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Bean’s Café continues its mission to provide seafood and other life-giving resources to the homeless population of Anchorage especially during this trying year. Typically, Bean’s Café hosts an annual fundraiser event 'Toast to the Coast' and Pacific Seafood Processors Association (PSPA) is a proud sponsor of this event, but due to COVID they’ve had to make new plans. This annual event brings awareness to and helps fight hunger, brings Alaskans together, and features the best seafood procured by Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, and our collective partners.
PSPA is a strong supporter of their work and we’ve made a donation of $20,000 outside of this event for 2020 – Bean’s Café is hoping to double PSPA’s donation and raise $40,000 to help the homeless and hungry in Alaska.
Donate here: https://donate.beanscafe.org/(mention ‘Choose Alaska Seafood’ in the comments to activate the matching grant)
Please consider Bean’s Café as you finalize your end-of-year donation plans. Your donation of any amount will help Bean’s Café and Children’s Lunchbox continue their mission and continue to provide seafood and other life-giving resources to the homeless population of Anchorage.
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Alaska
2021 harvest potential for Togiak herring is 47,348 tons
Cordova Times - December 19, 2020
State fisheries officials are forecasting a potential 2021 harvest of 47,348 tons of herring in all Togiak fisheries and 42,639 tons in the Togiak sac roe purse seine and gillnet harvest, under the 20 percent exploitation rate.
https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2020/12/19/2021-harvest-potential-for-togiak-herring-is-47348-tons/
Congress authorizes six polar icebreakers
Cordova Times by Margaret Bauman - December 20, 2020
Bipartisan legislation authorizing six polar icebreakers has passed both houses of Congress in the Elijah E. Cummings Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2020, part of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act.
https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2020/12/20/congress-authorizes-six-polar-icebreakers/
International
Analysts predict little shift in US-China trade policy in early days of Biden administration
Seafood Source by Chris Chase - December 17, 2020
With the U.S. Electoral College certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over President Donald Trump, the country has continued the transition of power, which will culminate in the 20 January inauguration.
https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/analysts-predict-little-shift-on-us-china-trade-policy-in-early-days-of-biden-administration
Environment/Science
Ocean going robots estimate Alaska Pollock stocks
Data collected by Saildrones helps determine sustainable catch in coming season
Cordova Times by Margaret Bauman - December 18, 2020
In the midst of a global pandemic that ruled out the usual survey of Pollock in fishing waters off of Alaska, ocean-going robots came north from California to determine the abundance of the versatile whitefish from the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska.
https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2020/12/18/ocean-going-robots-estimate-alaska-pollock-stocks/
Labeling and Marketing
Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute: Marketing Update
ASMI - December 2020
Happy Holidays From the ASMI Team!, A Successful Virtual All Hands On Deck!,
Extended: USDA Seafood Trade Relief Program, Extended: Alaska Direct Marketers Survey, ASMI Technical Program Update...
https://myemail.constantcontact.com/ASMI-Update-December-2020--Happy-Holidays-from-the-ASMI-Team.html?soid=1101064654189&aid=w9mWuOC-kCE
Federal Register
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch in the Bering Sea Subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/18/2020
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2020 Pacific Ocean perch total allowable catch (TAC) in the Bering Sea subarea of the BSAI.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/12/18/2020-27918/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-pacific-ocean-perch-in-the-bering-sea-subarea-of
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; North Pacific Observer Program Standard Ex-Vessel Prices
A Notice by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/18/2020
NMFS publishes standard ex-vessel prices for groundfish and halibut for the calculation of the observer fee under the North Pacific Observer Program (Observer Program). This notice is intended to provide information to vessel owners, processors, registered buyers, and other Observer Program participants about the standard ex-vessel prices that will be used to calculate the observer fee for landings of groundfish and halibut made in 2021. NMFS will send invoices to processors and registered buyers subject to the fee by January 15, 2022. Fees are due to NMFS on or before February 15, 2022.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/12/18/2020-27824/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-north-pacific-observer-program-standard
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; North Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Cost Recovery Programs
A Notice by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/18/2020
NMFS publishes the individual fishing quota (IFQ) standard prices and fee percentage for cost recovery for the IFQ Program for the halibut and sablefish fisheries of the North Pacific (IFQ Program). The fee percentage for 2020 is 3.0 percent. This action is intended to provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2020 standard prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment for IFQ cost recovery fees due by January 31, 2021.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/12/18/2020-27881/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-north-pacific-halibut-and-sablefish-individual
FYI’s
DRAFT March 2021 and April 2021 Pacific Council meeting quick reference agendas online
Pacific Fishery Management Council - December 18, 2020
The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:
The DRAFT March 2021 and April 2021 Pacific Council meeting quick reference agendas are now available on our “Upcoming Meetings” webpage. Both meetings will be held online only.
https://www.savingseafood.org/news/council-actions/draft-march-2021-and-april-2021-pacific-council-meeting-quick-reference-agendas-online/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SavingSeafoodRss+%28Saving+Seafood%29
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.