Thursday, July 28, 2022

Alaska Alaska Commercial Salmon Harvests Exceeds 101M Fish National Fisherman - July 27, 2022 Commercial harvesters delivered some 101 million salmon to processors through Tuesday, July 26, in the 2022 Alaska fisheries, wrapping up a record harvest season. That includes nearly 59 million fish in the Bristol Bay area alone, led by the Nushagak District with over 22 million fish, the Egegik District exceeding 15 million fish, the Naknek-Kvichak District with over 14 million fish and the Ugashik District with nearly six million fish. https://fishermensnews.com/alaska-commercial-salmon-harvests-exceeds-101m-fish/ Robust Landings in Alaska's Prince William Sound on Pink and Sockeye Salmon SeafoodNews.com by Peggy Parker - July 26, 2022 The summer season for sockeye on the Copper River continues steady in the past few weeks, but most of the fleet of gillnet vessels and seine boats is now in Prince William Sound for sockeye and pink salmon. Prince William Sound, on the other side of Orca Inlet and west of Cordova, has had an uptick in landings that added up fast. Both sockeye and pink salmon came in strong to the Sound, resulting as of last Monday in a catch of 1.5 million sockeye and 22.7 million pink salmon. Those figures are 43% above YTD catch on sockeye and 143% above YTD catch on pink salmon. Christa Hoover has been visiting the processors each week this season to see what the fleets bringing in. She wants to get the word out to industry partners who help market the fish to consumers. Hoover is Executive Director of the Copper River Prince William Sound Marketing Association, and the person who makes sure promotions and marketing projects go as planned across the country. "The salmon being delivered to the processors in Cordova have been beautiful,” Hoover said yesterday. “I've been visiting the processors weekly and am impressed with the quality of the salmon our fleet is bringing in from Prince William Sound. The fish have been bright and appear larger than the past few years. The focus has been on Prince William Sound sockeye and keta [also known as chum salmon] this month, and as we move into August and September our fleet will target Coho, another great salmon for the domestic retail market.” The marketing association has partnered with Oregon-based Chef Andre Uribe to highlight the features of Copper River and Prince William Sound sockeyes. Uribe has seen the fishery first-hand and knows the product well. “It’s something that I take a lot of pride in — supporting these people that provide us with the highest quality, most sustainable salmon that you can possibly get. The way they do it is really unique because there’s just one or two people on a boat. They do everything by hand almost, which is fascinating and beautiful,” Uribe said. “People who are doing things the right way. I want to support people who do it right.” The group has also partnered with Pittsburgh Based Giant Eagle retailers who are “Showcasing It Fresh” in a seasonal promotion this summer. Fresh Prince William Sound sockeye are at Eagle’s seafood counters right now, Hoover noted. Giant Eagle will also be offering Copper River coho salmon (also known as silver salmon) to customers when it arrives in August and September. For further inspiration, Hoover encourages consumers to visit the CR/PWS maarketiing group’s website and Giant Eagle’s site for dozens of recipes featuring Prince William Sound and Copper River sockeye. To locate Prince William Sound salmon at Giant Eagle and retailers across the United States, go here. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1231199/Robust-Landings-in-Alaskas-Prince-William-Sound-on-Pink-and-Sockeye-Salmon West Coast USDA Set to Buy $52 Million of Pacific Northwest Seafood Products Urner Barry by Ryan Doyle - July 28, 2022 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved a $52 million purchase of Pacific Northwest seafood products. The purchase was announced by Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and they noted the move will support the state’s seafood industry which has been challenged by COVID-19 and climate change. According to the Senators’ office, the purchase will be focused on three seafood products, Pacific pink shrimp, Pacific hake (whiting) fillets and Pacific rockfish fillets. Lori Steele, the Executive Director of the West Coast Seafood Processors Association (WCSPA) broke down the purchase to SeafoodNews. - Pacific pink shrimp - $12 million - Pacific hake (whiting) fillets - $ 22 million - Pacific rockfish fillets - $18 million Steele noted that USDA-certified seafood companies in Alaska are eligible to compete for rockfish bids. “This is a significant increase from last year's "inaugural" USDA purchase worth $17 million - and very much-needed fantastic news for West Coast fishing communities,” Steele told SeafoodNews. “This announcement is a huge boost for our processors, our fishermen, our communities,” Steele said in a press release from Wyden’s office.. “We have been able to keep our doors open, our processing employees working, and nutritious, sustainable seafood flowing to the American public, thanks in part to the USDA’s purchases these last two years. We would like to thank our Senators, Congressmen and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack for their ongoing support. These purchases will continue to help supplement and stabilize our fishing and processing crews and their families through the rest of the year.” “Not only do our fisheries deliver incredible products all around the world, they have been the lifeblood of communities up and down Oregon’s coast for generations,” said Merkley, who led several Congressional pushes to ensure that the USDA included Pacific Northwest seafood processors in its important purchasing programs. “This announcement ensures Oregon’s coastal fishermen and seafood producers receive critical financial assistance needed to continue operating and providing services here in Oregon and beyond. I am elated the USDA has made the decision to extend their purchasing agreement—this is huge for Oregon’s coastal communities.” Purchases will be made under the authority of Section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935, which supports the fishing sector and encourages the continued domestic consumption of locally caught seafood by diverting it from the normal channels of trade and commerce and into domestic food assistance programs, per a press release. Last year, the USDA bought roughly $17 million worth of Pacific seafood products including pacific rockfish, pacific shrimp, and pacific whiting, as SeafoodNews covered. Bornstein Seafoods (WA), Dulcich, Inc. (OR) and Ocean Gold Seafoods (WA), earned contracts from the USDA. According to the purchase award description from the USDA, the Department bought 2,700 cases of pacific salad shrimp for $516,600 from Bornstein Seafoods. The USDA purchased a notable amount of product totaling 112,500 cases of seafood for $15,211,737.91. Ocean Gold sold 6,300 cases for $746,280. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1231289/USDA-Set-to-Buy-52-Million-of-Pacific-Northwest-Seafood-Products Environment/Science Stream restoration near Petersburg aims to improve fish habitat KFSK by Joe Vichnicki - July 26, 2022 Several streams south of Petersburg are getting some major restoration work this summer. The goal is to mimic natural processes to bring back topsoil and improve fish habitat. https://www.ktoo.org/2022/07/26/stream-restoration-near-petersburg-aims-to-improve-fish-habitat/ Federal Register North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting A Notice by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 07/28/2022 The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) will host the Seventh National Meeting of the Scientific Coordination Subcommittee of the Council Coordination Committee (SCS7). The meeting theme is “Adapting Fisheries Management to a Changing Ecosystem.” The agenda for the SCS7 is available at https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/2945. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/07/28/2022-16229/north-pacific-fishery-management-council-public-meeting FYI’s University of Alaska launches new marine policy graduate program The master’s degree is purpose built for this most-maritime of states. Juneau Empire by Michael S. Lockett - July 27, 2022 Alaska is a massively maritime state, from its fishing fleets to the volume of sea trade that passes through its vast, chilly expanse of ocean. https://www.juneauempire.com/news/university-of-alaska-launches-new-marine-policy-graduate-program/ 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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