Alaska Bristol Bay fishermen cautiously optimistic about 2024 season citing higher prices, new processor KDLG by Jessie Sheldon - June 19, 2024 This season, the Bristol Bay 2024 sockeye salmon forecast estimates a total run of 39 million fish. That’s 35% smaller than the most recent 10-year average run size, and a drop from last season’s 54.5 million fish run. This weekend in Dillingham, the boatyard and harbor were noticeably quieter, with some discussion of crews holding off on big renovations and putting boats in the water later, to help cut costs and recover from last season’s low prices. But despite the lower forecast and market uncertainty, crews seem cautiously optimistic headed into the new season. KDLG spoke with fishing crews at the Dillingham harbor to get the latest boatyard buzz. https://www.kdlg.org/2024-06-19/bristol-bay-fishermen-cautiously-optimistic-about-2024-season-citing-higher-prices-new-processor Lawmaker pushes bill to make US seafood industry more competitive in global markets The measure, in part, seeks to address the impact of Russia and China on the global seafood supply chain. IntraFish - June 20, 2024 US Alaska lawmaker Mary Peltola this week introduced the Fisheries Improvement and Seafood Health (FISH) Act aimed at modernizing Alaska's fisheries sector to improve its competitiveness in changing global markets. https://www.intrafish.com/markets/lawmaker-pushes-bill-to-make-us-seafood-industry-more-competitive-in-global-markets/2-1-1664965 *Requires Subscription Pollock trawlers to be included in electronic monitoring program National Fisherman - June 21, 2024 New regulations for electronic monitoring on board pollock trawlers are expected later this summer. The program has been in the works as part of an amendment to Alaska’s groundfish management plan, and was a topic of discussion at the North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Kodiak from June 7 – 12. https://www.nationalfisherman.com/pollock-trawlers-to-be-included-in-monitoring-program Copper River Sockeye Catch Grows, Kenai TAC Announced, and Port Moller Numbers Are In SeafoodNews.com by Peggy Parker - June 20, 2024 In the weeks prior to peak sockeye landings in Bristol Bay, catches of the high-value red salmon are growing in the Copper River, while the federally managed Cook Inlet sockeye TACs have been announced and the early tip of the sockeye run into Bristol Bay has now been seen.Commercial catch of sockeyes in the Copper River is now at 563,000 fish, just less than half of the 1.3 million sockeye forecast for this year.In addition, the fleet has landed 5,000 Chinook salmon, just a fraction of the total run forecast of 47,000 Chinook. That forecast was 2% below the 10-year average of 48,000 Chinook but looks unlikely to achieve now.The sonar count in the Copper River, which gauges how many sockeye have made it past the fishing grounds and up river, continues to increase. Daily counts grew this week to a cumulative total of 438,000 fish, compared to a prediction of 374,000 based on historical run timing. The daily count for 6/18 was 15,269 fish and the 0600 count for 6/19 was 2,864 fish.For the 24-hour opener that started on Friday, June 14, 66,300 sockeye, 380 Chinook, and 880 chum salmon were caught. Preliminary catch data from the 36-hour period that started on Monday, June 17 were 66,900 sockeye, 410 Chinook, and 5,700 chum salmon.In the Kenai River south of Anchorage, federal fishery managers announced a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 492,100 sockeyes in the late summer run.For the first time in history, the commercial fleet of set netters will no longer be able to use that gear — this year they will be restricted to using dip nets, for less efficient gear and a type of gear not usually deployed in marine environments.The cumulative sockeye salmon sonar passage estimate in the Kasilof River exceeded 30,000 fish as of July 18, 2024, according to ADF&G, which will allow a 12-hour opening today, using only dipnets. Permit holders will need to register their permits to fish in the Upper Subdistrict at the local ADF&G office prior to fishing.The Port Moller Test Fishery has been operating for about ten days and very early catches of higher numbers at the outer stations (further from shore) are good signs. The scientists are comparing two sizes of mesh in their gear, as usual, and noted that a 60-40 split in the smaller versus larger mesh indicates a two-year in the ocean age dominated run thus far.Bristol Bay’s 2024 forecast is for a total of 39 million sockeye, split between the river systems as follows:Naknek-Kvichak — 15.4 MEgegik — 5.7 MUgashik — 4.8 MNushagak — 12.2 MTogiak — 0.7 MPort Moller’s research vessel Ocean Cat ran into some gear trouble when marine mammals cut the set short, according to the report by Scott Raborn and Jason Head. “Our best guess is that they are Pacific White Sided Dolphins,” the noted. “We will confirm that as soon as possible.”Catches were heaviest at Station 20 with an index of 97, diminishing toward shore with indices of 75 at Station 18, 54 at Station 12, and 36 at Station 4. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1280034/Copper-River-Sockeye-Catch-Grows-Kenai-TAC-Announced-and-Port-Moller-Numbers-Are-In National NOAA releases draft update to ecosystem-based fisheries management roadmap Seafood Source by Chris Chase - June 20, 2024 NOAA Fisheries is now accepting public comments on its updated ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) roadmap. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/noaa-releases-draft-update-to-ecosystem-based-fisheries-management-roadmap International Nations Push Back the Timeline for Arctic Fishing Rules Maritime Executive - June 16, 2024 Arctic coastal states have failed to agree on a protocol for commercial fishing in the central Arctic Ocean. The countries had met last week in South Korea for the third conference of parties (COP3) on the Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement (CAOFA), but could not reach a deal. The parties include Canada, China, Denmark on behalf of Faroes Islands and Greenland, Iceland, South Korea, Norway, Russia, United States and EU. https://maritime-executive.com/article/nations-push-back-the-timeline-for-arctic-fishing-rules Environment/Science New Evidence of Seasonal and Temperature-Driven Movement of Alaska Pollock across the U.S.-Russia Maritime Boundary Scientists use innovative technology to track northwest migrations in the late spring and early summer and southeast migrations in the winter. Migrations appear to be driven by water temperature. NOAA Fisheries - June 20, 2024 Scientists placed specially designed moorings, equipped with sonar, on the seafloor to acoustically monitor pollock abundance and movements between U.S. and Russian waters. They found that a substantial amount of pollock travel between the two exclusive economic zones (EEZs) seasonally. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/new-evidence-seasonal-and-temperature-driven-movement-alaska-pollock-across-us-russia Federal Register Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Annual Specifications; 2024-2025 Annual Specifications and Management Measures for Pacific Sardine A Proposed Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 06/21/2024 NMFS proposes to implement annual harvest specifications and management measures for the northern subpopulation of Pacific sardine (hereafter, Pacific sardine), for the fishing year from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This proposed rule would prohibit most directed commercial fishing for Pacific sardine off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. Pacific sardine harvest would be allowed only for use as live bait, in minor directed fisheries, as incidental catch in other fisheries, or as authorized under exempted fishing permits. The proposed harvest specifications for 2024-2025 include an overfishing limit of 8,312 metric tons (mt), an annual catch limit of 6,005 mt, and an annual catch target of 5,500 mt. This proposed rule is intended to conserve, manage, and rebuild the Pacific sardine stock off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/06/21/2024-13530/fisheries-off-west-coast-states-coastal-pelagic-species-fisheries-annual-specifications-2024-2025 FYI’s Taste of Cordova: An important part of Salmon Jam Cordova Times by Skye Steritz - June 20, 2024 With the start of summer comes the promise of harvest. Salmon returning symbolize the abundance of the Copper River Delta. Time to fish. Greening plants and blossoming flowers beckon to foragers. Time to gather. One of our favorite festivals of the year is almost here. Time to celebrate! https://thecordovatimes.com/2024/06/20/taste-of-cordova-an-important-part-of-salmon-jam/ Recycling program targets fishing gear in Homer KBBI by Simon Lopez - June 18, 2024 A company has sent plastic fishing nets destined for the landfill to recyclers for the past 7 years and began collecting nets from Homer and Kenai this year. https://www.kbbi.org/local-news/2024-06-18/recycling-program-targets-fishing-gear-in-homer
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