Alaska/Pacific Coast
Pacific Seafood Announces New Sustainability-Related Projects for 2019 Urner Barry by Amanda Buckle - March 6, 2019 Oregon-based Pacific Seafood has published their second annual Corporate Social Responsibility Report, and the 47-page document highlights some of the company’s new sustainability-related projects for the new year. “When Pacific Seafood was founded more than 75 years ago, it was my family’s goal to deliver the freshest seafood on the planet to our customers every day,” said Pacific Seafood CEO and President Frank Dulcich. “Today, our commitment to that goal remains unchanged and stronger than ever. Protecting the longevity of our oceans and the important ecological balance within them is critical so that we can continue to provide delicious seafood for generations to come.” As part of their commitment to protecting the longevity of the oceans, Pacific Seafood is leading the effort to have wild, U.S. Gulf shrimp MSC-certified. While NOAA doesn’t currently have the funds to hire independent third-party observers, Pacific Seafood has been working with the government agency to provide video footage to NOAA for observers to review right from their desks. With permission from NOAA, Pacific Seafood policy advisor Jon Gonzalez was able to attach cameras onto their boats “24 hours a day while harvesting.” The company received a grant from the Resource Legacy Fund to support the project over the next two years, with the money going towards the purchase of cameras that are specifically designed to “provide at-sea verification of sustainably fishing efforts.” Pacific Seafood is currently in the pilot phase with this project, with the initial footage expected to be available towards the end of 2019. Following a reviewal process from NOAA, the company hopes to have the program fully rolled out in 2020. They anticipate the fishery being certified within two years. You can find Pacific Seafood’s Corporate Social Responsibility Report in full here. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1134123/Pacific-Seafood-Announces-New-Sustainability-Related-Projects-for-2019 Environment/Science Prospect of commercial fishing in central Arctic Ocean poses big questions for science Alaska Public Radio Network by Ravenna Koenig - March 5, 2019 This week, researchers and representatives from the United States and Japan met at the University of Alaska Fairbanks to talk broadly about Arctic science collaboration. https://www.alaskapublic.org/2019/03/05/prospect-of-commercial-fishing-in-central-arctic-ocean-poses-big-questions-for-science/ Warming oceans are hurting seafood supply—and things are getting worse Science Magazine by Erik Stokstad - February 28, 2019 Marine fish around the world are already feeling the effects of climate change—and some are reeling, according to the first large analysis of recent trends. Rising sea temperatures have reduced the productivity of some fisheries by 15% to 35% over 8 decades, although in other places fish are thriving because warming waters are becoming more suitable. The net effect is that the world’s oceans can’t yield as much sustainable seafood as before, a situation that is likely to worsen as global warming accelerates in the oceans. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/02/warming-oceans-are-hurting-seafood-supply-and-things-are-getting-worse Labeling and Marketing ASMI’s Six New Videos Now Playing at Anchorage Airport SeafoodNews.com by Peggy Parker - March 6, 2019 The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute has created five new video ads, and updated a sixth, that are now playing at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. “ASMI created the new ads to broaden the message that the Alaska seafood industry is vital to the Alaska economy,” said acting executive director Jeremy Woodrow. But the 12-second messages that are seen throughout the passenger concourses have other benefits. Although the glass and steel airport showcases the mountains outside of Anchorage, it is a still a bustling, noisy place where travelers are rushing to their next destination. ASMI’s ads, while educational, are also beautiful shots of life at sea, the excitment of hauling a fish over the rail in the quiet expanse of the Gulf of Alaska, and shots of Alaskan families making a living in the wild. The hectic pace seems to slow while travels catch the signal and stop to watch. While there, they pick up clear messages of the importance of commercial fishing and seafood products to the state and world. All in twelve seconds. The six videos cover different aspects of Alaska’s seafood industry: economic benefits to the state, importance of coastal communities, the volume of seafood sold from Alaska compared to nations other than the U.S., and its unique sustainability program. The videos rotate every three minutes on monitors throughout the airport. Woodrow says ASMI began advertising in the airport in 2016. In the last four years the same 12-second video was run. A few years ago the staff was asked to pare the budget even further and suggesting cutting the airport video. The push-back from industry -- many of whom have seen the video as they rush through the airport -- was strong. Their feedback that the quality of just a single video is effective reaching ASMI's target audience. Support for maintaining the buy, and updating the content grew. The new ads were created to broaden the message that the Alaska seafood industry is vital to the Alaska economy. “In creating the new ads we learned that we could rotate several videos in our time slot, so the ability to run different versions allows for greater opportunity to expand on the message.” Alaska’s largest airport works for ASMI because the passenger traffic through the airport is exactly their four core target audiences: Alaskans, seafood industry (fishermen and processors), public officials, and consumers. “The ads provide a good value given the 5 million passengers that pass through the airport each year,” Woodrow said. “We believe it provides the best ROI given the audiences reached.” https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1134128/ASMIs-Six-New-Videos-Now-Playing-at-Anchorage-Airport Federal Register Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Catcher Vessels Greater Than or Equal to 50 Feet Length Overall Using Hook-and-Line Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 03/04/2019 NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels greater than or equal to 50 feet length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2019 Pacific cod total allowable catch apportioned to catcher vessels greater than or equal to 50 feet LOA using hook-and-line gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/03/04/2019-03813/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-pacific-cod-by-catcher-vessels-greater-than-or Fisheries off West Coast States; Highly Migratory Fisheries; Amendment 6 to Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species; Authorization of Deep-Set Buoy Gear A Proposed Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 03/04/2019 NMFS and the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) announce their intent to prepare an EIS, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, to analyze the potential short- and long-term impacts of the proposed action to authorize deep-set buoy gear under the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species (HMS FMP) on the human (biological, physical, social, and economic) environment. This notice of Start Printed Page 7324intent to prepare an EIS invites interested parties to provide comments on alternatives to be considered in an EIS and to identify potential issues, concerns, and any reasonable additional alternatives that should be considered. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/03/04/2019-03493/fisheries-off-west-coast-states-highly-migratory-fisheries-amendment-6-to-fishery-management-plan
Ann Owens Pacific Seafood Processors Association Office Manager 1900 W Emerson Place Suite 205, Seattle, WA 98119 Phone: 206.281.1667 E-mail: pspafish@gmail.com; Website: www.pspafish.net Our office days/hours are Monday-Friday 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. *Inclusion of a news article, report, or other document in this email does not imply PSPA support or endorsement of the information or opinion expressed in the document.