Alaska/Pacific Coast
2017 Report on Chinook Bycatch in Bering Sea Show Most Come From BC and Western AK Rivers SeafoodNews.com by Peggy Parker - June 11, 2019 The results of the 2017 sampling of Chinook bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock trawl fishery showed that in 2017 36 percent of the Chinook originated in British Columbia and 24 percent came from Coastal Western Alaska river systems. Smaller percentages came from the US West Coast (19%) and from the North Alaska Peninsula (15%) regions. Comparisons to 2011 sampling and previous years studied revealed that in 2017 most of the Chinook salmon bycatch occurred during the “A” season. Stock compositions from the 2017 “A” season Chinook salmon bycatch showed for the first time that the samples originated almost equally from river systems directly flowing into the Bering Sea and from southern regions. For the first time, the Coastal Western Alaska region was not the largest contributor in the 2017 “A” season, with most Chinook originating instead from British Columbia. The 2017 “B” season stock composition estimates from Coastal Western Alaska continued to drop as observed across 2011-2017. Those estimates continued a pattern of increased contributions from British Columbia, West Coast US, and Coastal Southeast Alaska regions. “The estimated relative contributions from these more southern regions have increased from a low of 20% in 2011 to a high of 86% in 2017,” noted the report. This year’s Chinook bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock industry has been higher by about double that of last year’s bycatch. As of June 6, 2019, a total of 15,738 Chinook salmon have been caught as bycatch in the AFA and CDQ pollock trawl fisheries, compared to 8,538 Chinook caught by that time in 2018. Similarly, non-chinook salmon bycatch for those fisheries is now at 1,410 salmon compared to 458 fish during the same period in 2018. The allocation for Chinook bycatch in AFA and CDQ pollock trawl fisheries for 2019 is 45,003 Chinook. So far, the 15,738 represents 35% of that. Last year, the total allcoation was 60,000 Chinook and by the endof the calendar year, only 23% of that cap, or 13,729 Chinook had been caught as bycatch. At the ten-day long North Pacific Fisheries Management Council meeting, the first group to weigh in on the recent report about 2017 Chinook bycatch composition was the Science and Statistical Committee (SSC), who supported “additional analyses to evaluate whether the current management structure is effective in reducing bycatch of Western Alaska Chinook stocks.” The SSC also recommended updating the age-length key for Chinook salmon “to improve Adult Equivalency (AEQ) models for BSAI Chinook salmon, and the development of an AEQ model for Chinook salmon in the GOA.” That will help identify future impacts in other regions from the bycatch in the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska The Council then identified priorities and future steps to: • Process the back log of more recent Chinook salmon scales (from the BSAI and GOA) in order to update the age-length key used in the BSAI Chinook salmon AEQ model and to develop a necessary age-length key for the GOA. • Task the salmon bycatch workgroup to: 1. Examine the available salmon bycatch dataset to identify and help prioritize potential future research possibilities. Explore the addition of syntheses to the now extensive datasets on salmon bycatch to examine how all these pieces of information can be used to inform future management actions. 2. Explore the options for collaboration among salmon genetic laboratories to continue development of coastwide genetic baselines for chum and Chinook salmon. 3. Identify the existing data gaps in defining comprehensive stock composition in the GOA. This year’s Chinook bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock industry has been higher by about double that of last year’s bycatch. As of June 6, 2019, a total of 15,738 Chinook salmon have been caught as bycatch in the AFA and CDQ pollock trawl fisheries, compared to 8,538 Chinook caught by that time in 2018. Similarly, non-chinook salmon bycatch for those fisheries is now at 1,410 salmon compared to 458 fish during the same period in 2018. The allocation for Chinook bycatch in AFA and CDQ pollock trawl fisheries for 2019 is 45,003 Chinook. So far, the 15,738 represents 35% of that. Last year, the total allcoation was 60,000 Chinook and by the endof the calendar year, only 23% of that cap, or 13,729 Chinook had been caught as bycatch. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1144160/2017-Report-on-Chinook-Bycatch-in-Bering-Sea-Show-Most-Come-From-BC-and-Western-AK-Rivers National Bioengineered salmon won't come from US's biggest farm state Phys.org by Patrick Whittle - June 10, 2019 Genetically engineered salmon is heading to store shelves in the U.S., but it won't be coming from the biggest salmon farming state in the country. https://phys.org/news/2019-06-bioengineered-salmon-wont-biggest-farm.html International Trump calls off proposed tariffs on Mexico, turns threats to China Seafood Source by Cliff White - June 11, 2019 U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday, 7 June that his administration had reached an agreement with Mexico that would result in him calling off proposed tariffs on Mexican goods. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/trump-calls-off-proposed-tariffs-on-mexico-turns-threats-to-china Environment/Science Five Things: What can I do to help protect the ocean from plastic? It's World Oceans Day, and time to consider how to stop filling the world's oceans with plastic. Vancouver Sun by Tiffany Crawford - June 8, 2019 Saturday is World Oceans Day, a global movement to protect the world’s oceans. In Metro Vancouver, some residents will be volunteering with the shoreline cleanup, while others may be reflecting on what can be done to stop the massive amounts of single-use plastics from polluting the water, harming wildlife, and creating greenhouse gas emissions. https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/five-things-what-can-i-do-to-help-protect-the-ocean-from-plastic Federal Register Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan; Amendment 28 A Proposed Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 06/11/2019 NMFS announces that the Pacific Fishery Management Council submitted Amendment 28 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan to the Secretary of Commerce for review. If approved, Amendment 28 would establish new and revised areas closed to bottom trawling to conserve and protect Pacific coast groundfish essential fish habitat, and would re-open areas that were closed to bottom trawling to rebuild previously-overfished groundfish stocks. Combined, these two changes are anticipated to increase protections for groundfish essential fish habitat and provide additional flexibility to participants fishing with bottom trawl gear in the groundfish trawl rationalization program. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/06/11/2019-12237/magnuson-stevens-act-provisions-fisheries-off-west-coast-states-pacific-coast-groundfish-fishery FYI’s Health alert: seafood and your health In today's health alert, Kristin Filer from Providence Medford Medical Center explains the importance, and recommendations for eating seafood. KDRV by Ambar Rodriguez - June 10, 2019 MEDFORD, Ore. — In today's health alert, Kristin Filer from Providence Medford Medical Center explains the importance, and recommendations for eating seafood. https://www.kdrv.com/content/news/Seafood-and-your-health-511071271.html
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