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SeaShare donations are in demand at nations food banks and throughout AK:SeaShare’s seafood partners are working harder than ever to keep markets supplied, shelves filled, and families fed. Despite all the challenges, these same partners — fishermen, processors, distributors, and others — have donated over 7 million seafood servings to food banks across the country so far this year. Our collective response to the unprecedented need has been incredible. Together we are supplying the best protein to families who can really use a good meal.
Please consider donations to SeaShare as you finalize your end-of-year donation plans. Just $1 helps provide 8 servings of seafood to hungry neighbors nationwide. We at PSPA and SeaShare hope you have a safe and happy holiday season!
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Alaska
Alaska salmon forecast: It's complicated
National Fisherman by Laine Welch - December 8, 2020
A lack of fish in the freezers is an encouraging sign for Alaska salmon as we head into the new year, driven by increasing customer demand. But headwinds from trade disputes and the covid pandemic also loom large on the 2021 horizon.
https://www.nationalfisherman.com/alaska/alaska-salmon-forecast-it-s-complicated
National
Christmas Dungeness is on the Menu - But Crabbers Face Other Hurdles
SeafoodNews.com by Susan Chambers - December 9, 2020
Details in a blitz of state press releases late Tuesday and early Wednesday present more questions than state Dungeness crab fishery managers can answer. Yes, the Dungeness season will open in some areas. Further delays are in place in other areas. And some areas still require managers' approvals.
But as COVID-19 keeps some public places and restaurants closed or with limited seating, fishermen and processors are trying to create business plans or predict a future where very little is certain.
And now, storms are forecast for much of the West Coast.
Oregon to Open South of Cape Falcon
State fishery managers said Tuesday the crab season will open on Wednesday, Dec. 16, with a pre-soak gear-setting date of Sunday, Dec. 13, south of Cape Falcon on the northern Oregon coast.
The area north of Cape Falcon will remain closed to commercial crabbing to coordinate an orderly start with the Washington coastal Dungeness crab fishery, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife press release. Results from recent domoic acid testing of crab viscera conducted by the state of Washington were elevated, and Washington delayed its coastal fishery until further testing is conducted.
All crab tested from all Oregon’s crab harvest areas have been well below alert levels and all Oregon crab product on the market is safe to eat. The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) will continue to regularly test crab and shellfish to ensure levels in all areas remain below alert levels.
Washington Delays Ocean Season Due to Domoic Acid
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said Tuesday that Tri-State policy representatives all three West Coast states agreed to further delay the opening of the 2020-21 coastal commercial Dungeness crab fishery north of Cape Falcon, Ore., (45° 46’ N. Lat.) north to the US/Canada border through at least Dec. 31, 2020.
Razor clams in Washington have shown elevated levels of domoic acid, prompting Washington Department of Health testing in crab viscera. The testing showed areas off Long Beach have crab with levels above the federal domoic acid action level of 30 parts per million, according to the WDFW industry notice. A delay will allow WDFW to conduct more testing to see if domoic acid levels drop prior to announcing the opening of the commercial crab fishery. Samples near Grays Harbor showed crab with 41 and 44 ppm on Dec. 2; four samples off the Pacific County coast had a range of 30 to 36 ppm on Dec. 5.
WDFW follows a biotoxin monitoring plan overseen by the Department of Health. The monitoring plan requires two samples, seven to 10 days apart, where domoic acid is below 30 ppm with domoic acid levels trending downwards to proceed without requiring evisceration. WDFW is in the process of scheduling the next set of required samples. The full list of biotoxin results can be found at: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/commercial/crab/coastal/letters-notices#general-info .
Crabbers will be subject to a 30-day fair start provision after the area north of Cape Falcon opens and fishermen transiting a closed area to deliver crab into Washington ports must notify WDFW enforcement 24 hours prior to landing.
California Assessing Whale Presence This Week
California's early testing for biotoxins came back clear and meat quality tests in the northern area were positive. The only thing left? Whales. But they appear to be moving on.
The notice Tuesday from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said Director Charlton H. Bonham will conduct an assessment of marine life entanglement risk on Friday, Dec. 11, under the Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program. The California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group will meet Dec. 10 to review currently available data and CDFW Marine Region staff's preliminary assessment.
"The Director will consider the Working Group's recommendation, CDFW Marine Region staff’s final assessment, and all data made available to CDFW prior to making a final determination of marine life entanglement risk and applying a Management Action," the notice said.
However, the CDFW's preliminary recommendation is positive, suggesting opening the season and issuing only a fleet advisory. They note that whales appear to be migrating out of both the northern and central management areas, from the Oregon border to areas south of San Francisco. Whales that were seen south of Pigeon Point near the edges of deep-water canyons that are unlikely to see high levels of fishing effort.
"Foraging activity appears to primarily have shifted offshore and fewer whales were observed across Fishing Zones 1, 2,3 and 4 [northern and central California] compared to previous surveys," the preliminary recommendation said. These observations are consistent with published migration trends indicating whales are leaving California waters."
Furthermore, the preliminary assessment provided additional information about the timing of the director's decision.
"In the event of a December 16, 2020 statewide season opener, CDFW Marine staff
recommend the Director notify the fleet as early as possible to allow them to begin gear preparation and for processors/buyers to anticipate commercial landings shortly after the opening," according to the early assessment. For the northern management area, Fishing Zones 1 and 2, the pre-soak period will begin December 13th at 8:01 am and for the central management area, Fishing Zones 3, 4, 5 and 6, the pre-soak period will begin at December 15th at 6:01 am."
While it is still not final, crabbers and buyers are counting on a crab opening that will match Oregon.
Storms Add Uncertainty to Setting Gear
While fishermen and processors are loading pots onto vessels, Mother Nature is displaying her winter quirk in the form of winter storms.
National Weather Service meteorologists in Oregon today warned a number of frontal systems will begin passing through the Oregon coastal waters beginning Saturday, with additional fronts expected roughly every other day through next week. Gales and very steep seas are possible, but specific timing is difficult right now. Long-period swells in excess of 15 feet at 15 seconds may arrive to the Oregon coast on Sunday, Dec. 13, just as some crab fishermen will try to set gear. Hazardous bar conditions will likely be one result and the NWS urged fishermen to track the forecasts frequently.
https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1187043/Christmas-Dungeness-is-on-the-Menu-But-Crabbers-Face-Other-Hurdles
Federal Register
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Modifying Seasonal Allocations of Pollock and Pacific Cod for Trawl Catcher Vessels in the Central and Western Gulf of Alaska; Correction
A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/09/2020
NMFS is correcting a final rule that published in the Federal Register on June 25, 2020, implementing Amendment 109 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP) and a regulatory amendment to the regulations governing pollock fishing in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). The final rule's intent as to Pacific cod was to change the seasonal apportionments of Pacific cod for the trawl catcher vessel (CV) sector. However, in changing the seasonal apportionments, the final rule's regulatory text inadvertently affected the jig sector such that it became unclear if the new, overall seasonal apportionments apply to the jig sector. This correction is necessary to clarify seasonal apportionments of Pacific cod for the jig sector.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/12/09/2020-26954/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-modifying-seasonal-allocations-of-pollock-and
FYI’s
ASLC is accepting nominations for marine resources achievements
Cordova Times by Margaret Bauman - December 7, 2020
The Alaska SeaLife Center is accepting nominations through Jan. 15 for five categories in its Alaska Ocean Leadership Awards, which are to be presented in a virtual event in March 2021.
https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2020/12/07/aslc-is-accepting-nominations-for-marine-resources-achievements/
PFMC: Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Coho Workgroup to host online meeting January 5, 2021
Pacific Fishery Management Council - December 7, 2020
The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:
The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) Coho Workgroup will host an online meeting that is open to the public. The meeting will be held Tuesday, January 5, 2021 from 9 a.m., Pacific Standard Time, until 5 p.m., or until business for the day has been completed.
https://www.savingseafood.org/news/council-actions/pfmc-southern-oregon-northern-california-coast-coho-workgroup-to-host-online-meeting-january-5-2021/
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