Alaska/Pacific Coast
Alyeska testing new
salmon bycatch avoidance plan
KUCB News (2010-02-05)
UNALASKA,
AK (kucb) - Alyeska's
pollock A' season is starting with a new approach to
fishing. The pollock fleet is participating
in the Salmon Savings
Incentive Plan (SSIP) pilot program, one of
the plans the industry is putting into place to reduce Chinook salmon
bycatch.
SEAFOOD.COM NEWS by John Sackton - Feb 10,
2010 - Various sources in Washington suggest that Eric Schwaab,
deputy Secretary of Maryland Dept. of Natural
Resources, will be named assistant administrator of NMFS by the Obama
administration.
The
announcement is likely within the next eight weeks. Schwaab will replace Dr. Jim
Balsiger, who has served
as acting administrator
for more
than two years, following the departure of Dr. Bill Hogarth in December 2007.
Prior to taking
on the role of acting
administrator, Balsiger was NMFS regional director for Alaska. Schwaab has
spent most of his career with
the
Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources, becoming deputy
secretary in 2007. He did a four year stint as resource
director for
the Association of Fish
and Wildlife Agencies. Schwaab is also a member of MAFAC, the Marine
Fisheries Advisory Committee.
His background is
more
in recreational fishing than in commercial fishing, and some have said his
appointment is part of a
commitment NOAA head
Jane Lubchenco made to bring more people from the recreational side of
fisheries into positions in NOAA.
Schwaab is personally liked and is described as
'pleasant and easy going.' He is not known to be partisan or hard edged
in his views.
The position initially attracted a lot
of
interest, with both New England and Alaska supporting different candidates. Arne
Fuglvog, a former
member of the N. Pacific
Council and now on the staff of Alaska's Senator Lisa Murkowski, withdrew
his
name last July, once it
appeared that the
selection process was taking far longer than initially thought. The Commerce Dept. put a six month hold on the
position last July, and
during that time they have continued to search and interview people. Now, a
decision has been made, and Eric
Schwaab should
be
officially announced soon as the new head of
NMFS.
Unalaska Bay trawl
closure compromise passes
KUCB News, (2010-02-09)
UNALASKA, AK
(kucb) -
The proposed Unalaska Bay trawl
closure passed and failed in parts at the Board of Fisheries meeting in
Anchorage last week.
Observer Spatial Data
Updates
Alaska Fisheries Science Center, February
2010
Interactive maps updated with 2008 fishery
observer data are a tool to better understand where fish and invertebrates are
caught in the
Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands and Gulf of
Alaska groundfish fisheries. Updated January 2010. More>
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands flatfish (five fisheries)
Marine Stewardship Council(MSC), February 10,
2010
Fishery species:
Yellowfin sole (Pleuronectes asper),
Flathead
sole (Hippoglossoides elassodon),
Arrowtooth flounder
(Atheresthes stomias),
Alaska plaice (Pleuronectes
quadrituberculatus)
Northern rock sole (Lepidopsetta
polyxystra)
The certification body, Moody Marine Ltd., has announced
that the Public Comment Draft Report for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
fisheries are now available for comment for a period of 30
days. Any stakeholder wishing to comment on the reports are invited to contact
Paul Knapman no later than 5pm GMT, 12th March
2010.
NOAA Fisheries
Bulletins:
Processing by the Inshore
Component in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of
Alaska.
Politics
Press
Release:
Parnell Seeks Alaska Jobs for Oil Tax
Credits
Gov of Alaska Press Release, February 9,
2010
February 9, 2010, Juneau, Alaska – In an effort to
increase jobs and oil production for Alaskans, Governor Sean Parnell today
transmitted legislation that proposes four changes to
Alaska's oil production tax.
FYI
Discovery Channel reports 'Deadliest Catch' captain
dies
ADN, February 10,
2010
A spokesman for The Discovery Channel said the captain of the "Deadliest
Catch" fishing vessel Cornelia Marie has died.
Capt. Phil
Harris suffered what his family
described as a massive stroke on Jan. 29 while the boat was in
port at St. Paul Island. He was flown
to Anchorage for surgery.