Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Alaska New survey data points to a higher Alaska pollock quota next year Though the 2023 quota won't be officially set until next month, the early stages of the quota-setting process indicate a higher catch could be allowed. Intrafish by John Fiorillo, Rachel Sapin and Drew Cherry - November 14, 2022 US harvesters could have more Alaska pollock to catch in the Bering Sea next year based on newly released data. A report presented Nov. 10 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council planning team recommended an acceptable biological catch (ABC) of Bering Sea pollock of 1.688 million metric tons, a nearly 52 percent increase from the 1.1-million-metric-ton ABC recommended for the 2022 harvest. https://www.intrafish.com/whitefish/new-survey-data-points-to-a-higher-alaska-pollock-quota-next-year/2-1-1327066 * Requires Subscription West Coast Fishermen, Processors Gear Up for Dungeness Crab Season; Testing Continues SeafoodNews.com by Susan Chambers - November 14, 2022 While fishermen are painting buoys, cleaning pots and getting them ready for crab season, processors are clearing out inventory and getting ready for fresh crab to hit the docks. But they may all be in for a wait. The Central California crab season, scheduled to start on Nov. 15, already has been delayed until at least Dec. 1 due to risk of entanglement with whales that haven't left the feeding grounds yet. All three West Coast states are proceeding with quality and toxin testing with a target start date of Dec. 1, but early results are concerning. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife preformed an optional October meat recovery test and the early results showed much room for improvement. Meat recovery from Long Beach and Westport locations were between 14 and 15 percent, and more than 90 percent of the samples had shell grades that weren't marketable. Domoic acid testing started last week. In Oregon, crab meat recovery and domoic acid testing also is just getting started. The first loads were picked last week with results expected early this week. However, domoic acid has been detected in razor clams in Northern California, Oregon and Washington. State agencies use razor clams or mussels as proxies for testing in crab. Some fishermen and fishery managers are eager to see where the numbers fall. Clams can hold the toxin longer than crab, so even if domoic is detected in crab, they may flush it more quickly than razor clams. "Were cautiously optimistic for a successful season, but it's still early," Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission Communications Director Tim Novotny said. "Preseason testing first round is wrapping and we're now awaiting domoic testing results and a Tri-State discussion on the full slate of results." California's early results of domoic testing showed samples from September, October or early November had no levels of domoic sufficient to warrant action. However, given the razor clam levels, the California Department of Public Health requested additional sampling and testing at Eureka test sites in Humboldt County. While Central California buyers will miss the Thanksgiving rush for crab, especially in San Francisco, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said it will conduct another whale entanglement risk assessment on or before Nov. 23, to determine whether to further delay the commercial seasons in Central and Southern California and whether to open the season on Dec. 1 in Northern California. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1239552/Fishermen-Processors-Gear-Up-for-Dungeness-Crab-Season-Testing-Continues Labeling and Marketing 3MMI - Another Bad Year for Puget Sound Chum Salmon TradexFoods - November 14, 2022 It’s looking like another bad year for the Puget Sound Chum Salmon fishery in Washington state as Wild Pacific Salmon stocks from British Columbia Canada and downwards continue struggling to make a comeback. Preseason run size forecasts are low, 2021 harvest were low - HOWEVER, market conditions for Chum Salmon right now feel a little bit different than the past few years. Find Out More. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqF9pvY_5-s Federal Register Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 11/15/2022 NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from catcher vessels using trawl gear and vessels using pot gear to catcher vessels using hook-and-line gear and catcher/processors using hook-and-line gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to allow the 2022 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod to be harvested. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/11/15/2022-24809/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-reallocation-of-pacific-cod-in-the-western Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Catcher/Processors Using Hook-and-Line Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 11/15/2022 NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher/processors using hook-and-line (HAL) gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2022 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) apportioned to catcher/processors using HAL gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/11/15/2022-24848/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-pacific-cod-by-catcherprocessors-using 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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