Thursday, July 8, 2021

Alaska Rapid erosion threatens Ekuk's unique set net fishery KDLG by Tyler Thompson - July 6, 2021 Ekuk operates differently than other set net beaches in the bay; fishers rely on trucks to carry their catch to the local processor. As fishing in the village evolved with technology and product demands, so has the coastline. Rapid erosion threatens structures and setnet sites across the beach. https://www.kdlg.org/post/rapid-erosion-threatens-ekuks-unique-set-net-fishery Bristol Bay Fisheries Report: July 5, 2021 KDLG by Stephanie Maltarich - July 5, 2021 OBI Seafoods releases statement on the death of Lance Norby, Capt. of F/V Pneuma On Thursday morning, rough waters on Nushagak Bay pushed the F/V Pneuma onto a sandbar and waves washed all three crew members overboard. https://www.kdlg.org/post/bristol-bay-fisheries-report-july-5-2021 *PSPA extends our sincere condolences to OBI and the family of the master. Bristol Bay blows past harvest records Alaska Journal of Commerce by Elizabeth Earl - July 7, 2021 Bristol Bay fishermen are on track to blow past the preseason forecast for sockeye salmon yet again. https://www.alaskajournal.com/2021-07-07/bristol-bay-blows-past-harvest-records International Russian Western Bering Sea Pollock Nets MSC Certification Urner Barry by Ryan Doyle - July 8, 2021 The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) announced that the Pollock Catchers Association (PCA) has achieved certification for the Russian Western Bering Sea Pollock fishery. The certification follows nine months of independent certification by Lloyd’s Register for compliance with the MSC Fisheries Standard. The assessment focused on the mid-water trawl pollock fishery in the Navarinsky area of the Bering Sea (West Bering Sea zone east of the 174th meridian) on the stock status of the target species, the environmental impacts, and the effectiveness of the fisheries management system, the MSC wrote. Alexey Buglak, president of Pollock Catchers Association said: “We are proud to obtain MSC certification for our second largest pollock fishery. Successful certification was preceded by intensive improvement work by PCA. This included targeted scientific surveys to estimate the mid-water trawl fishery’s impact on marine mammals and birds, and enhancement of the observer program’s collection of pollock and non-target bycatch data. It is important for this work to continue and as part of this the PCA have developed an action plan to meet the conditions prescribed by the certification”. The PCA was created in 2006 and is one of the biggest associations in the Russian fishing industry. It comprises of 32 companies that employ more than 12,000 people and operate 100 fishing and processing vessels. The group catches 1.8 million tonnes of fish and seafood each year. In large, PCA members fish for pollock in the Far Eastern seas. Companies in the Association account for 75% of the pollock catch in Russia and 40% of the catch for the entire world. In the past, the PCA has reached MSC certification for the mid-water trawl pollock fishery in its key region – the Sea of Okhotsk in 2013 and in 2018 the fishery was recertified. In March 2021, the scope was also extended to include the certification of East Sakhalin pollock. The latest certification will add 300,000 MT of MSC-certified pollock to the PCA total, which, together with Sea of Okhotsk, now adds up to 1,200,000 MT of MSC-eligible pollock overall. The certified fisheries account for over 65% of all Russian Pollock catch. In 2010 and later in 2018, the PCA commissioned MSC pre-assessments of its Western Bering Sea pollock fisheries. It initiated a Fishery Improvement Plan based on that between 2018 and 2020 allowing the PCA to improve fishing ops in prep for a full assessment. Rupert Howes, Chief Executive of the Marine Stewardship Council said: ‘We congratulate the PCA with this milestone. The Western Bering Sea Pollock fishery has been working towards MSC certification for many years. As part of this it has delivered necessary improvements to demonstrate compliance with the MSC Fisheries Standard. Its improvement journey will no doubt continue as part of the MSC program.” Stuart Caborn, Chief Procurement Officer, Nomad Foods said: “As the world’s largest buyer of certified Alaska pollock, we have a key role to play in ensuring the health of fish stocks and ocean habitats. We welcome the MSC certification of the West Bering Sea Alaska Pollock Fishery as another important step in ensuring more fisheries around the world, improve their practices so we can provide consumers with more sustainably sourced fish products.” https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1202955/Russian-Western-Bering-Sea-Pollock-Nets-MSC-Certification FYI’s New Tribal Research Coordinator for the Alaska Fisheries Science Center The Science Center is taking steps to improve communications and advance research collaborations and co-production opportunities with Alaska Indigenous communities. NOAA Fisheries - July 7, 2021 NOAA Fisheries is pleased to announce that we have hired a new Tribal Research Coordinator. Mabel Baldwin-Schaeffer joins the Alaska Fisheries Science Center’s Communications Program and will be based in Anchorage, AK. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/new-tribal-research-coordinator-alaska-fisheries-science-center

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.