Alaska/Pacific Coast Locked in and off-loaded: Quotas stifle diversity and stability in fishing Commercial fishermen need more opportunities to diversify, study shows National Fisherman by Jenny Seifert - July 25, 2019 As any commercial fisherman knows, fishing is a risky business. Fluctuations in markets, regulations, fish populations and the weather — not to mention the climate’s growing volatility — can result in fluctuating income that can threaten a fisherman’s livelihood. https://www.nationalfisherman.com/uncategorized/locked-in-and-off-loaded-quotas-stifle-diversity-and-stability-in-fishing/ PWS salmon harvest tops 16M Cordova Times by Margaret Bauman - July 25, 2019 Commercially caught Prince William Sound salmon deliveries to processors now exceed 16 million fish and the count keeps growing, as the red salmon catch keeps pace with the forecast and the humpy harvest lags behind. https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2019/07/25/pws-salmon-harvest-tops-16m/ National NOAA Sets Three Strategic Goals For 2019-2022 Urner Barry by Amanda Buckle - July 26, 2019 NOAA released their strategic plan for 2019-2022, and the document lays out three key goals for the government agency: -Amplify the economic value of commercial and recreational fisheries while ensuring their sustainability -Conserve and recover protected species while supporting responsible fishing and resource development -Improve organizational excellence and regulatory efficiency "This plan reflects a practical approach to managing our fisheries and associated marine resources," said NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Chris Oliver. "I am proud to be part of this Administration, which through a series of Executive Orders and other actions has initiated a comprehensive approach to agency and regulatory reform. We will continue efforts to reduce the regulatory burden on our customers and streamline our regulatory processes to execute our stewardship mission efficiently and support a productive Blue Economy in a business-minded manners." You can find NOAA's Strategic Plan Document for 2019-2022 here. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1148287/NOAA-Sets-Three-Strategic-Goals-For-2019-2022 International Russia Plans Production Increases, Diversification of Seafood Exports this Year SeafoodNews.com by Eugene Gerden - July 26, 2019 Russia plans a significant increase and diversification of its fish and seafood exports this year, paying a particular attention to some far-abroad nations, according to recent statements of some leading Russian fishermen and senior officials of the Russian Federal Agency of Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo). According to latest data provided by Rosrybolovstvo, fish exports out of Russia over the past five years have increased by 400,000 tonnes in volume and $1.8 billion USD in value. Traditionally, the biggest exports were observed in frozen fish, such as pollock and cod. However, exports of such atypical Russia products such as fillets, crabs and fish meal for the reporting period also increased. In the case of fillets, particularly those made from pollock, the biggest growth was observed in trade with Germany, where in recent years the consumption of pollock products has increased by several times. In addition to pollock and pollock products, the export growth was also seen in Pacific salmon, a significant part of which has been delivered to China. The supply increase was achieved despite the fact that China has never been among the major buyers of Russian salmon, as the country preferred its imports from the US. However, due to the current trade wars between China and the U.S., the position of the U.S. seafood products in the Chinese market have significantly weakened. In regard to Russian fish exporters, the planned increase of supplies to the E.U. market is expected to be a high priority for years to come, while the biggest hopes are put on the products of deep processing, primarily from white fish. In the meantime, according to Russian fish producers and processors, planned increase of supplies to the Asia-Pacific region may face serious difficulties, mainly due to their limited range and high level of competition in the local market. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1148286/Russia-Plans-Production-Increases-Diversification-of-Seafood-Exports-this-Year Environment/Science Five NOAA Research scientists to receive Presidential awards for early career achievement NOAA Research News - July 15, 2019 President Trump has named five NOAA Research scientists among 314 federally-supported scientists as recipients of the prestigious Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). They join three other NOAA scientists who will receive the highest honor bestowed by the United States Government to outstanding scientists and engineers who are beginning their research careers and show exceptional promise for leadership in science and technology. https://research.noaa.gov/article/ArtMID/587/ArticleID/2471/Five-NOAA-Research-scientists-to-receive-Presidential-awards-for-early-career-achievement PFMC: Scientific and Statistical Committee Groundfish Subcommittee to Meet in Seattle, WA August 20-21, 2019 Saving Seafood by Pacific Fishery Management Council - July 25, 2019 The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council: The Groundfish Subcommittee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council’s) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a public meeting to review new benchmark and update assessments and catch-only update assessment projections to inform new 2021 and 2022 groundfish harvest specifications. This meeting will be held August 20-21, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. This meeting will also occur via webinar. https://www.savingseafood.org/news/council-actions/pfmc-scientific-and-statistical-committee-groundfish-subcommittee-to-meet-in-seattle-wa-august-20-21-2019/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SavingSeafoodRss+%28Saving+Seafood%29 Federal Register Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Electronic Monitoring Program; Correction A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 07/26/2019 NMFS published a final rule on June 28, 2019, to implement an electronic monitoring (EM) program for catcher vessels in the Pacific whiting fishery and fixed gear vessels in the shorebased groundfish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) fishery. The final rule established an application process for interested vessel owners; performance standards for EM systems; requirements for vessel operators; a permitting process and standards for EM service providers; and requirements for processors (first receivers) for receiving and disposing of prohibited and protected species from EM trips. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/07/26/2019-15908/fisheries-off-west-coast-states-pacific-coast-groundfish-fishery-electronic-monitoring-program FYI’s ‘The Salmon Way’: Author shares Alaska’s salmon stories and ways of life Anchorage Press by Mary Catharine Martin - July 23, 2019 From the fish camps of the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers, to the gillnets of Bristol Bay, to the bear and angler-packed banks of Juneau’s Sweetheart Creek, salmon connect people to the land, the water, the seasons, and each other. Those connections create a culture that inspired author Amy Gulick’s most recent book, “The Salmon Way: An Alaska State of Mind,” released on May 1. https://www.anchoragepress.com/news/the-salmon-way-author-shares-alaska-s-salmon-stories-and/article_0f253caa-ada1-11e9-abeb-b3524048e8f5.html
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