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UFA Update May 15, 2006 Alaska Sea Grant raised more than $5700 for the Alaska Fishing Industry Relief Mission (AFIRM), representing 10% of publication sales from November through April. The money will help fishing communities devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. There is still a lot that need to be done to help the Gulf of Mexico fishing industry, and AFIRM is still seeking to raise funds from the Alaska fishing industry. For more info or to contribute via paypal see www.akgulfhelp.org . CONTENTS 1. Provision would make available health care for fishing families 2. House and Senate approve governor's appointees 3. Copper River fishermen sue over early availability of kings 4. Commercial fishers pan sport KRSA fishing economic report 5. Cook Inlet BOF Takings suit to be heard June 1 in Anchorage 6. 70 percent of bills, even hot-button issues, die early deaths in AK Leg Session 7. Crab 'enhancement' gets a tryout off Kodiak 8. BLM taking comments on Bristol Bay plan 9. SE Gillnetters to vote on new 1 percent tax 10. KTOO Radio Courtwatch looks at Chignik Coop Decision – Audio online 11. ADF&G predicts lower Kodiak salmon catch totals than recent years 12. Sluggish Stikine catch keeps king prices high 13. Commander skipper cleared by USCG in 2004 Sitka Herring collision 14. Aggressive sea lions causing trouble in Petersburg harbor 15. Diminishing Togiak herring fishery used to lure salmon fishers 16. Juneau Fishing fleet sets out with blessing 17. Spring brings back thoughts of honorable lost fishermen 18. Juneau Road money restored - State plans to pave to Katzehin River this year 19. Alaska jobs can be deadly 20. Trident, Ocean Beauty call off acquisition 21. Green label for black cod as fourth Alaskan species to get certification 22. Whole Foods Market Continues Commitment to Seafood Sustainability 23. MSC Recertification of AK salmon – SCS posts performance and scoring guideposts 24. Whittier Fake reef home to real fish 25. State to check Unalaska beaches for oil 26. Few U.S. companies are prepared for bird flu outbreak 27. Industries, Interior Dept. Eye Offshore Drilling 28. DNR Bristol Bay Coastal Management Plan changes – comment deadline May 31 29. Oil spill reopener - Exxon says area fully recovered 30. Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council Meeting – May 23 31. Oil-spill victims turn to Congress 32. Alaska Oil and Gas Industry wants to hear from you on effects of Oil & Gas 33. Cook Inlet Keeper changes its name to Cook Inletkeeper 34. Kodiak Jiggers wait out slow cod season 35. Magnuson: Fisheries bill lacks provision for boat crewmen shares 36. Seattle P-I: Ocean Law: Toss it back! 37. Fishermen split over new quotas 38. Insidious fisheries legislation - Letter to the Editor by Mike Saunders 39. Pebble Mine to see $40M in 2006 40. USCG offers courtesy safety checks in Peterburg May 15-20 41. Coast Guard District Seventeen holds Change of Command 42. Coast Guard Requests Authority to Require 'Proof of Proficiency' for Rec. Boaters 43. Bill Hogarth’s corner – what accomplishments will administration leave? 44. California takes lead in fish farm regulations 45. BC: Mercury level higher in rockfish near fish farms 46. England: Fish farm improvements to reduce risks of fish disease 47. WA: Commemorative quarter design goes to salmon and Mount Rainier 48. Laine Welch's Fish Radio –Topics from this week 49. NMFS Halibut, Sablefish IFQ and BSAI Crab Cost Recovery - Comment by June 7 50. NMFS final rule exempts CDQ Crab from Crab Capacity Reduction Plan Fees 51. NMFS Announces an Economic Data Reporting Requirement 52. Comment Deadline June 27 on VMS recordkeeping and data collection 53. NOAA Request for comments on Amendment 68 allocation in GOA Rockfish 54. Coast Guard establishes AK security zone – comfish vessels exempt while fishing 55. USDA purchases $2.2M of canned salmon from Ocean Beauty 56. Commerce Secretary appoints, reappoints to MPA Federal Advisory Committee 57. NOAA Fisheries posts Marine Mammal Stock Assessment Reports: 58. Summary from Steller Sea Lion Recovery Team Meeting, March 15-17, Seattle 59. FSB Seeks Comments on Federal Subsistence Jurisdiction to Include Makhnati Island 60. USFWS names Tom Melius new Alaska Regional Director 61. UW MPA News – New May issue online 62. Fishlines – Alaska Sea Grant May newsletter 63. Vital Choices newsletter May 8 1. Provision would make available health care for fishing families Commercial fishing families across the nation may have access to affordable health care coverage if a current provision in the Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorization remains intact…* “I want to send a very clear message that we want to encourage every fishing family from around the United States and every fishing organization in the nation to write a letter to fax to their U.S. senator and U.S. congressman to support health care for fishing families,” he said. “We have to insist that the fishing industry health care demonstration program, HR 4940 (e), is included in the final draft of the Magnuson-Stevens reauthorization.” Bartlett said that letters to representatives should “let them know that fishermen need health care coverage, that there is a proposed solution that they need to include in the final version of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and then let the politicians do their job to make that happen.”
http://www.homernews.com/stories/050306/seawatch * ACTION ALERT – the health care provisions are not currently in the House or Senate Versions of Magnuson Stevens reauthorization, but the health care provisions of section 4E of HR 4940 are being discussed in some House hearings. If you have not already contacted your Senators and Representatives – fishing families need to weigh in NOW – and be clear that these provisions should be added to Magnuson Reauthorization in both bodies of Congress! See the left sidebar for zip code lookup for your area at http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ 2. House and Senate approve governor's appointees The Alaska House and Senate, meeting in joint session Thursday, approved Gov. Frank Murkowski's appointees to head state agencies and serve on dozens of boards and commissions… The most contentious vote concerned the reappointment of Bruce Twomley to the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission…The joint House and Senate voted 42-17 to reappoint Twomley…
http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=18&path= Governor’s press release: http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=2358 UFA opposed the appointment and confirmation of Jeremiah Campbell to the Board of Fisheries for July 2006 to 2009, announced on May 2. We were able to garner 24 votes in opposition in the two days we had available in this effort. 3. Copper River fishermen sue over early availability of kings The famed Copper River salmon harvest begins in a little over two weeks, an annual rite of spring that thrills gastronomes across the nation and injects big dollars into the pockets of commercial fishermen. But hundreds of fishermen rigging their boats in nets in Cordova aren’t feeling the usual euphoria over the upcoming season. The gillnetters say the board in December changed the fishery rules in a way that will limit their salmon catches and cost them millions of dollars in lost revenue. In particular, they’re upset about the board’s decision to limit fishing time for the fleet during the early weeks of the season, which is scheduled to begin May 15… http://www.adn.com/money/story/7663511p-7575107c.html & Copper River Salmon season opens - Record prices offered gillnetters for their catch. Norquest Seafoods posted record high prices of $3.75 a pound for sockeye salmon and $6.25 a pound for kings in advance of the Copper River commercial salmon gillnet fishery, which opens with a 12-hour fishing period today.
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/7730 4. Commercial fishers pan sport KRSA fishing economic report An economic impact report extolling money pumped into Kenai Peninsula coffers from sport fishing is raising hackles from commercial fishermen who say their industry contributes more. "We are an important industry that brings new money into the Alaskan and Kenai (Peninsula) economy," said Roland Maw, executive director of the United Cook Inlet Drift Association…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/050606/loc_2006 The KRSA “economic
report” is online at
http://www.kenairiversportfishing.com/content.asp? 5. Cook Inlet BOF Takings suit to be heard June 1 in Anchorage …case will be heard on June 1st in Anchorage at 3:30 p.m. in courtroom 504 in the State Courthouse. The question to be decided is "Are our permits property that can be damaged by Board of Fish regulatory actions? A group of Cook Inlet drift and set net salmon fisherman last October filed suit in State court asking for compensation under the takings clauses of the State and Federal Constitutions for damages caused by excessive allocative regulations passed by the Board of Fish in 1996 and beyond… I was unable to find any web sources for further information on this item, forwarded by a Cook Inlet fisherman. Please contact United Cook Inlet Drift Association for more information at (907) 260-9436. 6. 70 percent of bills, even hot-button issues, die early deaths in AK Leg Session …Despite hours of hearings as they journeyed through committees, hot-button issues like ethics reform and a constitutional amendment to deny benefits for same-sex partners fared no better in the end than a law concerning giant reptiles. They are among some 70 percent of the 982 measures introduced over the two-year course of the 24th Alaska Legislature that died with the session…
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/ap_alaska/story/7710 In contrast, UFA passed 14 of 16 bills that were supported by the UFA board in the 2005-2006 session Hats off to lobbyist Jerry McCune, BobT, UFA groups, members and all fishermen who contributed your efforts on these measures. 7. Crab 'enhancement' gets a tryout off Kodiak Batches of baby king crabs could soon be growing in Kodiak Island waters, and scientists will be carefully nurturing their growth and progress. If all goes according to plan, the project will be the first in Alaska to advance larval crabs from the laboratory to the wild…
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/ 8. BLM taking comments on Bristol Bay plan A resource management plan being prepared by the federal Bureau of Land Management could open the way for extensive oil and gas and hard rock mineral exploration in Southwest Alaska. BLM officials in Anchorage should have a progress report ready to send out in a newsletter within three weeks regarding both the management plan and its environmental impact statement, land use planner Patricia McClenahan said April 21. While more public meetings are not planned until September, when the completed report will be available, the BLM is accepting questions and comments by e-mail at akbayrmp@blm.gov .
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/043006/loc_2006 9. SE Gillnetters to vote on new 1 percent tax Southeast Alaska gillnetters are considering taxing themselves to fund a regional marketing campaign to boost the price they get for fish. A vote of the region’s 470 permit holders that concludes Monday will decide if the new 1 percent tax that would be collected by Southeast Alaska Rainforest Wild, a fishermen-led regional seafood development association (RSDA). http://chilkatvalleynews.com/archive/2006-16-1.html 10. KTOO Radio Courtwatch looks at Chignik Coop Decision – Audio online http://www.ktoo.org/audiofile.cfm?clip=1631 For complete info see: Alaska Supreme Court opinion No. 6006 - April 21, 2006: http://www.state.ak.us/courts/ops/sp-6006.pdf 11. ADF&G predicts lower Kodiak salmon catch totals than recent years Kodiak salmon forecasts for 2006 project excellent pink harvests and healthy sockeye catches, although runs of both species will lag behind last year’s totals and fall below 10-year averages for many river systems… Processor capacity should be adequate, based on results of a statewide survey by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Changes in local cannery ownership don’t indicate major changes for salmon operations this season, which will open June 1… http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=3027 12. Sluggish Stikine catch keeps king prices high It's slow going down south where the gillnet fleet, such as it is, harvests kings entering the Stikine River. The Monday opener is yielding mostly single-digit catches for the boats so far… http://www.adn.com/life/taste/story/7688991p-7600236c.html 13. Commander skipper cleared by USCG in 2004 Sitka Herring collision Alan Otness, skipper of the F/V Commander has been cleared of charges filed by the U.S. Coast Guard, based upon allegations made following a collision that took place March 27, 2004 during the Sitka purse seine fishery…
http://www.petersburgpilot.com/www/stories/2006/050 14. Aggressive sea lions causing trouble in Petersburg harbor The National Marine Fisheries Service and the Petersburg Harbor have teamed up to try and deal with the problem of aggressive sea lions in the harbor. They have come up with some solutions to help solve this sea lion problem.
http://www.petersburgpilot.com/www/stories/2006/ 15. Diminishing Togiak herring fishery used to lure salmon fishers Blustery spring weather was socking the Togiak area, 67 miles west of Dillingham in Southwest Alaska, as fishermen prepared for an anticipated 2006 harvest of nearly 26,000 tons of herring…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/050606/loc_2006 16. Juneau Fishing fleet sets out with blessing Sacrifice and losses remembered during annual event… With hope for the future and tears for the past, people found Saturday's drizzle fitting weather for the annual blessing of the fleet at the Alaska Commercial Fishermen's Memorial.
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/050706/sta_2006 UFA thanks Representative Bruce Weyhrauch, Tom Gemmell, and the Hangar and Twisted Fish Restaurants for their continued volunteerism in the annual blessing of the fleet. 17. Spring brings back thoughts of honorable lost fishermen – On the Waterfront with Elton Engstrom
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/051206/nei_2006 18. Juneau Road money restored - State plans to pave to Katzehin River this year An Alaska Senate panel restored full funding for the Juneau access project on Friday in its new version of the state's annual construction budget… Some road critics cried foul at the committee's decision, noting that at least in the northern Panhandle communities of Haines and Skagway, more people are against the road than are for it. Juneau commercial fisherman Jim Becker testified for the road, saying it would allow the Panhandle's seafood industry to ship larger volumes of fresh fish, and thus get a better price…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/043006/loc_2006 19. Alaska jobs can be deadly State's small population, dangerous work, add up to high rate of workplace death… …Of Alaska's 40 workplace deaths in 2004, eight were on jobs involving natural resources, such as fishing and forestry, and 16 were in transportation and warehousing, jobs that include aviation and highway trucking… Fishing is dangerous not just because of the elements but because of the tremendous competition, Mitchell said. He also sees safety improvements in the industry. Jerry McCune, a board member and lobbyist for the United Fishermen's Association, as well as a fisherman himself, said the trade is becoming much safer. "It's getting a lot better." That's partly because individual fishing quotas have replaced "24-hour derbies." People are taking less risk when they have six months to meet their halibut IFQ. "Now crab is that way," he added. There also is more safety equipment, such as survival suits, in place, he added.
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/043006/sta_2006 20. Trident, Ocean Beauty call off acquisition Trident Seafoods Corporation says it will NOT be acquiring Ocean Beauty Seafoods. The companies issued a joint press release today saying they could not reach an agreement on Trident's acquisition of Ocean Beauty's processing assets… http://www.ktva.com/alaska/ci_3781712 21. Green label for black cod as fourth Alaskan species to get certification Alaskan sablefish, also known as black cod, has become the 19th fishery to become certified as well managed and sustainable according to the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) international fishery certification and eco-labelling programme. In total, over 40 fisheries worldwide are engaged in the MSC environmental programme, representing more than three million tons of seafood.
http://www.fishupdate.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/ 22. Whole Foods Market Continues Commitment to Seafood Sustainability by Offering MSC-Certified Halibut Pacific Fishery is First Halibut Fishery in World to Receive MSC Certification, Whole Foods Market is First Retailer to Offer Fresh, Sustainable Catch at Peak of Season http://webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?SESSIONID=&aId=13658 23. MSC Recertification of AK salmon – SCS posts performance and scoring guideposts Evaluation of Alaska Commercial Salmon Fisheries Performance Indicators and Scoring Guideposts, by Scientific Certification Systems, Inc, April 2006 – online at:
http://www.msc.org/assets/docs/Alaska_Salmon/AK Related: National Fisherman May Editorial on MSC labeling: http://www.nationalfisherman.com/month-content.asp?ItemID=1460&rcid=329&pcid=324&cid=329 24. Whittier Fake reef home to real fish Artificial habitat mitigates damage from port expansion Less than 24 hours after artificial reefs were lowered into Smitty's Cove, Alaska sealife started checking out the new real estate. "There were two sunstars ... already glommed onto the structure, just checking them out I'm sure. And there were a couple of copper rockfish swimming among them," said Brian Lance, a federal fisheries biologist. The reef was installed this week to provide a haven for small plants and fish near Whittier, where barges stacked high with containers bring everything from road graders to toilet paper into one of Alaska's busiest ports…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/051506/sta_2006 NOAA press release: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/artificialreef.htm 25. State to check Unalaska beaches for oil State survey teams start walking the beaches of Unalaska this week to check for residue from thousands of gallons of oil that spilled from a soybean freighter after it grounded off the Aleutian island more than a year ago… Environmental officials were to arrive Monday for the start of summer clean-up operations of the 335,000 gallons of fuel oil that gushed from the Selendang Ayu after it grounded in December 2004…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/051506/sta_2006 DEC Spill Response home
page:
http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/perp/response/sum_ 26. Few U.S. companies are prepared for bird flu outbreak
http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management Administration National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza
http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/pandemic- U.S. Government Pandemic Flu Business Planning home page http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/tab4.html 27. Industries, Interior Dept. Eye Offshore Drilling …Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee approved an amendment that would repeal longstanding congressional moratoria on offshore drilling. Congress has continuously renewed the restrictions since the early 1980s, and drilling is currently limited to parts of the Gulf of Mexico and some coastal Alaskan waters… In Alaska’s Cook Inlet, offshore drilling’s murky track record has exposed hazards that might spread to other coasts if Congress authorizes new exploration. In spite of restrictions on industrial discharges imposed by the Clean Water Act, a special rule issued by the EPA permits oil and gas developers to pour tens of thousands of gallons of chemical pollutants each day into designated “mixing zones,” which blend the contamination into local waterways…
http://newstandardnews.net/content/?action=show 28. DNR Bristol Bay Coastal Management Plan changes – comment deadline May 31 The State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has received a request to review and approve amendments to the Bristol Bay CRSA Coastal Management Plan. In response to this request, DNR has prepared an analysis and preliminary recommendation regarding the approval of the Bristol Bay CRSA Coastal Management Plan… … written comments must be received no later than 5:00 PM on Wednesday, May 31, 2006.
http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7c15 29. Oil spill reopener - Exxon says area fully recovered State should file new Exxon claims to deal with ongoing spill harm Should Gov. Frank Murkowski press an additional $100 million of restoration claims arising from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil tanker spill? The state's 1991 settlement with Exxon allows up to $100 million additional for damages that couldn't be anticipated at the time. Exxon has spent the years since the settlement claiming the spill area is clean and the environment fully recovered. Plenty of evidence suggests otherwise… http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/7730742p-7642372c.html UFA has sent our letter of support for the reopener to the administration. 30. Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council Meeting – May 23 The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council’s next meeting is Tuesday, May 23, 2006 at 8:30 a.m. at the EVOS office 441 W 5th Ave, Ste 500, Anchorage. Public comment is at 8:40 a.m. Action items include discussion and approval of the FY 07 Invitation and continuing projects. For more information call: (907) 278-8012 or (800) 478-7745 or on the web at www.evostc.state.ak.us.
http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7c15 31. Oil-spill victims turn to Congress Eileen Mullen, a fisherman's daughter and a fisherman's sister, was one of the few women with her own commercial fishing boat in Prince William Sound 17 years ago. She began as a deckhand in her teens and saved enough to buy The Peggy J in 1985. But four years later, the Exxon Valdez oil spill destroyed her and her brother's fishing businesses… This week, Mullen, 58, came to Capitol Hill with others from Washington and Alaska whose livelihoods were wiped out by the spill in Prince William Sound.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/ 32. Alaska Oil and Gas Industry wants to hear from you on effects of Oil & Gas Alaska Oil and Gas Association has asked Petroleum News Alaska to put a 50-year historic timeline of the Alaska oil and gas industry. “I’m looking for a short statement or recollection about how life has changed in Alaska due to oil and gas investment. You don’t have to be in the oil business to respond. You can call me or email something back if you have a story for us.” Send your oil stories to stevepna@hotmail.com 33. Cook Inlet Keeper changes its name to Cook Inletkeeper Cook Inlet Keeper is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a name change… From now on Cook Inlet Keeper will join inlet and keeper into one word and be called Cook Inletkeeper, adopting a uniform naming convention for “riverkeepers,” “soundkeepers,” “inletkeepers” and similar names used by other keeper alliance-member groups around the country.
http://www.homernews.com/stories/051006/news_ 34. Kodiak Jiggers wait out slow cod season The Kodiak Area state-waters Pacific cod season for jig gear is so slow many jiggers are sitting out as they wait for the fish to come within the three-mile limit, local fishermen said in the past week. Alaska Department of Fish and Game officials confirmed the season is slower than in past years. Jiggers have taken 700,000 pounds of a quota of 5.21 million pounds, ADF&G fisheries biologist Nick Sagalkin said… http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=3041 35. Magnuson: Fisheries bill lacks provision for boat crewmen shares As it revises the nation’s fisheries management bill, Congress is moving to adopt limited access privilege program standards that don’t directly require boat crew shares and might not apply to the government’s ongoing effort to divide up the Gulf of Alaska groundfish catch quota… http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=3052 36. Seattle P-I: Ocean Law: Toss it back! Ocean-protection legislation from Congress could end up so weak that it should be tossed back into the sea. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/269341_fished.html Seattle Times: Extend law of fisheries, without fishy changes The Magnuson-Stevens Act, which extended U.S. sovereignty to fisheries 200 miles off the coast, is up for 10-year renewal. It should be renewed with careful changes…
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion Magnuson-Stevens Reauth.: Written testimony from House Resources hearing 5/4
http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/archives/109 For more information, including a side-by-side comparison of House and Senate's version, see:
http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/Oceans_Website 37. Fishermen split over new quotas Critics argue that system favors corporations… Fishermen and environmentalists from Alaska, Washington, Florida and Massachusetts discussed proposed amendments to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act Tuesday during an interstate conference call organized by a conservation group… Dave Kubiak, a halibut
and Pacific cod fisherman from Alaska, said fishermen have no choice but to
trust in the “best available” scientific data if they want the fishery to
survive. But Kubiak said he has also seen the king crab and shrimp fishery
fail.
http://www.pryordailytimes.com/business/cnhins 38. Insidious fisheries legislation - Letter to the Editor by Mike Saunders How would you like to enter a poker game rigged against you because the bigger bankrolls could buy extra cards from the deck? The Alaska Legislature has created this stacked deck against fishermen with their permit stacking legislation, House Bill 251 (sponsored by Rep. Bill Thomas). Under HB251 to compete in my fishery with the top 10 percent of the fleet, I would have to buy another gillnet permit or watch a portion of my catch go to my competitors with an extra permit and extra privileges, such as longer nets, more area or time. If that guy next to me has an extra 100-fathom net or an extra day, no matter how hard I work, he's going to get some of my income…
http://juneauempire.com/stories/050406/let_ UFA received more calls of support on HB 251 than any other legislation this session, though none were from SE Gillnet fleet. We appreciate that Mike Saunders serves as President of the Lynn Canal Gillnetters and is a member of UFA member group USAG. By working through these groups, SE Gillnetters should have good input in future Board of Fisheries meetings to oppose any proposals that do not have support in their fleet. 39. Pebble Mine to see $40M in 2006 The board of Northern Dynasty Mines Inc. has approved a $40 million budget for 2006 exploration drilling and environmental studies of the proposed Pebble Mine. Drilling operations at the mine site have restarted after the winter shutdown, according to the company’s chief operating officer, Bruce Jenkins…
http://www.homernews.com/stories/050306/business_ 40. USCG offers courtesy safety checks in Peterburg May 15-20 The Coast Guard will visit Petersburg on Monday May 15th thru sat may 20th Courtesy dockside safety exams will be conducted. The Coast Guard will be on the docks during this period or the coast guard examiner can be contacted on cell # 957-0153. Or sign up at harbor office. Remember the safety exams are free w/ no penalties. 41. Coast Guard District Seventeen holds Change of Command Rear Adm. James C. Olson gives his remarks at a combined Change of Command Retirement ceremony at the Air National Guard Hangar here Friday, May 12, 2006. Clear skies and a strong tailwind to a fine Coast Guard aviator and officer were conveyed upon him. Rear Adm. Arthur E. Brooks assumed command and will carry out the Coast Guard's future operations in Alaska. http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/780/117493/ 42. Coast Guard Requests Authority to Require 'Proof of Proficiency' for Rec. Boaters The Coast Guard has asked Congress for authority to establish a "proof of proficiency" requirement for recreational boaters - which, officials conceded, could lead to mandatory nationwide licensing for recreational boat operators… http://www.thelog.com/news/newsview.asp?c=184983 43. Bill Hogarth’s corner – what accomplishments will administration leave? I recently delivered my annual “State of the Agency” address to NOAA Fisheries Service employees in Silver Spring, and to employees throughout the nation via Web cast. As I sat to write this address, I began to think about the legacy we will leave behind at the end of this Administration. Many questions arose, including: Which of our accomplishments and investments will continue to benefit both fishing communities and the environment for years to come? What additional accomplishments are necessary to feel we did the best job possible? What should be our priorities between now and 2009? http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/features/billscorner/index.htm 44. California takes lead in fish farm regulations California would impose some of the world's toughest restrictions on fish farming under a bill sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger by the Senate on Thursday. No commercial fish farming exists off California's coast, but the federal government is seeking a fivefold expansion in aquaculture in the next two decades to try to relieve pressure on wild fish populations… By setting standards for environmental reviews and leases for use of state-controlled waters, bill supporters said, the state can address problems that have plagued other areas. Those problems include fish escaping from the pens and breeding or spreading disease to wild populations, the use of chemicals to treat commercial stocks in open water pens, controlling fish waste and putting fish farms in inappropriate locations. ''For once we're actually ahead of the curve in addressing an environmental concern before it happens,'' said the bill's author, state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto.
http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news 45. BC: Mercury level higher in rockfish near fish farms A new study has found
some rockfish near fish farms in the Broughton Archipelago on the central
coast opposite Port Hardy contain mercury levels that exceed government
guidelines for regular consumption…
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/voices/story.html 46. England: Fish farm improvements to reduce risks of fish disease The Environment Agency has carried out a series of improvements at Leyland Fish Farm in Lancashire following the discovery of antibodies to tench rhabdovirus. The antibodies, which indicate that fish have been exposed to the viral disease during their lifetime, were found in summer 2004. All ponds were cleaned and disinfected and stocks were destroyed humanely as a precaution… The changes include the creation of an enclosed hatchery site to improve biosecurity and health and safety. The site has been fenced off and visitors will only be able to access it via a new entrance cabin where they will be required to sign in and change their footwear…
http://www.fishupdate.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/4460 47. WA: Commemorative quarter design goes to salmon and Mount Rainier Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire on Thursday chose a leaping salmon and “majestic” Mount Rainier for the design of Washington state's commemorative quarter. The design was preferred over two others, including one of an orca and another iconic image showing the mountain, the salmon and apples…
http://159.54.227.3/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060505 48. Laine Welch's Fish Radio –Topics from this week Monday 5/15/06 - Magnets, flexi-grids and flying bottlebrushes reduce bycatch: win Int’l Smart Gear contest Friday 5/12//06 - State study shows high bycatch & discard rates for red king crab fishery Thursday 5/11/06 - AK black cod gets int'l MSC eco-label Wednesday 5/10/06 - Landmark study documents sea lice transfer from farms to wild fish Tuesday 5/9/06 - Ak features wild cod and salmon at world's largest seafood show http://www.marineconservationalliance.org/fishradio.htm & also see Laine Welch's Fish Factor Radio at http://www.kinyradio.com/fishfactor.html 49. NMFS Halibut, Sablefish IFQ and BSAI Crab Cost Recovery Changes - Comment by June 7 NMFS proposes an amendment to the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Cost Recovery Program for the Halibut and Sablefish IFQ and the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Crab Rationalization Programs. This action modifies the procedure NMFS uses to publish notification of adjustment of the IFQ fee percentage for the IFQ Cost Recovery Program in the Halibut and Sablefish IFQ and the Crab Rationalization Programs. This action is necessary to provide timely and efficient notice of fee obligations while maintaining compliance with the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). This action is intended to improve the fee collection methods required for all Alaska IFQ programs under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act) and is necessary to promote the objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Act with respect to the IFQ fisheries managed by NMFS in the Alaska Region. Written comments must be received no later than June 7, 2006. Federal Register Notice:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800 50. NMFS final rule exempts CDQ Crab from Crab Capacity Reduction Plan Fees NMFS publishes this final rule to exempt any crab landed under the Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program from the fee regulations for the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crab Fishing Capacity Reduction Program, to provide that crab buyers disburse fee collections to NMFS not later than the 7th calendar day of each month, and to provide that the annual report from each crab buyer shall be submitted to NMFS by July 1 of each calendar year. The fee regulations otherwise remain unchanged. The intent of this final rule is to modify the fee rules so that they do not apply to any crab allocated pursuant to the CDQ Program, and to ease the fee collection burden for crab buyers…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800 51. NMFS Announces an Economic Data Reporting Requirement An Economic Data Report (EDR) is required from any owner or leaseholder of a vessel or processing plant that harvested or processed crab in specified Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) crab fisheries during calendar year 2005. The EDRs for 2005 will be required before any permits related to the BSAI Crab Rationalization Program may be issued for the 2006/07 crab fishing year, which begins on July 1, 2006…
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/index/infobulletins/bulletin.asp Federal Register Notice
of May 2:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800 52. Comment Deadline June 27 on VMS recordkeeping and data collection The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995… …Authorized under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, participants are required to purchase, install, and operate a National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)-approved vessel monitoring system (VMS) under certain circumstances, to provide more precise location information in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska… Written comments must be submitted on or before June 27, 2006. Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW.,Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at dHynek@doc.gov )
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800 53. NOAA Request for comments on Amendment 68 allocation in GOA Rockfish The Council adopted Amendment 68 in June 2005. Amendment 68 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP) would establish a program to allocate Central GOA groundfish resources among harvesters and processors (Program). Amendment 68 would modify the FMP to increase resource conservation, improve economic efficiency, and improve safety in the Central GOA rockfish fisheries and other fisheries that are subject to the Program. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the FMP, and other applicable laws. DATES: Comments on the amendment must be received on or before July 14, 2006… Federal Register Notice:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800 54. Coast Guard establishes AK security zone – comfish vessels exempt while fishing The Coast Guard has implemented a final High Capacity Passenger Vessel (HCPV) and Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) security zone in the navigable waters of Alaska, which will become effective May 15, 2006, and will remain in effect until terminated by the 17th Coast Guard District Commander… No person or vessel (except commercial fishing vessels while actively engaged in fishing) may enter the security zone unless authorized by the designated on scene representative… http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/780/116752/ 55. USDA purchases $2.2M of canned salmon from Ocean Beauty http://www.ams.usda.gov/lscp/fish/7I23fpr.txt 56. Commerce Secretary appoints five new members, reappoints 22 to Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee
http://www.mpa.gov/information_tools/pdf/PressReleases/ 57. NOAA Fisheries posts Marine Mammal Stock Assessment Reports: For info see: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/sars/ Federal Register Notice:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800 NMFS Alaska marine mammal Stock Assessment, 2005 To download entire 261 page document (10+ megabytes), click on: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/sars/ak2005.pdf 58. Summary posted from Steller Sea Lion Recovery Team Meeting, March 15-17, Seattle
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/protectedresources/stellers/sslrt/ 59. FSB Seeks Comments on Federal Subsistence Jurisdiction to Include Makhnati Island Area See May 11 Press release at USFWS Subsistence website: http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/news.cfm?gnr=1 60. USFWS names Tom Melius new Alaska Regional Director Tom Melius has officially assumed his duties as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's new Alaska Regional Director, replacing Rowan Gould who has taken a position with the Service's Washington, D.C. office. Tom brings with him a wide range of experience, within the Service and from outside, that makes him well qualified to deal with the unique challenges and opportunities the Service faces here in Alaska. Look for press release to be posted at: http://alaska.fws.gov/external/newsroom/aknews.htm 61. UW MPA News – New May issue online Contents: -
Special Feature: Measurement of Management
Effectiveness - The Next Major Stage in MPAs? http://depts.washington.edu/mpanews/issues.html#May%202006 62. Fishlines – Alaska Sea Grant May newsletter Contents include: Sea Week Grant Funded Marine Data Web Site Awards Aid for Fishermen Alaska OCS Public Forum VMS Workshop 2007 Coastal Calendar Quality Workshop Leadership Institute 5-Year Assessment http://www.uaf.edu/seagrant/Fishlines/2006/may06.html 63. Vital Choices newsletter May 8 Stories in this edition include: -Vital Choice Visits (and Feeds) Dr. Weil’s Nutrition Conference -Fish Oil Seen to Rival Pain Pills -Pacific Halibut Fishery Awarded "Sustainable" Status http://www.vitalchoice.com/newsletter_index2.cfm |