Friday, December 3, 2021

Alaska DoD Selects Anchorage as Site for Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies Alaska Business Magazine by Isaac Stone Simonelli - November 30, 2021 The Department of Defense has selected Anchorage as the site for the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies to bolster the United States’ preparedness for various challenges in the region. Named in honor of the late Senator Ted Stevens, the Stevens Center has two main areas of focus: Arctic research and Arctic security. https://www.akbizmag.com/industry/arctic/anchorage-selected-as-ted-stevens-center-for-arctic-security-studies/ Alaska Fisheries Report December 2, 2021 KMXT - December 2, 2021 On this week’s Alaska Fisheries Report with Terry Haines, reporter Greg Kim takes us to the Kuskokwim region as residents weigh in on fish management and diversify into crab quota: https://kmxt.org/2021/12/alaska-fisheries-report-december-2-2021/ National NFI: ‘Time for Washington to Act Now’ to Help Solve Seafood Supply Chain Crisis Urner Barry by Ryan Doyle - December 1, 2021 The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) debuted a video that explains the supply chain challenges facing the seafood industry. NFI criticized current moves being made that aim to solve the global supply chain crisis including the shift to 24-hour port operations on the west coast. NFI shared that currently, transporting fish costs nine times what it did a year ago, leading to higher prices for the end consumer. Conversations around logistics and supply chain issues have dominated the seafood community since the pandemic began and that trend will continue ahead of a busy holiday season. The NFI video explains how seafood reaches consumers and how the “broken” supply chain will not be fixed by just adjusting the port operation schedule. “This is a system-wide problem, 24-hour ports will not get fish to neighborhood grocers or your favorite restaurants and the results hurt American businesses,” the video stated. NFI provided a few ideas on how to get the supply chain back on track: - Hold steamships accountable - Avoid regulations that affect driver shortages - Make real operational changes that don’t just shift costs from one part of the system to another. On November 30, multiple Urner Barry seafood market reporters cited logistics issues in their market commentaries, an indication that the problem persists for seafood companies across the supply chain. “Replacement product (for blue swimming crab meat) continues to be reported to be tight overseas. Delays due to container shortages and other logistical challenges remain the biggest hurdles for the industry,” UB Market Reporter Janice Schreiber wrote. “Demand for imported shrimp is reported to be seasonally active, but importers are still quite concerned with continuity of supply and rising costs due to worsening logistical challenges,” UB Market Reporter Jim Kenny also wrote. The change to port operations comes as President Biden makes a significant push for supply chain improvements. The President told top executives from retailers that the administration will work to ensure products consumers want will be on the shelves during the holidays, according to the New York Times. Those comments made an impression on Walmart Chief Executive Doug McMillon who was pleased with the Biden administration moves. "We are seeing progress. The port and transit delays are improving," McMillon told President Joe Biden during a White House meeting with CEOs to discuss supply chain issues, according to Reuters. Reuters explained that McMillion cited 24-hour port operations and other solutions have helped Walmart get containers through ports and products on the shelves. Although Walmart may be seeing the benefits of the recent supply chain focus from the government, the NFI explained why supply chain issues for the seafood industry go much deeper than unclogging busy ports. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1213555/NFI-Time-for-Washington-to-Act-Now-to-Help-Solve-Seafood-Supply-Chain-Crisis Environment/Science Sighting of Juvenile North Pacific Right Whale Raises NOAA Hopes for Species Fishermen's News - December 1, 2021 NOAA Fisheries scientist Jessica Crance tracks whale sighting data. Photo courtesy of NOAA Fisheries. The discovery of a juvenile whale named “Phoenix” by NOAA Fisheries biologists, has renewed hope for the survival of this critically endangered eastern North Pacific right whale population. https://fishermensnews.com/sighting-of-juvenile-north-pacific-right-whale-raises-noaa-hopes-for-species/ Labeling and Marketing 3MMI - Seaspiracy Debunked: Exposing a Film of Misinformation and Myths TradexFoods - November 29, 2021 In this 3MMI Special, we take a look at the most controversial documentary of the year, Seaspiracy, and debunk some of the highlighted accusations. Join us as we take a deeper dive into what is indeed fact, and what is fiction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp_dePwUALU&t=2s Federal Register Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; Proposed 2022 and 2023 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish A Proposed Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/03/2021 NMFS proposes 2022 and 2023 harvest specifications, apportionments, and prohibited species catch allowances for the groundfish fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2022 and 2023 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP). The 2022 harvest specifications supersede those previously set in the final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications, and the 2023 harvest specifications will be superseded in early 2023 when the final 2023 and 2024 harvest specifications are published. The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the BSAI in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/12/03/2021-26180/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-bering-sea-and-aleutian-islands-proposed-2022 Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Trawl Rationalization Program; 2022 Cost Recovery Fee Notice A Notice by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/03/2021 This action provides participants in the Pacific Coast Groundfish Trawl Rationalization Program with the 2022 cost recovery fee percentages and the average mothership (MS) price per pound to be used in the catcher/processor (C/P) coop program to calculate the fee amount for the upcoming calendar year. For the 2022 calendar year, NMFS announces the following fee percentages by sector specific program: 3.0 percent for the Shorebased Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program; 0.2 percent for the C/P Co-op Program; and 1.7 percent for the MS Co-op Program. For 2022, the MS pricing to be used as a proxy by the C/P Co-op Program is $0.09/pound (lb) for Pacific whiting. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/12/03/2021-26287/fisheries-off-west-coast-states-pacific-coast-groundfish-fishery-trawl-rationalization-program-2022 FYI’s Business Tax Strategy Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association - December 2021 In alignment with BBRSDA’s mission of increasing the value of the Bristol Bay fishery for fishermen, this program is intended to provide tools to help fishermen save money through tax strategy. Navigating small business taxes isn’t easy, especially for commercial fishing businesses. It may be most daunting to new fishermen but there are things to learn throughout the different phases of your career as well. https://www.bbrsda.com/business-tax Petersburg’s tribal administrator takes job leading United Fishermen of Alaska KFSK by Joe Viechnicki - December 1, 2021 A statewide commercial fishing industry trade group has hired Petersburg Indian Association’s tribal administrator as its next executive director. https://www.ktoo.org/2021/12/01/petersburgs-tribal-administrator-takes-job-leading-united-fishermen-of-alaska/ Register for the Upcoming Urner Barry Seafood Market Update Webinar on Crab and Groundfish Seafood News - December 3, 2021 Join Urner Barry on Tuesday, December 7 at 11:00 AM EST for an update on the volatilty of the crab and groundfish markets featuring Urner Barry market reporters Lorin Castiglione and Janice Schreiber, as well as special guest Michael Kotok from Arctic Fisheries. In this webinar, host Amanda Buckle will speak with our panelists to discuss the continued impact of COVID-19 on the seafood markets through supply situations, labor shortages, the continued high costs for transportation, and the price reaction from the holiday season. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join this exciting event LIVE. Click here to register. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1213683/Register-for-the-Upcoming-Urner-Barry-Seafood-Market-Update-Webinar-on-Crab-and-Groundfish Pacific Seafood Processors Association 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.