Thursday, September 1, 2022

Alaska U.S. At-sea Processors Association fleet wins global labor certification National Fisherman by Cliff White - August 29, 2022 A fleet of American fishing vessels has become the second ever to earn the Fairness, Integrity, Safety, and Health (FISH) Standard for Crew certification, a move deemed to be a major advance for the recognition of the importance of labor standards in the seafood industry. https://www.nationalfisherman.com/seafoodsource/u-s-at-sea-processors-association-fleet-wins-global-labor-certification Bycatch task force works toward recommendations Alaska Journal of Commerce by Elizabeth Earl - August 25, 2022 The state’s task force focused on reducing and managing bycatch in commercial fisheries is working toward a set of recommendations this fall. https://www.alaskajournal.com/2022-08-24/bycatch-task-force-works-toward-recommendations International Sen. Sullivan announces legislation targeting illegal foreign fishing off coast of Alaska KMXT by Kirsten Dobroth - August 30, 2022 U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan is introducing legislation that goes after illegal Chinese fishing operations in federal waters off the coast of Alaska. Sullivan announced the Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvest Act — also known as the FISH Act — on a visit to Kodiak last week. https://alaskapublic.org/2022/08/30/sen-sullivan-announces-legislation-targeting-illegal-foreign-fishing-off-coast-of-alaska/ Environment/Science New climate change study on Arctic warming outlines future uncertainties for Alaskan fisheries KMXT by Kirsten Dobroth - August 30, 2022 A report published earlier this month in the journal Communications Earth & Environment outlines that the Arctic – including parts of Alaska – is warming four times faster than the rest of the world due to climate change. Researchers had previously believed the Arctic was warming twice as fast as other parts of the globe. Mike Litzow is the Director of the Kodiak Lab for NOAA Fisheries. He spoke to KMXT’s Kirsten Dobroth about how that could – and may already be having – an effect on coastal communities and Alaskan fisheries. https://kmxt.org/2022/08/new-climate-change-study-on-arctic-warming-outlines-future-uncertainties-for-alaskan-fisheries/ Federal Register Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Catcher Vessels Using Hook-and-Line Gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 08/31/2022 NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using hook-and-line (HAL) gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2022 total allowable catch of Pacific cod by catcher vessels using HAL gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/08/31/2022-18825/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-pacific-cod-by-catcher-vessels-using Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Trawl Catcher Vessels in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 08/31/2022 NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2022 Pacific cod total allowable catch apportioned to trawl catcher vessels in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/08/31/2022-18826/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-pacific-cod-by-trawl-catcher-vessels-in-the FYI’s Nominations open for Salmon Bycatch Committee North Pacific Fishery Management Council - August 2022 The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is seeking nominations for a new Salmon Bycatch Committee. This committee is focused upon issues that affect the Council’s management of salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. Agency experts and Council staff will support the committee. The Council would like broad and balanced representation from in-river users of chum and Chinook salmon such as Tribal representatives, subsistence fishermen and local community members from western Alaskan regions (e.g., Yukon, Kuskokwim, and Norton Sound/Bering Strait) as well as the Bering Sea pollock fishing industry and impacted CDQ groups and communities. The committee’s role will be to address the Council’s request for feedback on the following: https://www.npfmc.org/nominations-open-for-salmon-bycatch-committee/ 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.