Monday, March 20, 2023

Alaska Fish and Game commissioner says preservation a priority amid struggling fisheries KMXT by Brian Venua - March 17, 2023 Doug Vincent-Lang is the commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. He opened his presentation sharing concerns about Chinook and chum salmon stocks across the state. https://kmxt.org/2023/03/fish-and-game-commissioner-says-preservation-a-priority-amid-struggling-fisheries/ Measuring up in Bristol Bay National Fisherman by Paul Molyneaux - March 15, 2023 “Enforcement will be focused on performance.”– Capt. Aaron Frenzel, Alaska Wildlife Troopers On Feb. 14 of this year the Alaska Wildlife Troopers (AWT) office gave notice to participants in the Bristol Bay salmon fishery that in the coming 2023 season, drift gillnet boats will be measured to ensure they conform to the 32-foot limit. https://www.nationalfisherman.com/alaska/measuring-up-in-bristol-bay Alaska Bycatch Advisory Council Created For the Next Three Years SeafoodNews.com by Peggy Parker - March 17, 2023 Last Monday, the Alaska Bycatch Advisory Council was created by the Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Doug Vincent-Lang. The panel of six is being formed to advise ADF&G and policymakers on ways to implement the recommendations made by the larger Alaska Bycatch Review Task Force (ABRT). "This Bycatch Advisory Council brings major stakeholders into the fold to really drill down into the bycatch issue," said Vincent-Lang. "It will form another in the growing collection of tools we have to effectively and transparently improve the health and sustainability of Alaska's fisheries.” The Council is expected to meet by phone 3-4 times annually and prepare an annual report to the Commissioner. The Task Force was created in 2021 to “improv[e] the health and sustainability of Alaska’s fisheries and protect Alaska’s record as a leader of fisheries’ conservation and sustainability.” The final report was submitted to Governor Dunleavy on Decemer 8, 2022. It contains recommendations on research, state engagement, and management measures related to bycatch. The Council members are: * Linda Kozak, owner of Kozak & Associates a fisheries consultant, member of Governor Dunleavy's Bycatch Task Force and commercial harvester from Kodiak. * Karma Ulvi, subsistence representative from Yukon River communities. She is the Chief of the Native Village of Eagle and the Tribal Administrator with the Tanana Chiefs Conference. * Brian Gabriel, Mayor of Kenai is filling the coastal mayor seat. Gabriel is also a charter boat captain out of Ninilchik and a commercial fisherman out of Homer. * Kevin Delany, retired ADF&G recreational division director, advisor now to Kenai sportsfishing groups. * Stephanie Madsen, executive director of the Seattle-based At-sea Processors Association, with an office in Juneau. * John Jensen, Chair of the Alaska Board of Fisheries and member of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, former commercial fisherman out of Petersburg. They will appoint their chair, who will have the authority to add additional meeting sessions and call public meetings. Members of the Council who are not state or federal employees are eligible for per diem and travel expenses, but no other compensation. The Council may create advisory-only subcommittees and convene public meetings to present information and get comments. Vincent-Lang’s Commissioner Order #1 takes effect immediately and will sunset on the 7th of December 2026. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1248576/Alaska-Bycatch-Advisory-Council-Created-For-the-Next-Three-Years Environment/Science State lawmakers join call to feds to intervene in Canadian mining upriver of Alaska Alaska Public Media by Sage Smiley, KSTK - Wrangell - March 16, 2023 Southeast Alaska lawmakers are joining tribal and municipal governments, calling on the federal government to stop – at least temporarily – British Columbia’s mining activities in transboundary watersheds. https://alaskapublic.org/2023/03/16/state-lawmakers-join-call-to-feds-to-intervene-in-canadian-mining-upriver-of-alaska/ 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.