The full California Legislature has approved Assembly Joint Resolution 39 by Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast), which urges the federal government to use seafood import revenues to market American fish and seafood.

“The competition in America from products imported from foreign countries is hurting California’s fish and seafood industry,” Chesbro said. “The federal government collects about $400 million a year in foreign seafood import revenues. AJR 39 urges the feds to allocate a portion of this revenue to start a program to promote and market American fish and seafood and the sustainable practices the domestic industry uses.”

The full Assembly gave final approval to AJR 39 this week with a bipartisan 57-0 vote. The resolution will be transmitted to the president and vice president, both of California’s U.S. senators and to each member of Congress from California.

“AJR 39 will help enhance the seafood industry’s ability to market and promote locally caught and sustainably produced seafood,” said David Goldenberg, chief executive officer of the California Salmon Council and executive director of the California Sea Urchin Commission. “We see every day that our customers want to know where our seafoods are sourced. These funds will provide assistance to tell our story and reach new markets which have been previously been unattainable to us.”

“Efforts to market domestic fish and seafood to Americans are currently woefully under-funded,” Chesbro added. “The Legislature believes that some of the large amount of money collected from foreign products imported to compete with the American industry should be used to educate consumers about the sustainable practices the American industry uses and the jobs it creates.”