Alaska Alaska Fisheries Report KMXT by Maggie Wall - June 12, 2020 Small coastal Alaska towns prepare for swarms of fishermen and others who may bring the highly contagious COVID-19 disease with them from Outside Alaska, or even from other areas of the state. We look at the Washington state factory trawler where three-fourths of its 120-member crew has tested positive for COVID-19. https://kmxt.org/2020/06/alaska-fisheries-report-june-11-2020/ In Alaska, Summer’s Getting Too Hot for the Salmon Run Bristol Bay is heating up, killing fish as they try to swim upriver to spawn. It’s a harbinger of climate change and hard times for fisheries. Wired by Miranda Weiss - June 13, 2020 Last summer, across southwest Alaska’s Bristol Bay region—home to the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world—tens of thousands of fish washed up dead along riverbanks. Rivers running at temperatures above the threshold for salmon health were killing the fish even as record numbers of them were returning from the ocean to reproduce. https://www.wired.com/story/in-alaska-summers-getting-too-hot-for-the-salmon-run/ The Alaska seafood industry is rocking in the wake of COVID-19 Webcenter11 by Ramzi Abou Ghalioum - June 11, 2020 In the summer, the Alaskan fishing industry comes to life; from within the state and from all over the world, workers flock to Alaska’s coastlines to fish for pollock, salmon, crab, and other fruits of the sea. https://www.webcenter11.com/content/news/The-Alaska-seafood-industry-is-rocking-in-the-wake-of-COVID-19-571201811.html Hopes dimming for Copper River Other Prince William Sound fisheries for salmon start to open up Cordova Times by Margaret Bauman - June 12, 2020 Slow returns of Copper River’s prized sockeye and Chinook salmon are dimming hopes of coming anywhere near the forecasted catch, as commercial fisheries open up in other areas of Prince William Sound. https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2020/06/12/hopes-dimming-for-copper-river/ West Coast Input needed on how WDFW should spend $50 million KXRO - June 12, 2020 Commercial fishers are invited to provide feedback on development of $50 million spending plan for commercial fishing and shellfish industry federal relief funding. https://www.kxro.com/input-needed-on-how-wdfw-should-spend-50-million/ Pacific reopens some plants after COVID-19 outbreak; Icicle reports new cases in Alaska Seafood Source by Cliff White - June 12, 2020 Pacific Seafood has reopened some of its five facilities in Newport, Oregon, U.S.A., that were hit by a coronavirus outbreak last week, with 132 of its workers testing positive for COVID-19. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/pacific-reopens-some-plants-after-covid-19-outbreak-icicle-reports-new-cases-in-alaska #EatOregonSeafood Initiative Encourages People to Buy Local Oregon Seafood During Pandemic SeafoodNews.com by Susan Chambers - June 12, 2020 The Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon seafood industry and Oregon Sea Grant have launched the #EatOregonSeafood initiative to encourage Oregonians and Washingtonians to purchase and prepare Oregon seafood at home amid the pandemic. Due to restaurant closures worldwide amid COVID-19 and the resulting reduced commercial demand, Oregon’s seafood industry saw a sharp decrease in seafood sales between March and May. This is an opportunity to support regional fishing families and seafood processors and preserve the industry that delivers fresh, locally caught seafood that is celebrated in the Pacific Northwest. #EatOregonSeafood is also recruiting a selection of the region’s top chefs, foodies, bloggers and influencers to post recipes, photos, and cooking videos of their favorite seafood-themed dishes on social media. From June through August, those involved will share recipes and tips to make seafood at home this summer. Participating chefs will be announced in the coming weeks. This initiative also includes the other experts in preparing seafood at home—Oregon’s fishing families. “We want to make it easier for people to buy and prepare the local, fresh seafood that we are so fortunate to have in Oregon,” Oregon Salmon Commission and Oregon Albacore Commission Executive Director Nancy Fitzpatrick said in a press release. “Since many of us are still preparing most of our meals at home, it’s a good time to try a new recipe or type of seafood you may not have eaten in the past. Not only will it benefit our fishing community, but seafood has tremendous health benefits for people looking to eat nutritious and delicious food at home.” Consumers can buy seafood caught right off the coast of Oregon by hardworking fishing families in several ways. People can purchase seafood at their local supermarket, at a local seafood retailer, online with direct-to-consumer delivery options, and even right off the dock from the fishing boat and crew that caught it. Some companies are finding creative ways to get fresh seafood to Oregonians, such as Laura Anderson and her company, DockBox, which will deliver seafood meal kits to Portland, Eugene, and Corvallis pick-up locations. Along parts of the coast, they’ll even deliver right to your door. To find fresh, local seafood in your area, consumers can use Oregon Sea Grant’s webpage called “Eat Oregon Seafood” at beav.es/EatOregonSeafood. In addition to showing where to buy local seafood, the “Eat Oregon Seafood” webpage offers tips on when and what types of fish and seafood to purchase and how to freeze, smoke and prepare seafood at home. It also features a selection of recipes for making various seafood-themed dishes. This part of the website will expand with the contributions of the #EatOregonSeafood campaign over the coming months. “There is a common misperception that seafood is extremely difficult to make at home,” Taunette Dixon, President of the Newport Fishermen’s Wives and co-owner of a fishing vessel, said in the statement. “But seafood and seafood dishes are actually easy and quick to prepare. It can seem intimidating at first, but once you try it, you’ll see it’s not all that complicated. In fact, seafood is my go-to for simple, healthy family meals and special occasions.” Both Fitzpatrick and Dixon stressed that although different fisheries have seasons, buying fresh frozen seafood is possible in all seasons. They noted that OSU research has shown frozen seafood quality equals that of fresh, and some people even prefer frozen. Most Oregon seafood is frozen shortly after it is caught, making frozen a great way to get the fresh flavor of the Oregon coast anytime and anywhere.s. ODA, in partnership with the Oregon seafood industry, encourages people to make and prepare their dishes and post them to social media using #EatOregonSeafood. They can also use the hashtag to promote the national initiative, which is #EatSeafoodAmerica! This initiative is a collaboration of the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission, Oregon Albacore Commission, Oregon Trawl Commission, Oregon Salmon Commission, Oregon State University Extension Service, Oregon Sea Grant, Positively Groundfish and the Oregon Department of Agriculture. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1173496/EatOregonSeafood-Initiative-Encourages-People-to-Buy-Local-Oregon-Seafood-During-Pandemic National NOAA Fisheries Continues to Evaluate Observer Situation Waivers are being granted on a vessel-by-vessel basis in most regions. NOAA Fisheries - June 11, 2020 Providing seafood to the country remains an essential function even in these extraordinary times. Adequately monitoring United States fisheries remains an essential part of that process. However, in recognition of numerous travel or social distancing restrictions or guidance, NOAA Fisheries recently issued an emergency action to provide the authority to waive observer coverage, some training, and other program requirements while meeting conservation needs and providing an ongoing supply of fish to markets. Under this emergency action, NOAA Fisheries regional administrators, office directors, or science center directors have the ability to waive observer requirements in three specific circumstances, after consulting with observer providers. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/leadership-message/noaa-fisheries-continues-evaluate-observer-situation USDA Buys $23.8 million of Canned Salmon, Frozen Pollock for U.S. School Lunch Program SeafoodNews.com by Peggy Parker - June 15, 2020 Last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a bulk purchase of canned pink salmon and frozen pollock from Alaska of just under $23.8 million. The annual purchases go to school lunch programs and other nutrition assistance programs across the country. The purchase will be from last year’s or 2018 inventories. Alaska’s pink salmon season officially opened June 1 in Prince William Sound and last week in regions within Southeast Alaska, but production has not reached high volumes yet. Canned salmon production represents about 5% of the total value of Alaska seafood by product types, according to an annual economic report by Juneau-based McDowell Group for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. The USDA purchase was of product from three processors. Ocean Beauty sold nearly 260,000 cases of canned pink salmon for a total of $17.28 million. Trident Seafoods supplied 158,000 cases of canned pink salmon and 76,000 pounds of frozen pollock product for a total of $6.12 million. Peter Pan Seafoods sold 6,080 cases for just over $408,000. The companies agreed to deliver to regional foodservice centers around the country over the next six months. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1173654/USDA-Buys-23-point-8-million-of-Canned-Salmon-Frozen-Pollock-for-US-School-Lunch-Program Frozen category offers “unprecedented opportunity” to boost US seafood consumption Seafood Source by Christine Blank - June 12, 2020 Frozen seafood sales have skyrocketed in the United States due to changing public consumption patterns caused by the coronavirus outbreak, and category analysts are suggesting seafood suppliers double down on that trend. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/foodservice-retail/frozen-category-offers-unprecedented-opportunity-to-boost-us-seafood-consumption
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