Alaska/Pacific Coast Bristol Bay Borough's unofficial results show tight race for borough assembly, fish tax passes Gene Sanderson leads Pete Caruso by only one vote for a seat on the assembly. Question ballots and absentee votes will be counted on November 13. KDLG by Tyler Thompson November 6, 2019 Early results are in from Bristol Bay Borough’s general election. It’s a tight race between the three candidates for borough assembly seats A and B. Shelby Boothe leads all candidates with 161 votes. But only one vote separates the other two candidates. https://www.kdlg.org/post/bristol-bay-boroughs-unofficial-results-show-tight-race-borough-assembly-fish-tax-passes#stream/0 Halibut bycatch increases as council considers cod options Alaska Journal of Commerce by Elizabeth Earl - November 6, 2019 Across Alaska, commercial fishermen caught more halibut as bycatch this year. Data released preceding the International Pacific Halibut Commission’s upcoming interim meeting shows that almost all the regulatory areas of Alaska from Southeast to the Bering Sea — areas 2C through 4E, respectively — caught more halibut as bycatch in the 2019 season than they did in 2018, with the exception of area 4B, which covers the western Aleutian Islands. https://www.alaskajournal.com/2019-11-06/halibut-bycatch-increases-council-considers-cod-options Environment/Science Stop herring fishery to save troubled orcas, environmental groups say Industry watchers and scientists can't quite figure out their math Vancouver Sun by Randy Shore - November 3, 2019 Environmental groups are calling for the immediate closure of the herring fishery in the Strait of Georgia, citing steep declines in the herring population between 2016 and 2019. https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/stop-herring-fishery-to-save-troubled-orcas-environmental-groups-say PWS marine temperature anomalies have doubled Changing water temperature affects plankton populations Cordova Times by Teal Barmore - November 6, 2019 A mild winter combined with an abnormally calm and sunny summer led to marine water temperatures that doubled the previous marine heat wave’s record in Prince William Sound this year. Prince William Sound Science Center oceanographer Rob Campbell observed that monthly average temperatures at the surface during the months of July and August were 7 degrees Fahrenheit above the seasonal average with one observation of 9 degrees above average. https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2019/11/06/pws-marine-temperature-anomalies-have-doubled/ Federal Register Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 11/07/2019 NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) from trawl catcher vessels and vessels using jig gear to catcher/processors using pot gear and catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. This action is necessary to allow the 2019 TAC of Pacific cod to be harvested. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/11/07/2019-24183/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-reallocation-of-pacific-cod-in-the-bering-sea Commentary Commentary: Investing in fisheries industry pays off Cordova Times by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-AK - November 6, 2019 Alaskans know just how essential fisheries are to life in the 49th state. The seafood industry is the largest direct employer in our state, providing 60,000 jobs and generating over $5 billion for Alaska’s economy. Over 15 percent of Alaska’s working age rural residents are employed by the industry. And commercial fisheries are a cultural and economic cornerstone in small communities across the state’s 33,000 miles of shoreline. https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2019/11/06/commentary-investing-in-fisheries-industry-pays-off/
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.