Alaska/Pacific Coast
Study to show environmental impact of Pollock fishery Cordova Times - August 24, 2019 The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers has selected the international sustainability consultancy Quantis to determine potential environmental impacts of wild Alaska Pollock during their lifecycle from the ocean to consumers. https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2019/08/24/study-to-show-environmental-impact-of-pollock-fishery/ Politics Alaska Gov. Dunleavy Walks Back Some Vetoes, Not All for Commercial Fisheries SeafoodNews.com by Peggy Parker - August 23, 2019 Under pressure from most of the state, and facing a growing recall movement, Alaska’s Governor Mike Dunleavy reversed about half of his $424 million budget vetoes last Monday. “Yesterday, Governor Dunleavy signed into law HB 2001 with approximately $222 million dollars in cuts ... and approving a $1,600 PFD with a call for a third special session fall 2019 to address allocating the remainder the PFD,” wrote Frances Leach, executive director for United Fishermen of Alaska, in her August 20 update to Alaska’s fishing industry. “The Governor vetoed almost all the Fish and Game amendments offered by the House. He vetoed all the Commercial Fishery amendments; however, he did not veto the amendments to add back in $1 Million of Pittman-Robertson funds for Wildlife Conservation and $175K for Sportfish Logbook Program,” she wrote. Dunleavy has been a fiscal conservative to the extent not seen in Alaska’s recent history but has funded sports- and recreational-fishing and hunting programs over commercial fishing needs, in his less-than-one-year tenure as Alaska’s chief executive. Leach provided a breakdown of the vetoes that pertain to commercial fisheries: • 50% reduction of general fund funds used for travel in all divisions of ADF&G and the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute • $997K less for Commercial fisheries management of which $280K was for Special Areas Management (one time fund source for surveys and assessments). • The transfer of two director-level positions and associated funding from the Division of Habitat and Division of Subsistence (the duties will no longer relate to ADF&G) • Ocean Ranger Program – ($3,426,000). The veto will not affect the remainder of this summer’s cruise ship season (May-Sept 2019) as these operations were funded by previously collected FV2019 Ocean Ranger fees collected from cruise ship passengers. “The Governor stated in his documents that DEC is actively exploring potential administrative and statutory options aimed at improving the State’s current cruise ship monitoring policies,” Leach added. The line-item vetoes list cuts of $258,000 for surveys and assessments in the Southeast Region, $240,000 in Southcentral, $300,000 from the AYK Region, and $200,000 from the Westward Region. Travel is reduced by 50% in each of those areas. The statewide habitat division was cut by $202,000 and State subsistence research cut by $196,000. Alaska State Representative Dan Ortiz addressed the governor directly following the most recent vetoes. “What you’re doing is your potentially reducing the opportunity for our commercial fisherman,” Ortiz said, adding that “The fishing industry is the number one economic driver for coastal Alaska.” https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1150558/Alaska-Gov-Dunleavy-Walks-Back-Some-Vetoes-Not-All-for-Commercial-Fisheries Environment/Science OSU study: Saving endangered species brings big benefits Survey finds NW residents put big value on effort KTVZ.com - August 18, 2019 CORVALLIS, Ore. - A new study provides evidence that increasing the abundance of a threatened or endangered species can deliver large benefits to the citizens of the Pacific Northwest. https://www.ktvz.com/news/osu-study-saving-endangered-species-brings-big-benefits/1110933053 Labeling and Marketing 3MMI - Russian Chum & Pink Salmon Season Update TradexFoods - August 26, 2019 It's looking like another great year for Russia's Pacific Salmon with over 400,000 metric tonnes harvested since the start of the fishery in June. Raw materials pricing is still to be determined as Russian Salmon makes it way to cold storages and buyers negotiate pricing. Our sources in Asia confirmed that plants were offered at $3500 per metric tonne for new season Russian Chums however buyers are not ready to accept that price... https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=9OHsy15OQIQ FYI’s CDFU scholarships send fledgling fishermen to college Applications open for Alaska Young Fishermen’s Summit Cordova Times by Zachary Snowdon Smith - August 24, 2019 Reid Williams, 18, assumed his formal education would end with high school. After years of gillnetting on his father’s boat, Williams didn’t see the point in plunking down thousands of dollars for further schooling. After all, he had already found a paying trade. https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2019/08/24/cdfu-scholarships-send-fledgling-fishermen-to-college/ West Coast fishermen have few options against sea lions The federal government continues to use explosives despite their ineffectiveness. High Country News by Katie Brown and Helen Santoro - August 22, 2019 With the lights of Moss Landing, California, twinkling in the distance, Captain Porter McHenry stood on the top deck of the Merva W, a large commercial fishing boat. Ocean water sprayed his face and dampened his thick brown beard. A third-generation fisherman, McHenry employs a crew of three. In the dead of the night, his yellow rain jacket was briefly illuminated as he ignited the long wick of an orange firecracker and chucked it over the side of the boat into the waves. https://www.hcn.org/articles/ocean-west-coast-fishermen-have-few-options-in-their-fight-against-sea-lions
Ann Owens Pacific Seafood Processors Association Office Manager 1900 W Emerson Place Suite 205, Seattle, WA 98119 Phone: 206.281.1667 E-mail: admin@pspafish.net; 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.