Alaska Fishermen may come into town for essential reasons during quarantine period Cordova Times by Margaret Bauman - May 3, 2020 Case counts of the number of Alaskans infected by the novel coronavirus pandemic continue to rise on a single-digit basis, with three new cases reported on Sunday, May 3, bringing the statewide total to 368, with 262 people now recovered. https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2020/05/03/fishermen-may-come-into-town-for-essential-reasons-during-quarantine-period/ Bristol Bay Regional Town Hall — April 30, 2020 KMXT by Pam Foreman - May 1, 2020 Audio from the Bristol Bay Regional Town Hall meeting of April 30, 2020, courtesy of KDLG. The town hall, which addresses fisheries issues in Bristol Bay in relation to COVID-19 concerns, was also broadcast on KMXT. https://kmxt.org/2020/05/bristol-bay-regional-town-hall-april-30-2020/ New training program for aspiring fishing crew in Western Alaska Alaska Sea Grant - April 30, 2020 Alaska’s commercial fishing industry employs more people than any other industry in the state. Yet fewer young people are entering the industry, and resources are scarce to help aspiring crew members succeed, a concern that Alaska Sea Grant has addressed with the development of a new “Crew Class” training program. https://alaskaseagrant.org/2020/04/30/new-training-program-for-aspiring-fishing-crew-in-western-alaska/ National USDA Announces $70 Million Seafood Purchase Due to COVID-19 Market Impacts Urner Barry by Ryan Doyle - May 5, 2020 U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue provided details for a purchase of $470 million, $70 million of which is seafood products, in Section 32 food purchases to occur in the third quarter of fiscal year 2020, allowing the government to purchase surplus food brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The purchases are meant to support both food producers and Americans in need as the USDA responds to changes in markets for seafood producers due to the coronavirus. "President Trump has authorized USDA to support our farmers affected by this national emergency and this action to purchase food and deliver to those in need further demonstrates his unwavering support for the American people during these unprecedented times,” said Secretary Perdue. “America’s farmers and ranchers have experienced a dislocated supply chain caused by the Coronavirus.” The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will purchase $20 million of Alaska pollock, $20 million of haddock, pollock and redfish (Atlantic) and $30 million of catfish products. The AMS will determine the purchases by industry requests, market analysis and the needs of food banks across the country. According to a press release from the USDA, solicitations will be issued in June and deliveries will start in July. Vendors interested in participating can find more information on this webpage. All solicitations will appear on the AMS Open Purchases Request website when it becomes available. Alongside the Section 32 purchases, the USDA said it will use other funds to purchase more food to support American food producers on an “ongoing basis” in response to disruptions to the food supply. “The U.S. food industry is experiencing high inventories due to a decrease in demand as foodservice establishments, restaurants and schools have closed and prices producers typically receive have declined,” the USDA said. “Meanwhile, food banks, food pantries and other organizations supporting communities across the country have experienced an increase in demand.” The USDA plans to purchase $4.89 billion worth of agricultural products in the fiscal year 2020 to support the country’s agriculture sector through Section 32, Farmers to Families Food Box Program, the Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Support Program for Farmers. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1170472/USDA-Announces-70-Million-Seafood-Purchase-Due-to-COVID-19-Market-Impacts FYI’s 'Salmon cannon' coming to help threatened Fraser River fish bypass rock slide Spawning salmon will be shot through a 160 metre-long pneumatic tube running over the Big Bar slide CBC News by Karin Larsen - April 27, 2020 With salmon season approaching, crews are working to get measures in place to help migrating salmon bypass a massive rock slide that has blocked the Fraser River north of Lillooet. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/salmon-cannon-coming-to-help-threatened-fraser-river-fish-bypass-rock-slide-1.5546464
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