Alaska/Pacific Coast
Bill would offer education for young fishermen Cordova Times - February 23, 2019 Legislation that would authorize up to $200,000 in competitive grants through NOAA’s Sea Grant Program to support new and established education, outreach and technical assistance initiatives for young fishermen has been introduced in the U.S. House. https://thecordovatimes.com/2019/02/23/bill-would-offer-education-for-young-fishermen/ Politics Dunleavy quietly nixes Alaska climate change strategy KTVA by Jes Stugelmayer - February 23, 2019 With little fanfare, Alaska's governor reversed seven previous administrative orders, including one that established a state climate change strategy and task force. https://www.ktva.com/story/40015570/dunleavy-quietly-nixes-alaska-climate-change-strategy International Russia Proposes Breaching Lake to Increase Sockeye Production in Kamchatka Region SeafoodNews.com by Eugene Gerden - February 25, 2019 The Russian government is considering implementing an ambitious project for the creation of a commercial stock of red salmon on Kronotsky Lake, one of Russia’s largest natural salmon habitats in Kamchatka, according to recent statements local authorities and producers. According to Russian scientists, at present red salmon live in Kronotsky Lake without reaching market weight; however, part of the state plans include creating a commercial salmon stock on the basis of Kronotsky population by the building a fish passage that will connect the lake with the Pacific Ocean. Such a project was already discussed in the USSR between 1950-1970 but did not receive support from the Soviet government at that time. According to the recent conclusion of specialists of the Kamchatka Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (KamchatNIRO), one of Russia’s leading research institutions in the field of fishing, the creation of a commercial stock of migratory salmon based on Kronotsky Lake stock “would be a major step towards the growth of Pacific salmon reserves in Russia,” authorities said. KamchatNIRO analysts assessed the projected annual fish recovery at 20,000 tonnes (at a fishing intensity of 50%), that will provide a gross catch value of roughly $50 million USD. According to some Russian media reports, Russian fishing tycoon and head of the Russian Fishing Company (RRPK), Gleb Frank is likely the lead initiator for the project. Russian analysts believe RRPK’s participation in the project could be strategically important for it as its successful implementation could make the company one of the world’s leading multi-diversified fish holdings, considering that RRPK already holds pollock and herring quotas and has recently expanded into the crab industry in Russia. At the same time, other people who stand to benefit from the project include a senator from the Kamchatka Territory, Boris Nevzorov, whose family is the main owner of the Ustkamchatryba fishing company, one of the leading fish producers in the Kamchatka; and German Zverev, head of the Russian Pollock Association, who estimates the revenue from the project at about $120 million USD, even without taking into account the increase in the salmon population. In the meantime, the plans for the implementation of the project have already been criticized by Russian environmentalists. They say the location of the Kronotsky Lake in the center of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve and its planned connection with the Pacific Ocean may lead to an “ecological catastrophe” in the region and will result in not only red salmon, but also other species of Pacific salmon and chars moving into the lake. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1133096/Russia-Proposes-Breaching-Lake-to-Increase-Sockeye-Production-in-Kamchatka-Region Labeling and Marketing 3MMI - Sea Star Die-off Hurts Commercial Fisheries TradexFoods - February 25, 2019 Diminishing sea star stocks over the last 5 years have caused a ripple effect through other species, ultimately hurting commercial fisheries. In 2013 scientists began noticing depleting stocks of sea stars along the West coast of Alaska down to Mexico. It has been coined as one of the largest die-offs of a species in modern history as abundance dropped as much as 96 to 100 percent in some areas... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSGYxUlMX6M FYI’s Unalaska donates $10,000 to local Coast Guard Bristol Bay Times by Jim Paulin - February 22, 2019 The city council's donation of $10,000 in solidarity with the Coast Guard last week brings Unalaska/Dutch Harbor's total to $28,000 including donations from the fishing and marine cargo industry, nonprofit and Native organizations. http://www.thebristolbaytimes.com/article/1908unalaska_donates_10000_to_local_coast_guard
Ann Owens Pacific Seafood Processors Association Office Manager 1900 W Emerson Place Suite 205, Seattle, WA 98119 Phone: 206.281.1667 E-mail: pspafish@gmail.com; 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.