Monday, September 25, 2023

Alaska 6th Bristol Bay Wild Salmon Celebration Makes a Big Splash in Washington D.C. SeafoodNews.com by Peggy Parker - September 22, 2023 If there is a handbook on how to protect a community through collaboration and creative thinking, it would be written by Bristol Bay residents. Their incentive is the salmon run that has sustained Alaskans and members of First Nations long before Alaska was a state. The most recent example of this rare collaborative effort is the sixth annual Bristol Bay Wild Salmon Celebration held in the nation’s capital last week. It hit D.C. during Bristol Bay Salmon Week, when a diverse group of Washington, D.C.-area restaurants feature wild Bristol Bay sockeye on their menus. The Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC), along with a dozen partners, hosted the Wild Salmon Celebration, which brought together the Alaska Congressional Delegation, BBNC Board Members and staff, and others to celebrate — and eat — wild Bristol Bay salmon. Recognizing allies in the struggle to protect Bristol Bay expands the community profile, and that has been a critical part of the Wild Salmon Celebration. Last week, BBNC recognized four Alaska leaders with their prestigious Fish First award. All four have distinguished themselves by commitments to keep Bristol Bay sustainable with Fish First awards. “The milestones that Bristol Bay has achieved this year would not have been possible without the work of our Fish First awardees,” said Jason Metrokin, President and CEO of BBNC. Metrokin noted, in addition to another healthy wild sockeye salmon return, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized their long-sought Clean Water Act protections against Pebble mine in January. In May, many Alaskans attended a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden where President Biden highlighted his administration’s work in Bristol Bay. “It is our honor to recognize these incredible leaders and their work to protect Bristol Bay – while enjoying the amazing fish that are our lifeblood. Thank you to those who joined us in DC for the Wild Salmon Celebration and Americans from coast to coast who continue to support Bristol Bay.” The four honorees of the the 2023 Fish First awards are: * Brian Kraft, Alaska Sportsman's Lodge owner and Bristol Bay Alliance founder * Nanci Morris Lyon, Bear Trail Lodge owner and Bristol Bay Fly Fishing & Guide Academy lead instructor * Representative Mary Sattler Peltola, first Alaska Native congresswoman and long-time advocate for rural Alaska and its fisheries * Verner Stor Wilson III (posthumous), commercial fisher, former Bristol Bay Native Association Director of Natural Resources, and passionate advocate for protecting Bristol Bay. Kraft, Lyon, and Peltola accepted the awards in person, while Wilson’s parents, Verner II and Jacqueline, and sister Helena Batman accepted in his memory. The Fish First awards recognize those who have supported and championed Bristol Bay and its wild salmon. Awardees are honored with a handcrafted salmon and trout skin basket created by Bristol Bay resident Marlene Nielsen. The first Wild Salmon Celebration took place in 2017. Past Fish First honorees include Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, the late Congressman Don Young, the late Senator Ted Stevens and his wife Catherine Stevens, the late Governor Jay Hammond and his late wife Bella Hammond, the late Bristol Bay leaders Bobby Andrew and Harvey Samuelsen, Alaska State Representative Bryce Edgmon, Ekwok Tribal Council President Luki Akelkok, Norm Van Vactor, Alannah Hurley, former Alaska State Senator Rick Halford, and the late Bob Gillam. Scheduling the Wild Salmon Celebration during the Bristol Bay Salmon Week expanded the message. The restaurants that were part of the week’s promotions are diverse in their fares, and each took a unique approach to preparing Bristol Bay sockeye. Highlights of the salmon celebration and Bristol Bay Salmon Week on social media can be tracked using the hashtag #BristolBaySalmonWeek. Bristol Bay Salmon Week is sponsored by Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association (BBRSDA). Other sponsors and supporters of the 2023 Celebration include: Alaska Airlines Anchorage Brewing Company Arc Initiatives – a coalition partner in the fight against Pebble mine and valued advisors to United Tribes of Bristol Bay Bessenyey & Van Tuyn, LLC Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association Leader Creek Fisheries National Fish & Wildlife Foundation The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development Pacific Seafood Processors Association Six-7 Strategies Strategies 360 https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1262113/6th-Bristol-Bay-Wild-Salmon-Celebration-Makes-a-Big-Splash-in-Washington-DC Politics Murkowski, Sullivan warn of domestic, foreign threats to Southeast Alaska’s economy Issues from Russian seafood imports to ferry funding cited by senators during Southeast Conference. Juneau Empire by Mark Sabbatini - September 23, 2023 Enemies foreign and domestic are posing threats to Southeast Alaska at a time when the region’s economy is experiencing a post-pandemic surge fueled to a large extent by political achievements, the state’s two U.S. senators told attendees at the annual Southeast Conference during the past week. https://www.juneauempire.com/news/murkowski-sullivan-warn-of-domestic-foreign-threats-to-southeast-alaskas-economy/ National Biden's marine sanctuaries come under fire at US congressional hearing Seafood Source by Nathan Strout - September 22, 2023 The U.S. government’s use of marine protected areas, sanctuaries, and monuments to conserve areas of the ocean came under fire during a congressional hearing this week, with House lawmakers and a bevy of witnesses decrying the use of executive authority to establish wide bands of ocean where commercial fishing is banned instead of relying on the existing regulatory system to protect fishing stocks. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/environment-sustainability/marine-protected-areas-under-fire-at-congressional-hearing Labeling and Marketing 3MMI - Chum Salmon Update: Puget Sound, Hokkaido, Russia, Japan TradexFoods - September 25, 2023 --- As the Summer Salmon Season comes to a close, we're diving into the latest Chum Salmon trends. In Alaska, an unexpected harvest peak shattered forecasts by 20%, while Russia grapples with a shortfall in Chum Salmon for the fourth year running. But the spotlight shifts to Washington's Puget Sound, where an impressive run of 530,000 Chum Salmon is expected this fall, mirroring last year's remarkable increase. And don't miss Japan's Hokkaido Fishery, with a 4% rise in Autumn Salmon – could it unlock new opportunities in the market? Watch to Find Out More. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty_ms9JUWmo 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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