A study of the economic impact of seafood imports on each congressional district in the United States is making the rounds on Capitol Hill.
The study was completed by the Seafood Industry Research Fund (SIRF), a nonprofit organization that funds research related to the seafood industry. Its project tracking the value of seafood imports into each of the United States’ 435 congressional districts and listing the key export items of each district, was completed about a year ago.
Representatives of the group have since been meeting with members of Congress to review the economic profiles of their districts, allowing them to “demonstrate to lawmakers in detail the importance of the seafood importing industry on local economies,” according to a SIRF press release.
“SIRF funds research that supports the seafood business,” said SIRF Chairman Russ Mentzer. “The more national decision-makers recognize seafood as a stable protein and consistent economic resource the more our industry benefits. SIRF’s import study is one example of SIRF’s investment in projects that have both immediate and long-term gains for the seafood community.”
The economic study was conducted by Mike Toma of Armstrong State University, drawing primarily on Census data. In conjunction with the release of the study, the National Fisheries Institute developed informational one-pagers for distribution to each congressional office.
Since their release, results from the study have been used in several seafood advocacy efforts, including meetings of NFI’s Political Conference and Future Leader sessions, as well as individual meetings with lawmakers, NFI Vice President of Governmental Affairs Robert DeHaan said.
“Trade is a two way street,” DeHaan said. “When a lawmaker sees the dollar figures seafood brings into the district or the volume of in-district goods being sent to a major seafood supplying country, the connection is eye-popping and immediate. The seafood importing industry is something to pay attention to and its issues worth fighting for.”
