Alaska Copper River gets another opportunity Statewide commercial salmon harvest edges up to 40M+ Cordova Times by Margaret Bauman - July 17, 2020 Commercial harvesters were granted another shot at the Copper River salmon, with a 12-hour opener on Thursday, July 16, in an effort to boost their estimated preliminary catch of sockeyes above the 94,631 counted to date. https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2020/07/17/copper-river-gets-another-opportunity/ After 100 cases in June, Seattle seafood company reports 6 more crew have COVID-19 in Dutch Harbor KUCB by Hope McKenney - July 19, 2020 A Bering Sea trawler currently docked in Dutch Harbor has reported six cases of COVID-19 among its 119 crew members, officials said Friday. https://www.ktoo.org/2020/07/19/after-100-cases-in-june-seattle-seafood-company-reports-6-more-crew-have-covid-19-in-dutch-harbor/ City reports 26 new cases connected to seafood processor cluster They are isolating. Juneau Empire - July 19, 2020 A COVID-19 cluster stemming from community spread continues to grow. City and Borough of Juneau announced Sunday 26 new cases among a seafood processor’s employees. https://www.juneauempire.com/news/city-reports-26-new-cases-connected-to-seafood-processor-cluster/ While Virus Climbs Past 3,000 Cases in Alaska, Only 8% are Seafood-Related SeafoodNews.com by Peggy Parker - July 17, 2020 In the last five days of recorded COVID-19 cases in Alaska (July 11-15) a record 357 cases were confirmed, the highest jump since the pandemic reached Alaska. However, the incidence of both non-resident cases (64) and seafood-related cases (19) during the same period grew at a much slower rate. Although Alaska still compares well with the rest of the country in terms of number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths, it is no longer the state with the fewest positive cases. With a total of 2,032 resident and non-resident cases, Alaska has more than Wyoming, Vermont, and Hawaii on a per-state basis. Alaska still has the lowest death count in the U.S. at 17. The hotspot in Alaska continues to be the city of Anchorage, where total cases are at 839 with eight deaths. Fairbanks is second, with just over 300 cases to date and two deaths. After a peak of 108 cases on Friday July 11 (both resident and non-resident), the state’s daily case count dropped to 66 on Saturday, 52 on Sunday, 56 on Monday and rose to 75 on Tuesday this week. During that time there have been no new hospitalizations, leading health officials to note that most recent cases were of young people with few underlying health issues. “Far and away the majority of the cases that we’re seeing that are contributing to the big spike in cases that we’re having is in young adults,” state epidemiologist Dr. Joe McLaughlin said during a science briefing Wednesday. Recent case counts of Alaskans in their 20s are highest, followed by people in their 30s and 40s. McLaughlin said the state’s health department is emphasizing the importance of young people “doing their part.” The Anchorage Daily News reported that national data shows that the rate of people hospitalized with the illness per 100,000 population is lower for younger people, but that doesn’t mean young adults are safe from COVID-19. McLaughlin said young people “can and do die from COVID-19” and noted that “there is a shift in the epidemiology. We are seeing more cases in younger populations, and our case counts are increasing here in Alaska as well as in the United States.” For seafood-related cases, most of which have been asymptomatic, Bristol Bay and Dillingham remain the area with the most cases at just over 70. This month, during the height of the salmon season, that region has the highest seasonal population among major fishing ports. Only one new seafood case has been reported in the last week in Bristol Bay and Lake and Peninsula boroughs. During that time, 11 new seafood cases were reported in Prince William Sound and 9 in Anchorage. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1176228/While-Virus-Climbs-Past-3000-Cases-in-Alaska-Only-8-percent-are-Seafood-Related National National Fisheries Institute Statement on the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report Perishable News by National Fisheries Institute Seafood - July 17, 2020 WASHINGTON, DC — The National Fisheries Institute commends the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee for its work in submitting its Scientific Report to the Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services. https://www.perishablenews.com/seafood/national-fisheries-institute-statement-on-the-2020-dietary-guidelines-advisory-committee-report/ Environment/Science NOAA Fisheries Adapts to Changing Circumstances; Different Requirements Call for Different Approaches to Observers and Monitors NOAA Fisheries - July 16, 2020 A message from NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Chris Oliver. Observers and monitors, at-sea and shoreside, are an essential component of commercial fishing operations and provide critical information that is necessary to keep fisheries open and to provide sustainable seafood to our nation during this time. We recognize the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve and as such, it has required us to adapt to changing circumstances. Our adaptation is multi-faceted. Across the Pacific and Western Pacific, the majority of fisheries require full observer coverage; on the East Coast, the majority of fisheries require partial coverage. The differences in the requirements are an important reason that we have used our ability to waive observer coverage in some regions and fisheries, and not in others. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/leadership-message/noaa-fisheries-adapts-changing-circumstances-different-requirements-call-different Study points to freshwater factors in king salmon decline KDLL by Elizabeth Earl - July 17, 2020 Alaskans pretty well know at this point that king salmon are in trouble. Biologists been looking into why for about a decade now, without a single smoking gun. And that seems to the way it’s going to be—no single answer. https://www.kdll.org/post/study-points-freshwater-factors-king-salmon-decline Labeling and Marketing GAPP announces new business partnerships through partnership program Seafood Source by Ben Fisher - July 17, 2020 The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) has announced new partnerships with Denny’s, Gorton’s Seafoods, and New England Seafood Company, according to a 16 July press release. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/foodservice-retail/gapp-announces-new-business-partnerships-through-partnership-program FYI’s U.S. Seafood Trade Task Force seeks input from industry and the public Recommendations will be accepted through August 1, 2020 NOAA Fisheries - July 13, 2020 The Interagency U.S. Seafood Trade Task Force wants to hear from you. Today, the Federal Register published a notice inviting the U.S. seafood and fishing industry to submit comments and suggestions for the newly-established task force, which will be co-chaired by the Office of the United States Trade Representative and the U.S. Department of Commerce. The task force stems from the Presidential Executive Order signed May 7, 2020, on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth. The Task Force will work to support fair market access for U.S. seafood products through trade policy and negotiations. https://www.noaa.gov/news/us-seafood-trade-task-force-seeks-input-from-industry-and-public
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