations vary greatly by year, depending on food availability and ocean conditions. The Dungeness crab catch tends to peak every 10 years, and can fluctuate by tens of millions of pounds between years. In order to manage the fishery appropriately, managers must coordinate between states to ensure management and conservation goals are achieved. Dear Secretary McDonald:

I write you today out of deep concern and outrage at reports that a Southwest Washington military veteran, Mr. John Weston, was forced to wait three months to receive cancer care at the VA Portland Health Care System, and died last month after a delay in treatment may have cost him his life. The cancer appeared to have been a treatable diagnosis had he received timely care. I am requesting an internal investigation into Mr. Weston's case to determine how this happened -- particularly in light of a years-long effort by the U.S. Congress to force the VA to eliminate wait times, fraud, neglect and data manipulation that have resulted in poor care that has cost veterans like Mr. Weston their lives.

Mr. Weston was diagnosed with a cancerous walnut-sized tumor in his liver in July. He switched from the VA Seattle Health Care System to the VA Portland Health Care System to be near his family while undergoing treatment. When he was finally able to schedule an appointment in October, it was too late; seven days before his scheduled appointment, the tumor had grown significantly and burst, spreading cancer through his body.

Additionally, after the tumor ruptured, Mr. Weston was taken to a civilian hospital after allegedly being told the VA did not have room for him. It was not until a congressional inquiry was made that he was transferred to a VA facility. This investigation should also uncover, and address why it took congressional action for a veteran to receive care for a life-threatening issue at a VA facility.

As Mr. Weston said in an interview with The Chronicle newspaper before his passing: "It just didn't have to happen like this, and that's the worst part of it for me, that we knew about this early enough… Somebody dropped the ball somewhere, and I'm paying the price for it."

Mr. Weston served his country and battled health complications as a direct result. Like other military veterans, he had earned health care coverage through the VA. However, his care slipped through the cracks. This inexcusable delay in care and Mr. Weston's untimely passing was tragic. If only his case was an isolated one.

I request you conduct a comprehensive internal investigation as soon as possible to determine how this happened, and report the results of this investigation to Congress.

Sincerely,

Jaime Herrera Beutler
Member of Congress

Washington state's Dungeness crab industry brings $61 million into the state's economy annually. Crab fishermen in the state harvest an average of 9.5 million pounds of crab per year, supporting more than 60,000 maritime jobs.

Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Diane Feinstein (D-CA) are cosponsors of the bill. In the House, Derek Kilmer (D-WA-6) is also a cosponsor.

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