Alaska/Pacific Coast
Restrictions To Conserve King Salmon Take Effect On Kuskokwim KYUK by Anna Rose MacArthur - May 28, 2019 Federally qualified subsistence users can fish the lower Kuskokwim River with six-inch mesh gillnets until Saturday, June 1. On that date, federal managers will take control of the Kuskokwim from the river mouth, upstream to the Yukon National Wildlife Refuge boundary at Aniak, closing this area of the main-stem to gillnets, except during pre-announced fishing openings. https://www.kyuk.org/post/restrictions-conserve-king-salmon-take-effect-kuskokwim East Coast Fishery Fishermen face another quota cut, could hit lobster prices Associated Press by Patrick Whittle - May 25, 2019 PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Fishermen already dealing with a dramatic reduction in the amount of a key bait fish they are allowed to harvest will likely face an additional cut next year that could drive up the price of lobster for consumers. https://www.sfgate.com/news/us/article/Fishermen-face-another-quota-cut-could-hit-13896448.php International Russia Facing Drop in Domestic Pollock Consumption in Near Future SeafoodNews.com by Eugene Gerden - May 29, 2019 Russia may be faced with a significant drop in the domestic consumption of pollock within the next several years, according to recent statements of some senior state officials from the Russian Ministry of Agriculture and independent experts in the field of fishing. The forecast decrease is primarily due to the ever-growing prices for it in the local market. In recent years, prices for pollock in Russia have significantly increased and currently continue to grow, despite the country being one of the world’s leading producer of this fish. During the Soviet times, the annual pollock consumption in the USSR varied in the range of about 800,000-1 million tonnes annually. And that was due to the low prices for it in the local market. At present, the consumption of pollock in Russia does not exceed 180,000 tonnes and, according to some analysts’ predictions, these figures will continue to decline in years to come due, in part, to the high domestic prices. At present the wholesale price for pollock fillets in Russia start from RUB 200 ($3.17 USD) per kg, while for premium filets it is up to RUB 700 ($10.73 USD) per kg, which is a high figure for Russia. Currently the volume of supplies to the domestic market remains small, as up to 80% of the annual 1.6 million pollock catch in Russia is still exported out of the country The local government is still unable to convince leading domestic pollock producers to re-direct at least part of their supplies to domestic consumers, as foreign supplies still continue to remain more profitable for fishing companies than the supplies to the local market. In the meantime, the situation is also complicated by the lack of freezing capacities for storage as well as refrigerated rail wagons for transportation of frozen pollock from the Far East to the European part of the country. Finally, for the majority of Russians, pollock is still associated with the Soviet times; it has never been on the list of the most popular fish species for the local population. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1142866/Russia-Facing-Drop-in-Domestic-Pollock-Consumption-in-Near-Future Environment/Science Fishing fleets have doubled since 1950—but they’re having a harder time catching fish Science Magazine by Erik Stokstad - May 27, 2019 The number of boats harvesting seafood has increased significantly since the middle of the previous century, a new global analysis finds, and is much higher than some scientists assumed. Meanwhile, ships’ motors are getting larger, expanding their range and ability to bring more fish to port. But as competition increases, fish stocks are being taxed and it is taking more effort to find fish, the researchers warn. The trend is likely to continue, they say, and highlights the need to improve fisheries management in many places. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/05/fishing-fleets-have-doubled-1950-theyre-having-harder-time-catching-fish Federal Register Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Exchange of Flatfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 05/28/2019 NMFS is exchanging unused yellowfin sole Community Development Quota (CDQ) for rock sole CDQ acceptable biological catch (ABC) reserves in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. This action is necessary to allow the 2019 total allowable catch of rock sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area to be harvested. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/05/28/2019-11011/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-exchange-of-flatfish-in-the-bering-sea-and FYI’s Author shares Alaska's salmon stories and ways of life Bristol Bay Times by Mary Catherine Martin - May 24, 2019 Book weaves profiles of salmon people, Gulick's evolution as a salmon lover and stories of her journeys http://www.thebristolbaytimes.com/article/1921author_shares_alaskas_salmon_stories_and_ways New oyster business hits the water Cordova Times by Torie Baker - May 25, 2019 Seawan Gelhbach and Andy Craig took receipt on May 11 of 100,000 Pacific oyster spat to populate their new farm located in Simpson Bay. Operating as Simpson Bay Oyster Co., the site is the newest local maricultural venture to join Jim Aguiar’s nearby Eagle Shellfish oyster operation. https://thecordovatimes.com/2019/05/25/new-oyster-business-hits-the-water/
Ann Owens Pacific Seafood Processors Association Office Manager 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.