Alaska/Pacific Coast State proposes $100 million loan guarantee program as hundreds of Alaska businesses seek approval for out-of-state workers Alaska Public Media by Nathaniel Herz - March 25, 2020 Some 600 business entities have filed plans with the state outlining how they’ll safely bring out-of-state workers into Alaska to support “critical infrastructure” amid the coronavirus pandemic, officials said Wednesday. https://www.alaskapublic.org/2020/03/25/state-proposes-100-million-loan-guarantee-program-as-hundreds-of-alaska-businesses-seek-approval-for-out-of-state-workers/ Processors Plan for a Complicated Season Fishermen's News - March 25, 2020 Seafood processors preparing for robust wild Alaska salmon fisheries, which begin in May, are taking special precautions to assure the safety of people and their harvest in a season where a novel coronavirus pandemic is making life complicated. http://fnonlinenews.blogspot.com/2020/03/processors-plan-for-complicated-season.html Fishing industry grapples with fallout from coronavirus response Alaska Journal of Commerce by Elizabeth Earl - March 25, 2020 Like almost all industries and institutions across Alaska, the novel coronavirus pandemic is shaking up the fishing industry. With restrictions changing almost daily and cases spreading across the United States, fishermen are still fishing, but the normal seasonal progression of the industry is likely to hit some rough waters. https://www.alaskajournal.com/2020-03-25/fishing-industry-grapples-fallout-coronavirus-response Unalaska And Industry Prepare For Coronavirus Pandemic KUCB by Caroline Lester - March 24, 2020 Industry, and Unalaska, are continuing to adjust to the new realities of coronavirus. While there are still no confirmed cases in Unalaska—on Monday, the city increased its risk level to "high." In a press release, the city explained that the new level was in response to "confirmed community spread of the virus in Anchorage." https://www.kucb.org/post/unalaska-and-industry-prepare-coronavirus-pandemic National US seafood industry hopes for help from USD 2 trillion stimulus package Seafood Source by Steve Bittenbender - March 25, 2020 The United States Congress is nearing finalization of a third COVID-19 stimulus bill totaling up to USD 2 trillion (EUR 1.85 trillion) in across-the-board relief. The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on the package on the afternoon of Wednesday, 25 March, and the House of Representatives – currently in recess – is expected to reconvene for its own vote “as soon as possible,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) told CNN. President Donald Trump has also expressed his support for the bill on Twitter. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/us-seafood-industry-hopes-for-help-from-usd-2-trillion-stimulus-package Federal Register Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in the West Yakutat District in the Gulf of Alaska A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 03/25/2020 NMFS is opening directed fishing for pollock in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to fully use the 2020 total allowable catch of pollock in the West Yakutat District of the GOA. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/03/25/2020-06227/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-pollock-in-the-west-yakutat-district-in-the-gulf Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; 2019-2020 Biennial Specifications and Management Measures; Inseason Adjustments A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 03/25/2020 This final rule announces routine inseason adjustments to the harvest limits for incidental halibut retention in the primary sablefish fishery. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/03/25/2020-06268/magnuson-stevens-act-provisions-fisheries-off-west-coast-states-pacific-coast-groundfish-fishery FYI’s PFMC: Notice: Salmon hearing public testimony Saving Seafood by Pacific Fishery Management Council - March 24, 2020 The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council: If you are attending the Salmon Hearings via webinar and plan on giving verbal testimony, please fill out our virtual comment card before the hearings begin. https://www.savingseafood.org/news/council-actions/pfmc-notice-salmon-hearing-public-testimony/ Coast Guard postpones fishing vessel exams Cordova Times - March 25, 2020 Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Valdez is postponing Cordova’s commercial fishing vessel exams initially set for April 24 to April 29 until September out of caution for mariners because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2020/03/25/coast-guard-postpones-fishing-vessel-exams/
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