Friday, March 12, 2021

Alaska Setnet permit buyback bill moves from Senate committee Alaska Journal of Commerce by Elwood Brehmer - March 10, 2021 Legislation aimed at easing tensions and fishing pressure in one of the state’s most popular fisheries is already on the move this session after dying in the COVID-shortened session last year. https://www.alaskajournal.com/2021-03-10/setnet-permit-buyback-bill-moves-senate-committee Alaska Fisheries Report March 11 2021 KMXT - March 11, 2021 On This Week’s Alaska Fisheries Report with Terry Haines: Sabine Poux Reports On ASMI’s Survey of Economic Impacts of COVID, and Jeb Morrow Tries His Hand at Backing Crab https://kmxt.org/2021/03/alaska-fisheries-report-march-11-2021/ West Coast Press release: Pacific Fishery Management Council releases alternatives for 2021 West Coast ocean salmon fisheries Pacific Fishery Management Council - March 11, 2021 Portland, Oregon—The Pacific Fishery Management Council has adopted three alternatives for 2021 ocean salmon fisheries off Washington, Oregon, and California for public review. The Council will make a final decision on salmon seasons at its meeting on April 6-9 and 12-15. Detailed information about season starting dates, areas open, and catch limits for the three alternatives are available on the Council’s website at www.pcouncil.org. https://www.pcouncil.org/press-release-pacific-fishery-management-council-releases-alternatives-for-2021-west-coast-ocean-salmon-fisheries/ National ANALYSIS: Salmon Market Marches Onward and Upward Urner Barry by Janice Schreiber - March 12, 2021 After several weeks of lower offers to kick off the Lenten season, the farmed salmon market has rebounded. As of this writing the market is seeing some significant upward pricing pressure across the complex heading into the end of the week. Looking at the salmon index, 2021 is now trending above the same time-period in 2020 and approaching the 3-year average; just 3 percent lower. With higher offerings collected thus far across the complex, there is a chance the salmon market will continue its march towards the 3-year average.

When looking back on the last few weeks, the upswing in the market started on the whole salmon side. Significantly higher offers out of Europe for all origins was reported to then affect the volume of salmon which began to subside at the higher price levels. The Northeast and West Coast of Canada saw supplies tighten and subsequently pushed pricing higher. In addition, the Chilean fillet market has also seen supplies more light than in recent weeks; competition from... Be the first to gain access to analysis pieces from Urner Barry market reporters. Subscribe to Urner Barry's Comtell today. Read the analysis on Comtell here. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1194083/ANALYSIS-Salmon-Market-Marches-Onward-and-Upward What the $1.9 Trillion Relief Fund Means For Restaurants and the Seafood Industry Urner Barry by Amanda Buckle - March 11, 2021 Some sweet relief is coming in the form of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, also known as the American Rescue Plan. The House passed the latest pandemic relief bill on Wednesday, which will now go to the White House for President Biden’s signature. A lot is crammed into the package, including stimulus checks and the extension of unemployment benefits. But we’re taking a deeper look into what the American Rescue Plan does for restaurants and those in the seafood industry. Restaurant Revitalization Fund A whopping $28.6 billion in grants is included in the $1.9 trillion relief fund via the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. The fund is for restaurants whose revenue fell in 2020 as a direct result of the pandemic. According to the bill, $5 billion will be available to eligible entities with gross receipts during 2019 of not more than $500,000. The remaining $23.6 billion will be available to the Administrator to award grants in an equitable manner to eligible entities of different sizes based on annual gross receipts. “Today Congress spoke with one voice in support of the restaurant industry,” Sean Kennedy, EVP of Public Affairs for the National Restaurant Association, said in a statement. “The Restaurant Revitalization Fund will keep doors open in restaurants large and small in every community.” According to the bill the Administrator will prioritize grants to eligible entities that are “small business concerns owned and controlled by women (as defined in section 3(n) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(n))), small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans (as defined in section 3(q) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 632(q))), or socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns (as defined in section 8(a)(4)(A) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)(4)(A))). Grants to eligible businesses will not exceed $10 million and will also be limited to $5 million per physical location of the eligible entity. Those that receive funds will be able to use the grant for expenses incurred as a direct result of, or during, the COVID-19 pandemic, including: payroll costs; payments of principal or interest on any mortgage obligation; rent payments; utilities; maintenance expenses, like constructing outdoor seating; supplies, including protective equipment and cleaning materials; food and beverage expenses; supplier costs; operational expense; paid sick leave; and “any other expenses that the Administrator determines to be essential to maintaining the eligible entity.” Food Supply Chain and Agriculture Pandemic Response In addition to amounts that are otherwise available, $4 billion was earmarked for Food Supply Chain and Agriculture Pandemic Response. The Secretary of Agriculture will be able to use the funds to purchase food and agricultural commodities; to purchase and distribute agriculture commodities -- including seafood, fresh produce, dairy, eggs and meat -- to individuals in need; to make grants and loans for small or mid-sized food processors or distributors, seafood processing facilities and processing vessels, farmers markets, or other organizations to respond to COVID-19, including for measures to protect workers against COVID-19; and to make loans and grants and provide other assistance to maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency.

You can take a look at the entire American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 here. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1194037/What-the-1-point-9-Trillion-Relief-Fund-Means-For-Restaurants-and-the-Seafood-Industry Federal Register Fisheries Off West Coast States; Modifications of the West Coast Commercial and Recreational Salmon Fisheries; Inseason Actions #8 Through #15 A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 03/11/2021 NMFS announces eight inseason actions in the 2020 ocean salmon fisheries. These inseason actions modified the commercial and recreational salmon fisheries in the area from the U.S./Canada border to the Oregon/California border. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/03/11/2021-05076/fisheries-off-west-coast-states-modifications-of-the-west-coast-commercial-and-recreational-salmon Recommendations for More Resilient Fisheries and Protected Resources Due to Climate Change A Notice by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 03/03/2021 On January 27, 2021, the White House issued an Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. As part of this effort, NOAA is collecting recommendations on how to make fisheries and protected resources more resilient to climate change, including changes in management and conservation measures, and improvements in science, monitoring, and cooperative research. NOAA requests written input from interested parties on how best to achieve these objectives described in the Executive Order. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/03/03/2021-04137/recommendations-for-more-resilient-fisheries-and-protected-resources-due-to-climate-change Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 03/12/2021 NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Community Development Quota (CDQ) pollock directed fishing allowance (DFA) from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea. This action is necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2021 total allowable catch of pollock, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/03/12/2021-05124/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-reallocation-of-pollock-in-the-bering-sea-and Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 03/12/2021 NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2021 total allowable catch of pollock in the West Yakutat District of the GOA. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/03/12/2021-05166/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-pollock-in-the-west-yakutat-district-of-the-gulf Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Catcher Vessels Greater Than or Equal to 50 Feet (15.2 Meters) Length Overall Using Hook-and-Line Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 03/12/2021 NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels greater than or equal to 50 feet (15.2 meters (m)) length overall using hook-and-line (HAL) gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2021 total allowable catch (TAC) of catcher vessels greater than or equal to 50 feet (15.2 m) length overall using HAL gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/03/12/2021-05175/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-pacific-cod-by-catcher-vessels-greater-than-or

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