Friday, March 18, 2022

Alaska Board of Fish backs some Dungeness crabbing sanctuaries for Southeast communities KFSK by Joe Viechnicki - March 17, 2022 Alaska’s Board of Fisheries this week voted to close some parts of Southeast Alaska to Dungeness crabbing for the commercial fleet and sport fishermen. Board members backed proposals from area residents seeking to increase their subsistence catch in these areas. https://www.kfsk.org/2022/03/17/board-of-fish-backs-some-dungeness-crabbing-sanctuaries-for-southeast-communities/ National Senate Passes American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act Urner Barry by Amanda Buckle - March 17, 2022 Late last week the Senate passed the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act. Now it’s set to go to the House. For those unfamiliar with the Bill, it was previously passed by the Senate in August 2018. It directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish the “ American Fisheries Advisory Committee to advise on an existing grant program to address the needs of fishing communities, optimize economic benefits by building and maintaining sustainable fisheries, and increase opportunities to keep working waterfronts viable.” NOAA will be required to establish six regions within the committee, and the committee must consist of members chosen not only regionally, but also across all sectors of the fishing industry. The committee will be required to identify the needs of the fishing community, as well as develop requests for proposals for the grant program, review grant applications, and provide NOAA with grant applications for approval. “I have long championed Alaska’s status as the global superpower of seafood,” Alaska senator Dan Sullilvan said in a statement after the Senate passed the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act. “But in order to sustain this great distinction for our state, we need to ensure that federal grant dollars are truly focused on the priorities and needs of our fishing industry. That has not always been the case. Our fishermen, vessel owners, distributors and processors must have a role in the Saltonstall-Kennedy grant process to offer appropriate input and oversight so that we do not miss out on opportunities for improvement and growth – particularly for marketing and global competitiveness. I thank my colleagues in the Senate for supporting my bipartisan legislation to restore the voice of fisheries’ most important stakeholders and support the long-term vitality of American-caught seafood.” Members of the seafood industry were also happy with the American Fisheries Advisory Committee moving forward. “The Saltonstall-Kennedy (SK) Act is very important to the seafood industry to both promote U.S. seafood products and to develop all manner of new seafood production, both on the water and off,” said Matt Alward, President of the United Fishermen of Alaska. “We believe that the funds that the act created should be utilized as the SK Act directs them.” Bruce Schactler, Director of the National Seafood Marketing Coalition, also expressed the importance of the SK funding. “There is talk across the industry for a national marketing campaign much like other commodities use, and the job of creating such a campaign will logically fall to this broad selection of industry representatives that make up the American Fisheries Advisory Committee and the funding for such ideas through the Saltonstall Kennedy Act,” said Schactler. More information on the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act can be found here. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1221282/Senate-Passes-American-Fisheries-Advisory-Committee-Act International China faces big choice on Russia when it comes to seafood, and beyond Seafood Source by Mark Godfrey - March 16, 2022 Sanctions on Russian trade imposed by the U.S., European Union, and the U.K. on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine are likely to have a major impact on global seafood trade, including trade with China, according to Lotus Seafood CEO Nick Ovchinnikov. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/china-faces-big-choice-on-russia-when-it-comes-to-seafood-and-beyond Environment/Science SFP, Hilborn Lab release updated FIP database Seafood Source by Emma Desrochers - March 16, 2022 The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) and the University of Washington’s Hilborn Lab have released a new version of the Fishery Improvement Projects Database (FIP-DB), which includes 275 publicly recorded FIPs. https://www.seafoodsource.com/sfp-hilborn-lab-release-updated-fip-database Federal Register Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Pot Catcher/Processors in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 03/18/2022 NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher/processors using pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season apportionment of the 2022 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to catcher/processors using pot gear in the BSAI. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/03/18/2022-05766/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-pacific-cod-by-pot-catcherprocessors-in-the Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Catcher Vessels Less Than 50 Feet 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 03/18/2022 NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by for catcher vessels less than 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 2022 total allowable catch (TAC) apportioned to catcher vessels less than 50 feet length overall using HAL gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/03/18/2022-05767/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-pacific-cod-by-catcher-vessels-less-than-50-feet FYI’s Seafood For Heroes Program Provides Meals for Ukrainian First Responders Fishermen's News - March 16, 2022 The Seafood For Heroes program, organized and managed through the Napa Seafood Foundation, is using donations from seafood companies to provide healthy meals to first responders in Ukraine through the World Central Kitchen. https://fishermensnews.com/seafood-for-heroes-program-provides-meals-for-ukrainian-first-responders/ OptimERA teams up with seafood industry to provide internet service to Ukrainian employees KUCB - March 17, 2022 OptimERA Inc. is currently working with Trident Seafoods to provide subsidized internet connectivity to employees from Ukraine. While the program started in Akutan, OptimERA is looking to expand to employers in Unalaska. KUCB talked with Emmett Fitch, CEO of OptimERA, Inc. https://www.kucb.org/2022-03-17/optimera-teams-up-with-seafood-industry-to-provide-internet-service-to-ukrainian-employees Text delivers good news for Waterbody business owner Cordova Times by Sarah Aslam, Wrangell Sentinel - March 12, 2022 The owner of a Wrangell company that makes body care products learned by a text that she had won the grand prize at a state competition for commercial goods made or derived from Alaska seafood. https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2022/03/12/text-delivers-good-news-for-waterbody-business-owner/ 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. 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