Thursday, January 20, 2022

Alaska Pollock season on the horizon for Kodiak’s trawler fleet KMXT by Kirsten Dobroth - January 19, 2022 Kodiak’s pollock fishery opens to trawlers Thursday, Jan. 20; although, the 45 or so vessels from Kodiak’s fleet won’t be heading out until February 4. That’s to limit bycatch and hold out for better fishing conditions, according to Julie Bonnie, the executive director of the Groundfish Data Bank – and there’s another reason. https://kmxt.org/2022/01/pollock-season-on-the-horizon-for-kodiaks-trawler-fleet/ The state has set a record harvest for Sitka herring, but a weak market will keep many of those fish in the water KCAW by Robert Woolsey - January 19, 2022 The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced on Jan. 14 the largest-ever harvest guideline for the Sitka sac roe herring fishery this spring — over 45,000 tons. But it’s unlikely that the market can accommodate that many fish. https://www.ktoo.org/2022/01/19/record-harvest-guideline-for-sitka-herring/ New owner to take over Unalaska fish processing plant KUCB by Hope McKenney - January 14, 2022 An Unalaska fish processing plant will soon have a new owner, according to a city memo. https://www.kucb.org/industry/2022-01-14/new-owner-to-take-over-unalaska-fish-processing-plant Bycatch Review Task Force formed Cordova Times - January 14, 2022 A bycatch review panel, chaired by a veteran fisherman who serves on both Alaska and federal fishery management entities, has been tasked with helping the state better understand the reasons behind why there is so much unintended incidental catch of untargeted species. https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2022/01/14/bycatch-review-task-force-formed/ West Coast USDA Awards Oregon Group a Grant Related to Keeping Seafood Local SeafoodNews.com by Susan Chambers - January 20, 2022 There's "local" and then there's "local." Or, "hyper local." Local can be a region, like the West Coast or as small as an individual city, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture has identified the Oregon Coast as local for a new grant. The USDA awarded The Oregon Coast Visitors Association $735,200 for a grant entitled, "Capturing Value by Keeping Local Seafood Local." This effort will expand the regional distribution network of smaller seafood and aquaculture producers on the Oregon Coast whose operating budgets are under $1 million annually, the association said in a press release. The USDA grant review committee said the grant makes a compelling argument to capitalize on tourism for local seafood sales because visitors to the Oregon Coast spend almost $800 million annually on food stores and food services. That figure is based on the pre-COVID pandemic 2018 Visitor Impacts report produced by Dean Runyan and Associates Oregon Coast visitors spend $792.9 million a year on food-related purchases, contributing tremendous amounts of new money to the state's local economy each year, the association said in the statement. “Oregon’s fisheries are the lifeblood of our coastal and tourism economies—supporting jobs that families rely on, and supplying communities across our state and around the world with exceptional products and experiences,” Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said in the release. “As we continue to recover from the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must ensure that this crucial industry receives the support it needs to survive and provide for Oregonians and consumers around the country. "I’m thrilled the USDA has recognized the important work the Oregon Coast Visitors Association Inc. does for both Oregon’s fishing and aquaculture industry, as well as our great state’s tourism industry. The grant OCVA has received will support its important work, helping to establish and strengthen the much-needed infrastructure for our fisheries to efficiently operate and thrive, and help our tourism industry bounce back stronger than ever.” The review committee also said the project is already well poised for partners who share a current vision for what is needed to improve local seafood sales, affecting fishermen, processors, wholesalers and retailers. “If visitor spending and related economic development doesn’t support our residents and create resilient food systems even under distressing economic conditions, then what is the point of it?” OCVA Executive Director Marcus Hinz said. Anyone interested in the project can visit OregonCoastFoodVision.com to learn more and seek out potential connections and alignment with this effort. In the next few years, OCVA intends to raise $15 Million in additional investments to support this hyper-local seafood infrastructure project. This will support the smallest of family fishermen, processors and distributors to ensure enough seafood landed in Oregon stays in Oregon to supply schools, hospitals, food stores and, of course, Oregon Coast restaurants, the Association said. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1216965/USDA-Awards-Oregon-Group-a-Grant-Related-to-Keeping-Seafood-Local Federal Register Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical Area 610 in the Gulf of Alaska A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/20/2022 NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2022 total allowable catch of pollock for Statistical Area 610 in the GOA. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/01/20/2022-01070/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-pollock-in-statistical-area-610-in-the-gulf-of Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Catcher/Processors Using Trawl Gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/20/2022 NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by American Fisheries Act (AFA) trawl catcher/processors 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 AFA trawl catcher/processors in the BSAI. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/01/20/2022-00984/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-pacific-cod-by-catcherprocessors-using-trawl 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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