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UFA Update Table of Contents 1. Western AK Salmon rebound eases tensions over Area M Fishery 2. ASMI to receive $2.9M for export promotion from USDA Market Access Program 3. NOAA Posts Crab Buyout Accepted Bids 4. AK Pollock approved for MSC Certification 5. Salmon runs statewide predicted to provide huge harvest 6. Laine Welch Fish Factor: BC farms expand to Sablefish and Halibut, USDA Grants 7. Bipartisan Bill would make labeling Voluntary - Not COOL, says NFU 8. Singapore destroys carcinogen–tainted fish 9. State shuts down Nautilus Foods Valdez plant refrigeration unit 10. Governor proposes Constitutional $1K dividend guarantee, 45% to education… 11. Governor signs Sport Guide Registration measure HB 452 12. Heparin researcher looking for salmon skin health benefit notes – 13. Juneau Empire Photo – Tom Pittman Prepares for Salmon 14. Rep. Young Testifies for Craig Recreation Land Purchase Act 15. Korean Fish Giant looks to Alaska 16. Specialists work together to improve salmon sonar's accuracy 17. ADAK Fisheries changes owners, Plans to Harvest Aleutian Pollock 18. Yukon Kings follow Copper River 19. Seattle Times: Lawn Care products threaten salmon 20. WA: Pollution blamed in 9,500 salmon deaths – storm runoff 21. BC: Prime Vancouver real estate a toxic nightmare 22. Utah blind taste testers prefer farmed salmon 23. Whole Foods Market(R) Encourages Shoppers to Make Best Environmental Choices 24. CA: Monterey Bay Aquarium to open Center for the Future of the Oceans 25. WA: Save our Wild Salmon writes in AFJ against BPA summer spill reduction 26. ME: Plan to restore salmon released 27. NH: Fishermen’s Groups seek permits to grow mussels 28. Wanted – Furry Transmitters: MMRC offers reward for Sea Lion Data recorders 29. NPAFC offers reward for high seas salmon tags 30. NOAA Request for Nominations for the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee 31. NOAA Reports U.S. Fish stocks are Rebounding 32. NMFS revises max. retainable amount accounting period for BSAI non-AFA pollock 33. NMFS experts’ peer review on fishing effects on EFH – June 29, Seattle 34. NMFS Confirms Appointees Hoedel and Madsen to NPFMC 35. NMFS Final rule and correcting amendment on Groundfish Observer program 36. NOAA posts results from 2003 Fisheries Constituents Sessions 37. IPHC posts 2004 Halibut Landing Report No. 4 38. NOAA fisheries wins halibut pre-sorting case 39. Homeland Security to use NOAA All-Hazards network 40. NPRB July meetings in Juneau, July 20-21, 27-28, 29-30 41. USCG Safety Flyer: "Do You Know How to Use Your EPIRB" 42. DEC seeks comments on Klawock Inlet bark and wood debris discharge 43. NPFMC posts June Motions and Newsletter 44. Salmon Market Bulletin and Price Report 45. Help Wanted: ASMI Seeks Regional Marketing Coordinator 46. Help Wanted: NPFMC seeks Fishery Economist 47. TAA Reminder from UAF MAP: Tech Assistance Deadline June 30
1. Western AK Salmon rebound eases tensions over Area M Fishery King and chum salmon appear to be making a healthy comeback in Western Alaska, defusing tensions over commercial fishing in Area M far to the south. Fishing in the Kuskokwim River has been so good that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Friday eliminated the controversial weekly subsistence closures for the rest of the summer… Lifting the three-day subsistence fishing closure Friday heads off a potential region-wide act of civil disobedience. Many Kuskokwim subsistence fishermen had planned to ignore Sunday's scheduled closure and keep fishing to protest the increase in fishing time in Area M, also known as False Pass, approved this spring by the Alaska Board of Fisheries. Now there's no closure to violate. http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,1413,113~7244~2224719,00.html 2. ASMI to receive $2.9M for export promotion from USDA Market Access Program Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced fiscal year 2004 allocations totaling $161,267,500 to 71 U.S. trade organizations to promote U.S. agricultural products overseas under the Foreign Agricultural Service’s (FAS) Market Access Program (MAP), Foreign Market Development (FMD) Cooperator program and Quality Samples Program (QSP).
http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/PressRelease/pressrel_dout 3. NOAA Posts Crab Buyout Accepted Bids The $100 million BSAI crab buyback is now a reality. 92.8% of the fishery's license holders have approved the landing fees necessary to repay the loan. The buyback will revoke: 28 crab Tanner crab fishing licenses, 15 groundfish fishing licenses, the worldwide fishing privileges of 28 vessels, and the complete crab fishing histories of the 28 vessels. This means that the post-buyback crab license holders will get larger quota shares in the crab fishery's 2005 IFQ program... http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/crab/faq.htm Related News stories this week: Crab fishermen take buyout http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,1413,113~7244~2218266,00.html Buyout of crabbing rights good and bad http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/178083_crab16.html
28 crab boats take big buyout: Remaining fleet will repay federal loan. http://www.adn.com/front/story/5198008p-5130985c.html 4. AK Pollock approved for MSC Certification …It took several years to get final approval for the eco-label from the internationally recognized Marine Stewardship Council based in the United Kingdom, said Jim Gilmore, spokesman for the At-Sea Processors Association. The industry group applied in January 2001 to have the Alaska pollock fishery in the Bering Sea evaluated against stringent MSC standards… http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,1413,113~7244~2215716,00.html 5. Salmon runs statewide predicted to provide huge harvest Salmon fisheries are now
in full swing in many parts of Alaska, primarily for kings and reds. From
now through early fall, runs of chums, pinks and cohos will also arrive in
regions from Ketchikan to Kotzebue. State managers are projecting near
record catches of pinks, chums and sockeye salmon in Alaska this season. If
their predictions hold true, the state's total salmon catch will approach
200 million fish, making it the third largest harvest ever…. Laine Welch
in AK Journal of Commerce:
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/062104/fis_ 6. Laine Welch Fish Factor: BC farms expand to Sablefish and Halibut, USDA Value Added Producer Grants, fish oil that tastes like juice http://www.kinyradio.com/fishfactor.html And Fish Radio audio: http://www.vesselconnection.com/fish_radio.htm
(USDA Value Added Producer Grant Program website: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm ) 7. Bipartisan Bill would make labeling Voluntary - Not COOL, says NFU …National Farmers Union today characterized the Stenholm-Goodlatte bill as a veiled effort by COOL opponents to kill the law.
http://www.agriculture.com/default.sph/AgNews.class?FNC= &&& Cattle Producer Groups & NFI Applaud Proposed voluntary COOL Program Groups representing America's cattle ranchers, pork producers, seafood producers and produce grower-shippers are supporting a proposed plan to label domestic produced fruits, vegetables, beef, pork and seafood with labels displaying U.S. origin… "The current regulation, as written, is unworkable, especially in the context of wild-caught seafood," says Justin LeBlanc, vice president of government relations at NFI. "A voluntary program achieves a marketing advantage for seafood producers without the cost and confusion of the mandatory rule." http://www.cattlenetwork.com/content.asp?contentid=2141 &&& Nebraska Farmers Union blasts move to make labeling voluntary "This is preposterous," said Nebraska Farmers Union President John Hansen. "Their so-called voluntary approach is nothing more than the political version of `bait and switch. It is fundamentally dishonest."… Processors and retailers “make tons of money by blending cheaper priced and lower grade cuts with our domestic production,” Hansen said. “We simply cannot trust these coyotes to guard our chicken coop.” The meat industry has for years had the option to voluntarily provide accurate food labeling and has failed to do so, he said…
http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/ &&& Washington Farm Report: Support dwindles for labeling
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article &&& Palm Springs –Implement law for labeling meat, produce without further delay - Think of it as a way to protect consumers’ health
http://www.thedesertsun.com/news/stories2004/opinion/ 8. Singapore destroys carcinogen–tainted fish Singapore has destroyed nine batches of fresh fish, prawns and squid which contained cancer-causing agents…The seafood - from Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia - had to be destroyed.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporeloc 9. State shuts down Nautilus Foods Valdez plant refrigeration unit The refrigeration unit at the Nautilus Foods seafood processing plant in Valdez has been shut down after numerous safety violations were discovered following an ammonia leak, the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development said Friday.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AK_PLANT_ 10. Governor proposes Constitutional $1K dividend guarantee, 45% to education, 5% local "This is a plan that will bring certainty to Alaska's fiscal future," Murkowski said. "It will guarantee a dividend of at least $1,000, it will guarantee 45 percent of the payout will go to support public education, and it will guarantee the remaining 5 percent will go to local communities. When they understand the guarantees contained in this proposal, I believe the public will embrace it. Most people believe their dividend is guaranteed now, but that's just not the case. It is based on a statutory formula that could be changed by the Legislature by majority vote. What we are proposing is to put it into the constitution, which would require a vote of the people. I am also proposing a ten-year sunset, at which time Alaskans would be able to analyze how it has worked and have another vote on it." http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1061 11. Governor signs Sport Guide Registration measure HB 452 "ADF&G is grateful to Representative Heinze for introducing this important legislation. By establishing these standards, this legislation protects consumers, while further professionalizing and legitimizing the sport fish guide industry, thereby assuring its continued viability," said ADF&G Commisioner Kevin Duffy… "With better information on where, when, and to what extent sport fish guides operate, ADF&G will be better able to effectively and efficiently manage Alaska's resources for sustained yield and ensure that the industry is regulated fairly," said ADF&G Director of Sport Fish Kelly Hepler.
http://www.sitnews.us/0604news/061704/061704 12. Heparin researcher looking for salmon skin health benefit notes – Follow up to May 12 UFA Update item from Laine Welch regarding Cordova Fisherman Bill Webber working with health researcher on obtaining Heparin from Salmon skins- If you have any anecdotal stories about anti-bacterial properties of fish skin, please send an email to: Erwin.Coyne@med.va.gov 13. Juneau Empire Photo – Tom Pittman Prepares for Salmon Juneau fisherman Tom Pittman helped assemble, sand and finish the wraparound work surfaces that visiting fishermen can use at the UFA office for letter writing and web research on their political trips to Juneau. His volunteerism helped UFA improve our office while making the most of your hard-earned membership dollars. We thank Tom again for his help. Here’s a recent photo from the Juneau Empire:
http://www.juneauempire.com/cgi-bin/smart_search/cqcgi/@jun_stories.env?CQ_SESSION_ 14. Rep. Young Testifies for Craig Recreation Land Purchase Act The bill authorizes a land conveyance between the United States and the City of Craig, Alaska. This legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives on October 30, 2003. “The people of Southeast Alaska are often manhandled by Congress, as they were last night, and it is pleasant when we assemble to do something positive for them. http://www.house.gov/donyoung/press/p20040617_1.htm 15. Korean Fish Giant looks to Alaska Two major Korean food service conglomerates are preparing to introduce canned pink salmon and other product forms here, starting with this fall's holiday season. The combination of
Alaska's massive pink salmon runs and this fish-eating country's continuing
seafood shortage could create the perfect market storm for the
long-depressed industry segment.
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/061404/loc_ 16. Specialists work together to improve salmon sonar's accuracy
http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/stories/062004/new_ 17. ADAK Fisheries changes owners, Plans to Harvest Aleutian Pollock Kjetil Solberg, who founded Adak Fisheries in 1998, last week completed a deal to buy out equal partner Icicle Seafoods Inc. of Seattle…
http://afjournal.yellowbrix.com/pages/afjournal/Story. 18. Yukon Kings follow Copper River Kwikpak Fisheries, which represents six Yupik Eskimo villages in the Lower Yukon River Delta area, wants the Yukon kings to achieve the same kind of culinary adulation that clings to Copper River salmon. The fishery, which is one of the few that has remained strictly Native, also hopes to cash in on increasing interest in wild salmon… http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5229559/ 19. Seattle Times: Lawn Care products threaten salmon "If you like to eat or catch salmon, you may want to switch to natural lawn care."…
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/nwgardens/177079_ 20. WA: Pollution blamed in 9,500 salmon deaths – storm runoff Water tests show a major toxic spill or illegal dumping isn't to blame for the deaths of 9,500 fingerling salmon at a hatchery here last week, leading experts to believe polluted storm water runoff is likely to blame… http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/04/05/31/loc_salmon001.cfm 21. BC: Prime Vancouver real estate a toxic nightmare Heavy metals, sulphur and other material spilled from railcars shuttling to an adjacent deep-sea dock or leaching from piles of ore concentrate have made the land uninhabitable and presented the federal government with a huge cleanup task… Tests are planned to see how far pollution has spread beyond the property and to determine the impact on fish, including salmon that migrate along the shoreline.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/ 22. Utah blind taste testers prefer farmed salmon "In a blind taste test conducted by the Deseret Morning News, a Utah-based newspaper, six of 12 tasters preferred farmed salmon to the wild variety. Three tasters preferred the wild salmon while the remaining three had no preference," said Laurie Jensen, president of the grassroots group, Positive Aquaculture Awareness… http://www.cnw.ca/fr/releases/archive/June2004/16/c5632.html 23. Whole Foods Market(R) Encourages Shoppers to Make Best Environmental Choices in Seafood With 'Fish for Our Future(R)' Campaign http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/06-16-2004/0002194046&EDATE= 24. CA: Monterey Bay Aquarium to open Center for the Future of the Oceans The Monterey Bay Aquarium hopes to expand its influence on state and national ocean conservation policy with the opening of a new center next month…
http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/mcherald/news/ 25. WA: Save our Wild Salmon writes in AFJ against BPA summer spill reduction … Despite clear, demonstrable harm to migrating endangered and non- endangered wild salmon and steelhead, the Bonneville Power Administration wants to reduce spill in order to generate more power and increase its revenue by up to $30 million. This latest proposal still faces stiff opposition from scientists and salmon, fishing and tribal representatives because the proposed "off-sets" - actions offered by BPA to mitigate the harm caused by reducing spill - are inadequate to protect our salmon and the communities that depend upon healthy, harvestable, self-sustaining populations.
http://afjournal.yellowbrix.com/pages/afjournal/Story.nsp? Save our Wild Salmon Columbia and Snake Rivers campaign website: 26. ME: Plan to restore salmon released A draft federal plan to save the endangered Atlantic salmon estimates that recovery efforts could cost as much as $33 million during the first three years, and outlines actions that should be taken immediately to reverse the rapid decline of the fabled Maine fish… Threats that need to be addressed immediately to improve the salmon's chances of survival include acid rain, poaching, mixing of wild and farmed fish, predation, incidental taking of wild fish by anglers, and excessive or unregulated water withdrawals from the eight Maine rivers where the remaining salmon live. http://www.pressherald.com/news/state/040619salmon.shtml NOAA Press Release: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/docs/atlantic_salmon.pdf Atlantic Salmon Recover Plan website:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/species/fish/ 27. NH: Fishermen’s Groups seek permits to grow mussels The Portsmouth Fisherman’s Cooperative, in Portsmouth, and the Yankee Fisherman’s Cooperative, in Seabrook Harbor, have asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to approve plans to raise and harvest mussels off the coast of Rye Beach… The project is part of a growing industry, according to Forbes Horton, a research engineer with the University of New Hampshire’s Open Ocean Aquaculture Demonstration Project. UNH has been operating mussels mariculture programs of its own for five years. Since 2001, university officials have been harvesting and selling the shellfish to Seaport Fish, in Portsmouth, which in turn sells the mussels to area restaurants, according to Horton.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/06152004/ University of New Hampshire Open Ocean Aquaculture project website: 28. Wanted – Furry Transmitters: MMRC offers reward for Sea Lion Data recorders Fishing Southeast? – Be on the lookout for small floating yellow boxes… Once molted, the data-loggers will have a thick layer of fur on one side and may have broken antennas. Anyone locating a molted transmitter is asked to call either of the numbers above in order to receive their reward (a limited edition cap and history of the sea lion that sported the tag). http://www.marinemammal.org/2004/tags.html 29. NPAFC offers reward for high seas salmon tags There is a special $500 reward for return of an undamaged geolocating tag. Please do not expose any electronic tag to magnetic sources and return it as quickly as possible. Anyone who returns a high-seas salmon disk tag or an electronic tag will receive our custom-embroidered baseball cap and be entered to a drawing conducted by the NPAFC. Drawing winners will receive $5000 for first place, $3000 for second place, and $1500 for third place, and $500 for fourth place… For poster with details see: http://www.npafc.org/CSRS/tagposter04.pdf North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission Home page: http://www.npafc.org/ 30. NOAA Request for Nominations for the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (MAFAC) - Deadline July 15, 2004
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/ 31. NOAA Reports U.S. Fish stocks are Rebounding NOAA Press Release: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/docs/04-053_status_fish_stocks.pdf Sustaining and Rebuilding - Status of Fish Stocks 2003 – Report to Congress: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/reports.html#sos (Click on links for report, also see tables on status of individual species covered under Federal Fisheries Management) 32. NMFS revises max. retainable amount accounting period for BSAI non-AFA pollock http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/infobulletins/mra.html 33. NMFS experts’ peer review on fishing effects on EFH – June 29, Seattle NMFS has requested the Center for Independent Experts (CIE) to conduct a peer review of the agency's evaluation of the effects of fishing on Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) in Alaska… The public meeting will be held June 29, 2004, from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Pacific daylight time at the NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Jim Traynor Conference Room, Building 4, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/ 34. NMFS Confirms Appointees Hoedel and Madsen to NPFMC Complete appointments top counsels is in Press release: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/docs/04-054_council_member_appointments.pdf 35. NMFS Final rule and correcting amendment on Groundfish Observer program
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/ 36. NOAA posts results from 2003 Fisheries Constituents Sessions http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ocs/constituentsessions/index.html 37. IPHC posts 2004 Halibut Landing Report No. 4
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel/ 38. NOAA fisheries wins halibut pre-sorting case NOAA’s Office of General Counsel for Enforcement and Litigation recently won a court case against owners and operators of the FV Rebecca Irene for pre-sorting of halibut in Alaska. Administrative Law Judge Edwin Bladen has ordered the owners and operators to pay $240,000 in fines… http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/halibut061804.htm 39. Homeland Security to use NOAA All-Hazards network NOAA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Directorate today signed an agreement that allows Homeland Security to send critical all-hazards alerts and warnings directly through the NOAA All-Hazards Network… http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases2004/jun04/noaa04-056.html 40. NPRB July meetings in Juneau, July 20-21, 27-28, 29-30 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)… Juneau Federal Building 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 The Science Panel will meet at 9:00 a.m. on July 20-21 at the NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center in the Jim Traynor conference room, building 4. 41. USCG Safety Flyer: "Do You Know How to Use Your EPIRB" & Register your EPIRB online… http://www.uscg.mil/d17/m/cfvs_epirb.shtml 42. DEC seeks comments on Klawock Inlet bark and wood debris discharge Now posted on DEC website: The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) is soliciting public comment on an application by Sealaska Corporation for authorization to discharge bark and wood debris into marine waters under the State's General Permit for Log Transfer Facilities (LTFs). The application is for the KIDCO LTF, located on Klawock Inlet, 1/2 mile west of Klawock. The project area is approximately 48 acres; continuous cover by bark and wood debris on the bottom is approximately 2.2 acres… The deadline for submitting written comments is 5 p.m., July 13, 2004. http://www.state.ak.us/dec/public_notices.htm (Click on this Notice dated June 17) 43. NPFMC posts June Motions and Newsletter Aleutian Islands Pollock, Observer Program, CDQ Program, SSL Changes in GOA Rockfish Motion 6/04, Entire Rockfish program with June additions/changes… http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/ NPFMC June News and Notes Newsletter: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/newsletters/NEWS604.pdf 44. Salmon Market Bulletin and Price Report The May Salmon Market Bulletin and the week of June 14 salmon price-tracking report are posted on the ASMI website as a PDF file: http://www.alaskaseafood.org/fishingprocessing/bulletin.htm 45. Help Wanted: ASMI Seeks Regional Marketing Coordinator The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) is seeking candidates for the one-year temporary position of a Regional Marketing Coordinator located in Juneau or Anchorage. Salary for the exempt position is a range 18 depending on experience… http://www.alaskaseafood.org/aboutus/jobs.htm 46. Help Wanted: NPFMC seeks Fishery Economist The Council is seeking a full-time, temporary fisheries economist position for a two-year appointment only (2005/2006)…
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/misc_pub/Economist 47. TAA Reminder from UAF MAP: Tech Assistance Deadline June 30 The UAF Marine Advisory Program (MAP) wishes to remind all Alaska resident Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) applicants that the mandatory technical assistance workshops required by the USDA Farm Service Agency must be completed by June 30, 2004. To date, nearly 4,000 of the 4,400 Alaska residents who applied for TAA have met with Marine Advisory Program agents and received their technical assistance package. Over 225 workshops have been held in some 68 communities throughout Alaska since the middle of January. Audio conferences are available throughout June. To make arrangements in your area, please contact the Marine Advisory Program at 1-888-788-6333 or a Marine Advisory agent in your area. In Anchorage, call 786-6328. Visit our TAA Technical Assistance webpage at: www.uaf.edu/map/taa
For further information on the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program, contact the Alaska State Farm Service Agency at 1-866-872-3320 or 1-907-761-7754
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