Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Environment/Science NOAA celebrates new Arctic observatory near Utqiaġvik Alaska Native News by Theo Stein, NOAA Communications - September 10, 2022 For almost half a century, some of the most important observations of the changing Arctic climate were captured and analyzed in a cramped 960 square-foot temporary structure at the northernmost tip of the United States. https://alaska-native-news.com/noaa-celebrates-new-arctic-observatory-near-utqiagvik/63710/ Federal Register Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting A Notice by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 09/12/2022 The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Groundfish Subcommittee of the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and other scientists will hold an online meeting to review an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) acoustic and visual survey for nearshore groundfish. This methodology review will be coupled with a workshop to evaluate Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) hook-and-line surveys for groundfish species. Participants will recommend how data generated from these surveys may inform future groundfish stock assessments. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/09/12/2022-19652/pacific-fishery-management-council-public-meeting Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Whiting Utilization in the At-Sea Sectors A Proposed Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 09/13/2022 NMFS proposes regulatory amendments that would apply to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Trawl Rationalization Program participants that operate in the non-tribal Pacific whiting fishery. This rulemaking proposes to adjust the primary Pacific whiting season start date for all sectors of the Pacific whiting fishery from May 15 to May 1, remove from regulation the mothership catcher vessel (MSCV) processor obligation deadline of November 30, remove from regulation the Mothership (MS) processor cap of 45 percent, and provide the ability to operate as a Catcher/Processor (CP) and an MS in the same year. This action is necessary to provide MS sector participants with greater operational flexibility by modifying specific regulations that have been identified as potentially contributing to lower attainment of the Pacific whiting allocation compared to the CP and shoreside Pacific whiting sectors. This proposed rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan, and other applicable laws. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/09/13/2022-19150/magnuson-stevens-act-provisions-fisheries-off-west-coast-states-pacific-whiting-utilization-in-the Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 09/13/2022 NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch 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 ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/09/13/2022-19756/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-pacific-ocean-perch-in-the-western-regulatory FYI’s Training Alaska’s New Commercial Fishery Entrants: statewide strategy session Alaska Sea Grant September 30, 1:00 pm–5:00 pm AKDT - Free This is a hybrid event, offered online and in-person. Alaska Sea Grant is continuing its project to understand the training needs of new entrants into commercial fisheries in Alaska. We are wrapping up the assessment portion of this project and are moving toward implementation, beginning with a strategy session among educators and training organizations serving new entrants. The strategy session will discuss the findings from our needs assessment and form strategies to meet these needs. https://alaskaseagrant.org/event/training-alaskas-new-commercial-fishery-entrants-statewide-strategy-session/ 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.