Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Alaska This year’s salmon forecast includes 154.9M pinks, 51.9M sockeyes Cordova Times by Margaret Bauman -April 30, 2024 State fisheries biologists are forecasting a Copper River District run of 1.3 million sockeyes and 202,000 coho salmon this summer, with the sockeye forecast at 46% above the 10-year average of 893,000 fish.   https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2024/04/30/this-years-salmon-forecast-includes-154-9m-pinks-51-9m-sockeyes/ The federal government is assuming management of salmon fishing in parts of Alaska’s Cook Inlet To comply with court rulings, federal fisheries service is now in charge of salmon harvests in federal waters of the inlet, replacing decades-long state management Alaska Beacon by Yereth Rosen - April 30, 2024 Commercial and recreational salmon fishing in the federal waters of Cook Inlet will resume this summer, but under new management by the federal government, according to a rule made final this week. https://alaskabeacon.com/2024/04/30/the-federal-government-is-assuming-management-of-salmon-fishing-in-parts-of-alaskas-cook-inlet/ Market turmoil pushes Alaska pollock producers to shuffle product mix Surimi as well as deep-skinned production fell, as Alaska producers navigated challenging global markets. Intrafish by Rachel Sapin - April 29, 2024 The Alaska pollock "A" fishing season is ending with a tremendous uptick in the production of pin bone-out (PBO) pollock fillet blocks and a sizeable dip in surimi production. https://www.intrafish.com/whitefish/market-turmoil-pushes-alaska-pollock-producers-to-shuffle-product-mix/2-1-1634159 NOAA Fisheries Issues the Final Rule Implementing Federal Management of Salmon Fishing in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area Amendment 16 addresses court rulings requiring Federal management of salmon fishing in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act NOAA Fisheries - April 29, 2024 NOAA Fisheries announces it is implementing Federal management of commercial and recreational salmon fishing in the Cook Inlet Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The final rule, filed in the Federal Register today, is in response to federal court rulings requiring Federal management of salmon fishing in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area in accordance with the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and publication of a final rule for the management of the Cook Inlet EEZ Area by May 1, 2024. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/noaa-fisheries-issues-final-rule-implementing-federal-management-salmon-fishing-cook West Coast Conservation groups sue US government over Columbia River hatcheries Seafood Source by Nathan Strout - April 30, 2024 The Wild Fish Conservancy and The Conservation Angler have sued federal, state, and local officials over the management of salmon hatcheries in the lower Columbia River basin, mainly located in the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon, which the groups claim is harming wild salmon and steelhead stocks in the area. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/environment-sustainability/conservation-groups-sue-government-over-columbia-river-hatcheries Environment/Science Study Explores Combined Impacts of Ocean Warming and Acidification on Pacific Cod Laboratory experiments simulate future conditions to help predict the climate resilience of a valuable Alaska fish. NOAA Fisheries - April 29, 2024 As the climate changes, the ocean is simultaneously warming and acidifying. Both have been shown to adversely affect the vulnerable early life stages of Pacific cod. But until now, the interplay of these two environmental stressors was unknown. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/study-explores-combined-impacts-ocean-warming-and-acidification-pacific-cod Labeling and Marketing Seafood Economics Contributes $6B to Alaska’s Economy: ASMI Report Fishermen's News - May 1, 2024 The seafood industry plays a critical role in the state’s economy, employing over 48,000 workers annually and contributing $6 billion to the state’s economy, according to a new report from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. https://fishermensnews.com/seafood-economics-contributes-6b-to-alaskas-economy-asmi-report/ Federal Register North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting A Notice by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 04/30/2024 The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee meeting will be held on May 17, 2024. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/30/2024-09291/north-pacific-fishery-management-council-public-meeting Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Cook Inlet Salmon; Public Outreach Meetings A Notice by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 04/30/2024 NMFS will hold two in person public meetings and one webinar regarding Amendment 16 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Salmon Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Off Alaska (Salmon FMP). Amendment 16 establishes Federal management for the salmon fishery in the Federal ( i.e., EEZ) waters of upper Cook Inlet. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/30/2024-09298/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-cook-inlet-salmon-public-outreach-meetings Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; 2024 Harvest Specifications for Pacific Whiting, and 2024 Pacific Whiting Tribal Allocation A Proposed Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 04/30/2024 NMFS issues this proposed rule for the 2024 Pacific whiting fishery under the authority of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Pacific Whiting Act of 2006 (Whiting Act), and other applicable laws. This proposed rule would establish the domestic 2024 harvest specifications for Pacific whiting including the 2024 tribal allocation for the Pacific whiting fishery, the non-tribal sector allocations, and set-asides for incidental mortality in research activities and non-groundfish fisheries. The proposed measures are intended to help prevent overfishing, achieve optimum yield, ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available, and provide for the implementation of tribal treaty fishing rights. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/30/2024-09220/magnuson-stevens-act-provisions-fisheries-off-west-coast-states-pacific-coast-groundfish-fishery Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Cook Inlet Salmon; Amendment 16 A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 04/30/2024 NMFS issues this final rule to implement amendment 16 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Salmon Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Off Alaska (Salmon FMP). Amendment 16 and this final rule establish Federal fishery management for all salmon fishing that occurs in the Cook Inlet EEZ, which includes commercial drift gillnet and recreational salmon fishery sectors. This action is necessary to comply with rulings from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska, and to ensure the Salmon FMP is consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). This final rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Salmon FMP, and other applicable laws. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/30/2024-08664/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-cook-inlet-salmon-amendment-16 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Trawl Sablefish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 05/01/2024 NMFS is opening directed fishing for sablefish by vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea subarea and the Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully use the 2024 sablefish total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea subarea and the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/05/01/2024-09350/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-trawl-sablefish-in-the-bering-sea-and-aleutian

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