Monday, July 10, 2023

Alaska Why are chinook runs declining in Bristol Bay, while sockeye runs are shattering records? KDLG by Jessie Sheldon - July 7, 2023 Chinook salmon numbers have declined significantly in the Nushagak watershed, Bristol Bay’s most abundant commercial fishing district. The runs there have fallen far short of in-river escapement goals in five of the last six years. Yet at the same time, sockeye runs are shattering records. https://www.kdlg.org/fisheries/2023-07-07/why-are-chinook-runs-declining-in-bristol-bay-while-sockeye-is-shattering-records Bristol Bay Catch Exceeds 20 Million Sockeye, Total Run Now at 27.5 Million SeafoodNews.com by Peggy Parker - July 10, 2023 After nine days of an average daily catch of just under 2 million sockeye, last Saturday saw a distinct drop to 506,000 sockeye landed in Bristol Bay. The total landings are at 20.3 miilion sockeye, with an expected harvest of 36.7 million. The total run as of Saturday July 8 was 27.5 million sockeye. Pre-season forecast for 2023's total run is 51.07 million. Total escapement in all districts of the Bay was about 7.3 million as of Sunday morning, just over half of the forecasted 13 million. The catch is 55% of the 36.66 million forecasted preseason. The Port Moller Test Fishery showed indications late last week that the ‘tail’ of this year’s sockeye run could be long. Recent days of bad weather has curtailed test-fishing at some stations. District totals as of Sunday evening are: Nushagak District — total catch is now 7.9 million sockeye, more than half of the 13.64 million predicted for the district. In the Nushagak River, 1.5 million sockeye escapement is reported, about double the pre-season forecast for sockeye of 770,000. An estimate of 29,000 Chinook have passed the Nushagak River sonar so far. The escapement goal is at least 55,000. Wood River escapement 2.04 million sockeye, with a pre-season forecast of 1.53 million. The Igushik river escapement is now 218,000 fish compared to a pre-season forecast of 340,000 sockeye. Naknek-Kvichak District — total catch is 4.8 million fish, with a pre-season forecast of 10.59 million. Escapement in the Naknek River is 665,112 salmon, a little less than half the pre-season forecast of 1.7 million. Escapement is the Kvichak River is 1.2 million salmon so far, compared to a goal of 4 million. In the Alagnak River, escapement totals 356,000 compared to a prediction of 2.06 million. Egegik District — total catch is 6.81 million sockeye, closing in on the pre-season forecast of 9.4 million. Escapement in the Egegik River is 784,000 so far compared to a goal of 1.7 million. Ugashik District — harvest is at 623,589 sockeye compared to a predicted 2.53 million. Escapement so far is 44,622 sockeye compared to a forecast of 730,000. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1256715/Bristol-Bay-Catch-Exceeds-20-Million-Sockeye-Total-Run-Now-at-27-point-5-Million International RFM Achieves GSSI Recognition for Third Time; the First Under New Benchmark Tool SeafoodNews.com by Susan Chambers - July 7, 2023 The Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative recently updated its Global to Benchmark Tool to Version 2.0 -- and is already applying it to the certification process. The Responsible Fisheries Management program, owned by the Certified Seafood Collaborative, is the first sustainable seafood certification program to achieve recognition under Version 2.0, the companies said in a joint press release. The RFM program applied for GSSI Recognition on Aug. 29, 2022, and received Recognition on June 30, 2023. Continued recognition demonstrates that RFM is in alignment with all 142 applicable GSSI Essential Components and that the RFM program and Fishery Standard (Version 2.1, 2020), are in alignment with the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and FAO Guidelines for the Ecolabelling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine Capture Fisheries, RFM said in the statement. The 225-page GSSI Benchmark Report details the findings. RFM Program Manager Jeff Regnart said, “As the first sustainable seafood certification program to achieve GSSI Recognition in 2016, and then again in 2019, achieving it for a third time under GSSI’s new updated version provides further confidence of RFM’s rigor and global best practice.” The GSSI Global Benchmark Tool can help streamline procurement decisions by making it easier for buyers to see which certification programs have met the rigorous bar set forth by FAO’s internationally agreed guidelines, according to a press release from RFM. The Benchmark Tool was developed in consultation with environmental NGOs, global businesses, independent experts, government and intergovernmental organizations. Recognition to this benchmark required a high level of scrutiny of RFM’s governance, management, and certification standard, RFM said in the statement. The RFM model is based on the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. In addition to certifying some Alaska fisheries, the Pacific whiting fishery achieved RFM certification in 2022. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1256614/RFM-Achieves-GSSI-Recognition-for-Third-Time-the-First-Under-New-Benchmark-Tool FYI’s Alaska Symphony of Seafood announces call for product KINY - July 7, 2023 Wrangell, Alaska (KINY) - The Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation (AFDF) is proud to announce the 2024 Alaska Symphony of Seafood, including the Call for Product. https://alaskapublic.org/2023/07/07/whittier-officials-say-fuel-dock-operational-after-closing-due-to-4th-of-july-fire/ 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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