Isn't there a way that you can inspect the product coming in from the south of the border, and leave us alone up in Maine?

I believe so, sir. It is a 48-hour notice, yes.

Your numbers indicated that you do about 180,000 inspections per year, you have 125 inspectors.

You are clearly showing that you are collecting those urchins in a bag--you weren't clearcutting--correct?

It sounds like to me, Mr. Woody, that this is a solution looking for a problem.

They talk about it, but all they want is bigger government, more spending, and more debt, which results in higher taxes.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member Huffman, for holding this hearing. I appreciate it very much.

Again, I urge the committee to make sea urchins exempt from inspection, as shellfish currently are, by passing this legislation.

I urge the committee to bring up H.R. 4245 before the committee for a markup, and to the House Floor for a vote.

How much of an impediment is having to go through this to you and other businesses like yours?

I do think again--we are talking about the separation here--about whether this is an import into Maine for processing and an export from Maine.

I think the fishermen, working with the legislature and the Maine Department of Resources, have done a phenomenal job of regulating the fisheries appropriately.

I appreciate the huge issues we have on invasive species and endangered species, and that is a very, very important part of this mission.

I appreciated Ranking Member Huffman's suggestion--of all the possibilities, wouldn't it be possible to do this as a spot check, you know, once in a while look into this?

It is very hard to go back and explain to people why we have to defend this practice.

So, we would be particularly interested in what happens with the exports.

I do want you to understand that we appreciate how much back-and-forth we have had with Fish and Wildlife, with the enforcement, around the science.

It is a fundamental unfairness, because there is another layer of paperwork and there are more fees involved.