PSPA Positions
PSPA State and Federal Policy Positions to Improve Competitiveness and Resilience of the Alaska Seafood Sector
March 6, 2024
The Alaska seafood industry is facing economic conditions unlike any since the collapse of salmon value in the 1990s, except this time, it is across multiple species. Experts estimate Alaska and its coastal communities lost $2 billion in 2023: $1 billion in lost first wholesale revenues and $1 billion in decreased spending on vessels and facilities. Today’s problems are a result of the confluence of multiple global and national economic factors occurring simultaneously, which are outlined in this attachment...
2023: A perfect storm of economic circumstances hits Alaska seafood
December 22, 2023
Many coastal communities in Alaska depend on Alaska seafood for food security and for an economic foundation that sustains their economies. Often, the health of the Alaska seafood industry and the health of these communities are interdependent. In 2023, the culmination of multiple economic factors has created dire economic conditions, resulting in a free-fall of seafood prices, millions of dollars in losses and, in some cases, processors had to stop buying fish to reduce further losses...
PSPA Position to Improve Global Competitiveness and Resilience of the Alaska Seafood Industry
October 20, 2023
Alaska seafood currently faces exceptional national and international challenges including trade policy and non-reciprocal tariffs that favor other nations, high global supply and existing unsold inventory for salmon and whitefish throughout the entire supply chain, high relative costs due to inflation and other factors, reduced consumer demand post-pandemic, and foreign seafood competitors that are less regulated, less sustainable, and have lower operating costs than domestic seafood producers...
PSPA statement in response to court decision on Southeast troll fishery
May 8, 2023
On May 2, 2023, a U.S. District Court judge ruled to vacate the Incidental Take Statement that governs the Southeast Alaska Chinook troll fisheries, effectively closing those fisheries and harming Southeast communities, fishermen, and processors who have been sustainably prosecuting these fisheries for decades. The lawsuit, brought by Wild Fish Conservancy, is premised on providing more salmon for the endangered Southern Resident killer whales which reside in Puget Sound, WA....
June 27, 2022
Pacific Seafood Processors Association members support the EPA’s updated proposed action to effectively veto development of the Pebble Limited Partnership's (PLP) 2020 Mine Plan...
PSPA letter to the EPA regarding the Pebble Project FEIS
August 10, 2020
The Pacific Seafood Processors Association (PSPA) finds that initiating steps toward a veto of the Pebble Project under CWA Section 404(c) is warranted, unless and until a robust NEPA process is completed...
PSPA et al comment letter on the Pebble Project DEIS
June 28, 2019
The Pacific Seafood Processors Association (PSPA), Icicle Seafoods Inc. (“Icicle Seafoods”), Ocean Beauty Seafoods LLC (“Ocean Beauty Seafoods”), and Silver Bay Seafoods LLC (“Silver Bay Seafoods”) request that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“Corps”) make considerable revisions...
PSPA letter on Pebble DEIS Comment Extension
March 5, 2019
The Pacific Seafood Processors Association (PSPA) requests that the review and comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Pebble Project be extended to at least 180 days....
Comments for the Pebble Project EIS Scoping Process
June 29, 2018
As the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) carries out its scoping phase for the Pebble Project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process, the Pacific Seafood Processors Association (PSPA) has serious concerns with this process and, should the project proceed, has identified several impacts that we believe must be thoroughly analyzed and documented in a formal EIS process...
Position on the Pebble Mine Project
Updated March 2018
The Pacific Seafood Processors Association (PSPA) represents seafood processing companies operating throughout coastal Alaska. These companies have invested millions of dollars in seafood facilities in Alaska and annually provide markets to thousands of fishermen and jobs to thousands of processing workers. They generate significant economic benefits to communities and the state and supply high quality seafood products to consumers around the world. A number of our member companies have large salmon processing operations in Bristol Bay, some of which have been in operation for 100 years...