|
May 29, 2004 Continued Action Alert on Roe Tech Visas – See items #1 and #44. Table of Contents 1. AK fishermen, communities, & U.S. will suffer estimated $120M from lack of Japanese Roe Technicians 2. Daschle moves to expedite country-of-origin labeling - no two year delay on meat 3. Rep. Bill Williams announces retirement 4. More Fish and Fiber, Less Refined Grains for New Food Pyramid 5. Cancer Experts Applaud FDA for Action on Omega 3 Fatty Acids 6. Seafood leads the way in 23% rise in AK Export Growth for 2004 7. Murkowski Will Call Special Session in June 8. Kenai salmon to get spaghetti tags 9. Petersburg Fishermen Derek Gibb swims towards the Olympics 10. APRN: Salmon Task Force wrapup 11. Alaskans should back salmon standards - Juneau Empire Letter to the editor 12. Explanation sought for Cook Inlet beluga population puzzle 13. AK Biologist Jan Straley studies sperm whales fish plucking from longliners 14. Mat-Su ferry may jumpstart Ketchikan Shipbuilder 15. U.S. ruling in shrimp 'dumping' case delayed 16. Canada joins push for rail link from B.C. to Alaska 17. Russian, US scientists to study Arctic together 18. NOAA Fisheries Expresses Continued Commitment to Pacific Salmon Recovery 19. WA: Kaiser Aluminum may face fine over PCBs in the Spokane River 20. WA: Mine's river-dumping permit is challenged 21. Oregon & West Coast fishing industry on the rebound 22. India: Shrimp Farming: Devastating Delicacy 23. Fish Farmers Turn to Soybean Feed – but trout and salmon don’t like it 24. BC: Farmed salmon need a little help to get in the mood 25. AFJ: Hatchery Fish Can’t Compete 26. Northeast warned on hatchery fish (broodstock) 27. A sea captain's device - AK Fisherman helps WCC develop system 28. Laine Welch Fish Radio – Smart fish gear competitions & TAA Appeals 29. State of AK holds Salmon Expo in Korea 30. Fishing quotas and processor quotas spark debate 31. ADN Opinion –Peter Van Tuyn: Fishery managers court catastrophe 32. 8th World Wilderness Congress –Anchorage Sept 30-Oct 6. 33. Day After Tomorrow - Scientist doubts such drastic results 34. Interesting reading: Giant Squid Hunter’s story in New Yorker 35. AK Department of Revenue posts 2003 State Average prices for landing tax 36. DEC to hold Public Hearings on Klukwan Aerial Spraying 37. USFS Watershed Forestry Assistance Program Interim Final Guideline 38. NMFS BSAI Rock Sole Apportionment – Comments due by June 8. 39. Washington Sea Grant to test integrated weight groundline for seabird avoidance 40. NPRB Meetings in Juneau July 27-30 41. Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Exam On-Line Lookup 42. NPFMC June 7- 15, Meetings in Portland, OR – agenda and papers posted 43. Federal Assistance for Fishermen: TAA and NEG Update 44. UFA Action Alert on H2-A Visas for Japanese Roe Technicians 1. AK fishermen, communities, & U.S. will suffer estimated $120M from lack of Japanese Roe Technicians Chris McDowell of the Salmon Market Information Service has provided an economic analysis sheet: http://www.ufa-fish.org/doc/SalmonRoeValue.pdf This story is getting more critical every day. With the total budget of the USDA TAA program at $90 million and the value of these handful of technicians at $120 million, this is a very simple equation. Scroll to bottom for UFA Action Alert… Related News: Foreign seasonal workers in demand Don Giles, chief executive of Icicle Seafoods, needs 22 Japanese workers to prepare salmon and salmon roe to be sold in Japan. Local workers don't have the skills to properly grade and pack the fish for the Japanese market. "The thought of not having them ... it's devastating," Giles said, adding the shortage will affect thousands of employees from fishermen to deck hands. "I don't know what we're going to do."
http://www.thejournalnews.com/newsroom/052404/ 2. Daschle moves to expedite country-of-origin labeling - no two year delay on meat U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle indtroduced new legislation that would implement country-of-origin labeling by the original Sept. 30, 2004, deadline.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=117924 U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., questions whether there's enough time to implement the mandatory labeling program.
http://www.theindependent.com/stories/052704/ Ag Groups Unite on Voluntary COOL
http://www.thepigsite.com/LatestNews/Default.asp? 3. Rep. Bill Williams announces retirement Bill Williams, the Republican co-chairman of the powerful House Finance Committee who was considering a run for the state Senate, will retire instead, he said Tuesday. Williams, a 61-year-old longshoreman from Saxman, said that after talking to his family he has decided to return to private life. "I just looked at how much time I had left in my life, I guess you might say. I'm not getting any younger," Williams said.
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/052604/sta_ UFA thanks Representative Williams for his years of service and extra efforts on behalf of fishermen throughout the state. 4. More Fish and Fiber, Less Refined Grains for New Food Pyramid A revised food pyramid coming from the government to guide Americans' eating habits should recommend more fish and fiber and fewer refined-grain products such as white bread, federal advisers decided Thursday… The USDA said the suggested amount of salmon and other fish containing heart-protecting omega-3 fatty acids should be doubled to two servings a week of six ounces to eight ounces each.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews We are pleased that this outcome is in line with UFA’s recommendations in our comment last fall on the proposed new pyramid:
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/pyramid-update/Comments/ Pyramid Main page: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/pyramid-update/FGP%20docs/Additional%20Info.html 5. Cancer Experts Applaud FDA for Action on Omega 3 Fatty Acids The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) today applauded the decision by the Food and Drug Administration to permit nutrient content claims for foods rich in specific omega-3 fatty acids. Recent research suggests a link between omega 3's and reduced risk of some cancers. http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040526/dcw011_1.html Senator Lisa Murkowski Press release: http://murkowski.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=221874 &&& Why you need Omega 3 To Prevent Disease and Live Longer: http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig5/mercola1.html 6. Seafood leads the way in 23% rise in AK Export Growth for 2004 In the first three months of 2004, sales of Alaska products to the rest of the world grew by 23% or $147 million more than the same period last year. This is "phenomenal growth," according to Governor Frank H. Murkowski, and "well above the excellent year-end results of 2003, when exports climbed 9% over 2002 figures to finish the year at $2.7 billion." Seafood led the way, accounting for $567 million, or 72%, of the total $789 million in exports through March. The sale of fish roe increased $68 million, or 39%, over first quarter exports of last year, primarily from strong sales of pollock roe in Western Alaska. http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1009 7. Murkowski Will Call Special Session in June The fiscal shortfall, tobacco tax, and workers' compensation are the three main issues left unfinished when the Legislature adjourned its regular session on May 11. The subject matter for the special session will include consideration of the endowment plan for management of the Permanent Fund. http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1004 8. Kenai salmon to get spaghetti tags The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has cooked up a plan to try and get a better handle on where and when Kenai kings are hooked this summer. As part of this project, department technicians will be netting kings in the river and releasing them back into the water ‹ but only after fitting the fish with long, gray "spaghetti" tags… http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5077676/ 9. Petersburg Fishermen Derek Gibb swims towards the Olympics
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/051704/fis_ Derek’s Bio from the Auburn swim team: http://www.auburntigers.com/swimming/page.cfm?doc_id=6201 Highliner Coffee’s Mellisa Thorsen-Broschat is helping Olympic hopeful Derek Gibb raise funds for the intense training regimen he’ll need between now and the trials in July. Fishermen that would like to contribute should contact the UFA office at (907)586-2820. 10. APRN: Salmon Task Force wrapup Lawmakers and fishing groups formed the Legislative Salmon Industry Task Force two years ago to study problems in the fishery and recommend solutions. The task force dissolved when the Legislature adjourned. CoastAlaska’s Ed Schoenfeld (SHOWN-feld) took a look at some of the task force bills passed this year and filed this report. To listen to Ed Schoenfeld’s report click on link below the description at:
http://www.akradio.org/AlaskaNewsNightly.htm#27_ 11. Alaskans should back salmon standards - Juneau Empire Letter to the editor Robin Richardson of the AK Manufacturers Association writes: With all of the recent global upheaval in the salmon markets about consumer awareness of healthy and safe seafood, I am surprised to see that latest buyers and promotions of Alaskan salmon are not including the Alaska Quality Seafood? standards.
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/052604/let_ Alaska Manufacturers Association website for the Alaska Quality Seafood program is at: http://www.alaskaqualityseafood.com 12. Explanation sought for Cook Inlet beluga population puzzle …shouldn't the white adults and gray calves that forage in the ocean near Anchorage be recovering by now? What about killer whales as a cause, or strandings? Or how about even more difficult prospects, some politically charged and expensive: Maybe oil platform discharges, sewage from Anchorage, industrial shipping or the droning chaos of sportfishing boats and jet skis is keeping belugas down. http://www.adn.com/front/v-akcom/story/5127973p-5056772c.html 13. AK Biologist Jan Straley studies sperm whales fish plucking from longliners With funding from the North Pacific Research Board, Straley and colleagues are working with ten Alaska fishing boats, using acoustic tools to listen to sperm whales underwater and taking genetic samples to identify the culprits, says Straley.
http://www.sitnews.us/0504news/052804/052804_ 14. Mat-Su ferry may jumpstart Ketchikan Shipbuilder Officials from the Mat-Su Borough say a ferry between Port MacKenzie and Anchorage is critical to its expansion plans for the port. If that ferry is to be built, it will likely be by Alaska Ship and Drydock Inc. in Ketchikan.
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/052104/ 15. U.S. ruling in shrimp 'dumping' case delayed The Commerce Department announced this week that it is delaying a preliminary decision on a case filed by the U.S. shrimping industry that claims companies in six nations are "dumping" cheap shrimp in the American marketplace and illegally undermining U.S. shrimpers…Citing the complexity of the case, the Commerce Department postponed its decision on the tariffs from June 8 to no later than July 2 for China and Vietnam and no later than July 28 for Brazil, Ecuador, India and Thailand. http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1085122687224870.xml Related story: US Commerce Department to trouble Chinese, Vietnamese shrimp exporters The fact that the US
Department of Commerce (DOC) is handling two groups of countries involved in
the shrimp anti-dumping case separately may indicate trouble for Chinese and
Vietnamese shrimp exporters, said John Sackton in SEAFOOD.com.News
http://www.vnagency.com.vn/NewsA.asp?LANGUAGE_ID=2& 16. Canada joins push for rail link from B.C. to Alaska Proponents say project could include pipeline, communications lines. Canada will join with the United States in studying a northern railway extending from Alaska to British Columbia, according to its federal transport minister. http://www.adn.com/alaska/story/5127985p-5056775c.html 17. Russian, US scientists to study Arctic together The Far Eastern branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska, have signed an agreement on joint research in the Pacific part of the Arctic, the presidium of the Far Eastern branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences told RIA Novosti on Tuesday. http://newsfromrussia.com/world/2004/05/25/54101.html 18. NOAA Fisheries Expresses Continued Commitment to Pacific Salmon Recovery with New Hatchery Policy http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/docs/04-R144_hatchery_policy.pdf Salmon Protection Dodges Bullet with Revised Plan
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=science Seattle Times: NOAA expects no big change in salmon runs under draft policy
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/ 19. WA: Kaiser Aluminum may face fine over PCBs in the Spokane River The (WA) state Ecology Department is investigating whether Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. should be fined for violating its wastewater discharge permit by dumping industrial chemicals into the Spokane River. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/175189_pcbs27.html 20. WA: Mine's river-dumping permit is challenged Environmentalists yesterday appealed the state's decision to grant a permit allowing a newly restarted mine to pollute the Pend Oreille River in northeast Washington. Teck Cominco, a Canadian company, recently reopened the lead and zinc mine, which had been closed since the 1970s. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/175230_mine27.html 21. Oregon & West Coast fishing industry on the rebound After several years of woeful news, the worst appears over for the Oregon coast - and the broader West Coast - commercial fishing industry. "We've bottomed out, we're coming back up, and I think that's very important," Ginny Goblirsch, past president of Newport Fishermen's Wives and now a commission member at the Port of Newport, said this week.
http://www.newportnewstimes.com/articles/2004/05/ 22. India: Shrimp Farming: Devastating Delicacy Growing consumer demand for shrimp is fuelling an environmental crisis in some of the world’s poorest nations, according to a new report. The Environmental Justice Foundation claims it has exposed wide-ranging environmental damage that can be directly attributed to shrimp farming.It claims shrimp farming is destroying wetlands, polluting the land and oceans and depleting wild fish stocks.
http://www.navhindtimes.com/stories.php?part=news& 23. Fish Farmers Turn to Soybean Feed – but trout and salmon don’t like it Fish farmers are considering feeding their growing fish a vegetarian diet made from soybeans instead of smaller ocean fish. Soybean farmers hope the relative scarcity of ocean fish will open more markets for their crops. But trout and salmon don't like to eat feed made from soybeans. For NPR Audio see: http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1910474 24. BC: Farmed salmon need a little help to get in the mood Their high-density environment has long been considered the reason why they stop reproducing. "In times of war when women are under stress, ovulation can stop. We're guessing farmed fish must be under some sort of stress as well," said Nancy Sherwood, a biology professor at the University of Victoria… In response to the reduced spawning, Syndel International Inc., a Vancouver-based company that develops and markets aquaculture chemical and pharmaceutical products, worked with researchers from the University of Alberta, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the University of Victoria to develop two hormones that address this sexual inhibition.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/ 25. AFJ: Hatchery Fish Can’t Compete Hatcheries have been rooted in the Pacific Northwest for more than a century, originally to compensate for overfishing and, later, to offset the effects of hydroelectric dams. Hatchery-raised fish now account for the overwhelming majority of salmon and steelhead returning to spawn in the Columbia River…
http://afjournal.yellowbrix.com/pages/afjournal/Story.nsp? 26. Northeast warned on hatchery fish (broodstock) Atlantic salmon and trout raised in federal hatcheries in the Northeast have high enough levels of dioxin and other pollutants that anglers should eat no more than half a serving a month, federal officials said Thursday…Each year, the agency’s northeast regional office provides about 14,000 Atlantic salmon, lake trout and rainbow trout that are no longer used for breeding to eastern states for release in their waterways. The big fish are prized by anglers…The contaminant levels were below both the safety mark set by the Food and Drug Administration for commercial sale, and by the federal Environmental Protection Agency for consumption of fish taken by recreational anglers. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5084980/ The occasional release of hatchery broodstock that are no longer needed delights big fish sport anglers who get the chance to catch them, but this is a much different fish from those released as juveniles, especially in Alaska where they generally are released directly into marine waters not rivers. 27. A sea captain's device - AK Fisherman helps WCC develop system World Communication Center Inc. of Chandler last month launched MariTrack, which uses Iridium technology to meet new requirements for ship security alerts and vessel monitoring. "I looked at it (and thought), 'As the owner of a ship, what would I want it to do?' " said Sam Romey, the seafaring founder and president of WCC.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/ 28. Laine Welch Fish Radio – Smart fish gear competitions & TAA Appeals http://www.kinyradio.com/sound/fishradio.mp3 Thursday 5/27 – Smart Fishing Gear Competitions offer $25K prize Wednesday 5/26 – Fishermen that are being rejected for USDA TAA benefits are encouraged to appeal Tuesday 5/25 – Stinky winner in last year’s seabird bycatch reduction contest 29. State of AK holds Salmon Expo in Korea Alaskan pink salmon is perfect for the health-conscious and followers of the well-being trend. Alaskan salmon is not polluted as it lives in Alaskan rivers with no bacteria, Senator John Cowdery at the Alaskan State Legislature said. ``We want Koreans to taste pure and inexpensive Alaskan salmon,’’ he added. The State of Alaska is a holding Salmon Expo, a two-day promotional event, at the Lotte World Hotel in eastern Seoul until today, as part of its efforts to familiarize Korean customers with its salmon and other products.
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200405/kt20040 30. Fishing quotas and processor quotas spark debate At two meetings of a PFMC subcommittee, the processor quota question joined the broader individual fishing quota issue… Rod Moore, director of the West Coast Association of Seafood processors, says processors may have a place in an IFQ regime. Some coast cities lost "a couple vessels" in the recent groundfish permit buyback, he said, but others, like Crescent City and Eureka, lost almost all the vessels that sold to the processors. "That," he said, "put processors in a bind."
http://www.newportnewstimes.com/articles/2004/05/ 31. ADN Opinion –Peter Van Tuyn: Fishery managers court catastrophe “…Marine fisheries management in the United States, including in the North Pacific, simply must be overhauled to insulate science from overwhelming industry influence. While industry may appropriately have a place at the fisheries decision-making table, it should not sit at the top of the management food chain...” http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/5117767p-5044139c.html 32. 8th World Wilderness Congress –Anchorage Sept 30-Oct 6. The Wild Foundation, an international conservation organization, plans to hold its eighth World Wilderness Congress at the Egan Center in Anchorage Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2005. Wild salmon, fisheries and the marine habitat are an important part of the congress' agenda, Honorary Co-Chair Clem Tillion said. http://www.8wwc.org/about_wwc/organization.htm 33. Day After Tomorrow - Scientist doubts such drastic results How does the movie get from global warming …to skyscraper-sized Popsicles in New York City? … "Nobody in the climate change community is anticipating anything like those consequences," Morgan said. "There could be dramatic ecological effects, but tidal waves and 50-foot snow drifts are not on the agenda of anyone who looks seriously at the science.” http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04148/322347.stm 34. Interesting reading: Giant Squid Hunter’s story in New Yorker …A fully grown giant squid is classified as the largest invertebrate on Earth, with tentacles sometimes as long as a city bus and eyes about the size of human heads. Yet no scientist has ever examined a live specimen—or seen one swimming in the sea. http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?040524fa_fact1 35. AK Department of Revenue posts 2003 State Average prices for landing tax purposes
http://www.tax.state.ak.us/programs/fisheries/ 36. DEC to hold Public Hearings on Klukwan Aerial Spraying Public hearings have been scheduled in Hydaburg on June 2nd from 11am-1pm in the city municipal building, on June 2nd in Craig at the City Council Chambers from 4pm-6pm, and June 3rd in Ketchikan at the Ted Ferry Civic Center from 11am-1pm. Written comments will be accepted at DEC, Division of Environmental Health, 1700 East Bogard Rd, Building B, Suite 202, Wasilla, Alaska 99654 through June 21st, 5:00pm. http://www.state.ak.us/dec/eh/pest/klukwan.htm Anchorage Daily News item: http://www.adn.com/business/story/5100017p-5027079c.html 37. USFS Watershed Forestry Assistance Program Interim Final Guideline The purpose of the WFAP is to improve public understanding of the connection between forest management and watershed health; encourage property owners to maintain tree cover and use tree plantings and vegetative treatments as creative solutions to watershed problems; enhance forest management and riparian buffer use in watersheds, with an emphasis on community watersheds; and establish partnerships and collaborative watershed approaches to forest management, protection, and conservation. Comments due by July 26.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800 38. NMFS BSAI Rock Sole Apportionment – Comments due by June 8.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800 39. Washington Sea Grant to test integrated weight groundline for seabird avoidance Preliminary results strongly suggest that 50 g/m line was the optimal weighting. It was the most practical gear in terms of operational performance in mechanical baiting (auto-bait) longline systems and it sank quickly beyond the range of seabirds.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800 40. NPRB Meetings in Juneau July 27-30 The Advisory Panel will meet at 10:30 a.m. on July 27-28 in room 401 (starting time on July 28 will be announced at the meeting on July 27). The Board will meet next at 1:15 p.m. on July 29-30 in room 454 (starting time on July 30 will be announced at the meeting on July 29). Juneau Federal Building, 709 W. 9th Street, 4th Floor 41. Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Exam On-Line Lookup http://www.uscg.mil/d17/m/cfvs_request.shtml 42. NPFMC June 7- 15, Meetings in Portland, OR – agenda and papers posted http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/council.htm 43. Federal Assistance for Fishermen: TAA and NEG Update Letters have gone to about half of the USDA TAA Applicants. If you had a decline in Salmon fishing income from 2001-2002, but have been rejected because your IRS Schedule C does not show the necessary “Net fishing income decline” because of other income or adjustments, we encourage you to appeal your rejection decision within the 30 day deadline. Please contact our office at (907) 586-2820 or fax us a copy of your appeal letter at (907) 463-2545. Rejected for TAA? - Other assistance is available for Fishermen, Crew, Tendermen, Cannery workers and Family in the National Emergency Grant (NEG) Program. Spaces in this program are going fast – call your local State Job center office ASAP, & see website: http://www.jobs.state.ak.us/neg/index.html 44. UFA Action Alert on H2-A Visas for Japanese Roe Technicians Our best hope is to get our roe technicians in under H2-A Agricultural Visas – which will need cooperation between USDA and Department of Labor, and Department of Homeland Security. Fax your letters to Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, USDA Secretary Ann Veneman, and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao:
Honorable Tom Ridge, Director Department of Homeland Security 3801 Nebraska Ave. Washington, D.C. 20393 Fax: (202) 456-1121
The Honorable Elaine Chao Secretary U.S. Department of Labor Frances Perkins Building 200 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20210 Fax (202) 693-6111
The Honorable Ann Veneman Secretary U.S. Department of Agriculture 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, DC 20250 Fax (202) 720-4732
Last week’s Action alert for sample wording – but use the above addresses…
http://www.alaskareport.com/news/2004/UFA
|