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UFA Update June 30, 2006 CONTENTS 1. Murkowski launches bid 2. Stephan Taufen: Let Ethan Berkowitz lead Tony Knowles Alaska fish squad 3. Deadline August 1 for FSA County Committee Nominations – salmon fishermen 4. USDA buys 1400 tons of Alaska canned pink salmon for relief efforts 5. Fish council puts moratorium on halibut charter fishery while exploring solutions 6. Kodiak Council Meeting - Emotions high as fishermen denounce plan 7. Parts of Aleutians closed to trawling 8. Bush making Hawaiian archipelago world's largest marine sanctuary 9. NOAA Releases Report on Status of U.S. Marine Fisheries for 2005 10. Congress passes CDQ seafood allocation bill (in Coast Guard authorization) 11. BLM acts to loosen land grip - suggests lifting D-1 Withdrawals 12. Fishing boats in Bristol Bay flying flags protesting the proposed Pebble Mine 13. Pebble owner raises stakes - Northern Dynasty Minerals share of company for $78M 14. Village opposes Pebble Mine 15. Demand has Pebble backers optimistic 16. Court appeal seeks to block Long Island spraying 17. SE Native corp. leaders blast Bristol Bay for Kensington suit 18. Alaska Railroad wants to use herbicides along tracks - Comment deadline Aug 14. 19. DEC Public Notice on Amendment to the PWS Tanker Oil Discharge Plan 20. Murkowski & Murray lead Senators in urging Exxon to pay up for Valdez spill 21. Sen. Murkowski introduces tax legislation to aid Exxon oil spill plaintiffs 22. Stevens wants states to have veto power in federal fish farming legislation 23. ADF&G Official Testifies at U.S. Senate Hearing on Offshore Aquaculture 24. Critics Warns about Open-Ocean Aquaculture; Gov’t Plods Ahead 25. Governor: Stikine and Taku Chinook Fisheries Providing Shot in the Arm for SE 26. State hopes to add cachet to Yukon kings 27. Coast Guard enforcing drug and alcohol testing rule changes -90 day educ. period 28. 677,000 tossed crab could pinch industry 29. Crabbers say rules don't erase perils 30. Magnuson Reauthorization - Senate bulks up law on fishery oversight 31. Giving science a voice in managing our fisheries - By David Benton 32. Fishermen need a strong Magnuson Act - Juneau Empire My Turn by Amy Grondin 33. Record chum run on Yukon 34. Yukon opener is fishing for market share 35. ADN Community profile: Nelson Lagoon 36. Halibut prices still stable, skipping summer trend 37. Cook Inlet: Disappointing harvest for all anglers predicted this year 38. Salmon Scam: Consumer Reports Farm-Raised Salmon Often Sold as 'Wild' 39. News Zealand Fish Farm folds with $7M in debt 40. Alaska Applies for Clean Water Act Permitting Authority 41. Subsistence board rules Kodiak non-rural 42. Federal Subsistence Board Proposes Changes in Rural/Nonrural Status 43. Kodiak Salmon season kicks off slow throughout island 44. EVOS Trustee Council Invitation for Proposals, & call for Advisory Committee 45. EVOS Trustee Council is soliciting nominations for the Public Advisory Committee 46. Fishing just isn't what it used to be –profile of Everett Fisherman Mike Borovina 47. Seafood chefs battle to represent Alaska 48. Green to the Gills –NY Times Sunday Magazine on fish farms 49. Bare-knuckles Alaska senator hulks over Washington state politics 50. Alaska Airlines Introduces First of Five 737-400 Cargo Aircraft 51. OR: Wyden, Boxer lift hold on fisheries bill – with provision for salmon fishermen 52. Laine Welch's Fish Radio –Topics from this week 53. Commerce Announces 2006 Ocean Fishery Council Appointments 54. NOAA Fisheries files final rule on northern right whale critical habitat 55. NMFS Final Rule on exclusion of tagged halibut and sablefish 56. USCG posts Draft PEIS for Nationwide Automatic Identification System 57. MMRC Steller Research: Feast, Famine & the Maternal Instinct 58. USDA announces ~$1.5 million available to cooperatives - Deadline July 28 59. NOAA Notice of Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2007 60. FSB Requests Creation of Kenai Peninsula Subsistence RAC -deadline Aug 25 61. Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 2005 Annual Report available 62. DCCED posts Fisheries Economic Development Program 2006 Grants 63. USCG Maritime Safety and Security Team to be deployed around Alaskan ports 64. Vital Choices June 26 online newsletter: Omega 3 improves attention deficit 65. Alaska Journal of Commerce presents Coastal Journal
66. June 16th ASMI Salmon Price
Tracking 1. Murkowski launches bid STATE RACES: Governor rallies his people; Democrats setting up shop. …Murkowski announced on May 26 he was running for re-election, saying he had only recently made the decision with his wife, Nancy. Now he has to raise money fast. Nancy Murkowski encouraged the crowd Friday to sign up and endorse the governor. One well-wisher, United Fishermen of Alaska president Bob Thorstenson, expected his trade group to do just that following a vote Saturday…
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/7872294p- & Miller endorses Murkowski
http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,1413,113~7244~3 The UFA Board of Directors met on June 17 to consider endorsements…our endorsements will be communicated to current members in accordance with APOC regulations. 2. Stephan Taufen: Let Ethan Berkowitz lead Tony Knowles Alaska fish squad http://www.alaskareport.com/stephen-taufen30003.htm 3. Deadline August 1 for FSA County Committee Nominations – salmon fishermen needed to help guide USDA programs in Alaska UFA has been working in Washington DC to gain access for fishermen in USDA programs on par with fish farmers. USDA programs, such as Farm Service Loans at 3.5%, are implemented with input from the local FSA County Committees. Fishermen need to serve on their county committees to ensure that we have input into access and administration of FSA programs to benefit fishermen as producers. FSA County Committees are paid for their time served. The deadline to get your name on the Farm Service Agency County Committee election ballot is August 1, 2006. Nomination period begins June 15, 2006 and ends August 1, 2006. Ballots will be mailed by November 3, 2006, and the last day to return voted ballots to your USDA Service Center is December 4, 2006 For information contact the FSA County offices toll-free #: 1-866-872-3320 4. USDA buys 1400 tons of Alaska canned pink salmon for relief efforts Gov. Frank Murkowski has announced a purchase agreement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 1,400 tons of canned Alaska pink salmon. The fish will be sent to aid relief efforts in Jamaica and Guatemala. Pink salmon is the state's most abundant salmon species. A price crash during the late 1990's shut down canneries across Southeast Alaska. Pink prices have risen 55 percent in the last four years, and many claim the pink industry is poised for a comeback. "The pink salmon is very nutritious, and it also provides the Omega-3 fatty acids that are important for people with compromised immune systems," said Nina Schlossman, the president of Global Food & Nutrition Inc. http://www.alaskareport.com/usda10022.htm & Pinks could feed world "The industry will benefit because we think this is just a first step to larger commitments from USDA," Gov. Frank Murkowski said. "The years of the big holdover inventories of pink salmon are hopefully behind us."
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/ UFA has worked to increase the purchase of Alaska salmon in government aid programs and thanks the Murkowski administration and our delegation in DC for their support in this accomplishment. 5. Fish council puts moratorium on halibut charter fishery while exploring solutions The North Pacific Fishery Management Council during their June meeting in Kodiak decided to proceed with an interim moratorium to stop new entrants into the halibut charter fishery. The plan was recommended by the Charter Halibut Stakeholder Committee as an initial step toward a permanent solution to the allocation tug of war between the commercial halibut fishery and the charterboat fishery… http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=3302 NPFMC Moratorium
motion
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/ & “Permanent Solution”
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/halibut 6. Kodiak Council Meeting - Emotions high as fishermen denounce plan Alaska fisheries regulators got a room full of emotion last week as they took more than a full day at a Kodiak meeting to take public comment on one of Alaska's most controversial fish issues. The emotion centers on a complex new management policy that aims to divide catches of 27 types of Gulf of Alaska bottom fish among all users, based on their historical participation in the fisheries. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is considering the plan, which is supposed to end the competition among boats in the fleet, improve conservation, reduce waste and provide more stable economics for harvesters, processors and communities…
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/ & Kodak Daily Mirror Guest Opinion: D-Day in Kodiak: Flogging the beast - By Shawn C. Dochtermann http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=3251 NPFMC documents from June meeting: IRIU Amendment 80 motion
6/06 http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/ Bering Sea Habitat Conservation motion 6/06
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/ CV Trawl Eligibility motion:
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/ June 2006NPFMC Newsletter: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/newsletters/NEWS606.pdf Halibut motions: (see above) NPFMC home page:http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/ 7. Parts of Aleutians closed to trawling The National Marine Fisheries Service on Wednesday closed 279,114 square nautical miles in the Aleutian Islands to trawling, intending to protect sensitive deep-sea corals and sponges. The decision implements the North Pacific Fishery Management Council's recommendation for the sweeping closures last year…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/062906/sta_ Oceana Press Release: NOAA Fisheries Bans Bottom Trawling in More Than 370,000 Square Miles in the Aleutians http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=68407 NOAA Press release: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/efh062806.htm Federal Register
Notice:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan2006 8. Bush making Hawaiian archipelago world's largest marine sanctuary President Bush plans today to designate an island chain spanning nearly 1,400 miles of the Pacific northwest of Hawaii as a national monument, creating the largest protected marine reserve in the world, according to sources familiar with the plan…
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/ & Newest national monument a scenic wonder, but few can visit
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/ & A treasure protected…
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/ 9. NOAA Releases Report on Status of U.S. Marine Fisheries for 2005 NOAA released a report on the status of U.S. marine fisheries for 2005. The government report shows both progress in rebuilding overfished species and response of fisheries managers to slow fishing rates for species that were found in 2005 to have above-target harvests. Each year, NOAA announces the state of U.S. fisheries to inform Congress and the American public of the agency's progress in restoring fish stocks to sustainable population levels. The annual report tracks both population levels and harvest rates for species caught in federal marine waters, between three and 200 miles off U.S. coasts. http://sev.prnewswire.com/environmental-services/20060620/DCTU03520062006-1.html NOAA Press release:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/docs/Status%20of%20 Fact Sheet:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/docs/Councils_in_ Report:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/docs/Report_text 10. Congress passes CDQ seafood allocation bill (in Coast Guard authorization) Legislation freezing the allocations of pollock and other seafood between 65 Western Alaska communities for the next six years has passed both houses of Congress and is on its way to President Bush for a signature. The Coast Guard's annual authorization act, which sets the allocations, is finally complete, nine months after the beginning of the fiscal year to which it applies. The delay was in recent months due to controversy over the Alaska delegation's effort, ultimately unsuccessful, to add language that would stop a major wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts… http://www.alaskareport.com/fish10058.htm 11. BLM acts to loosen land grip - suggests lifting D-1 Withdrawals Millions of Alaska acres would open up to extraction if proposal followed. More than 30 years after the federal government locked up vast stretches of Alaska to development, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management is recommending that Congress lift restrictions on millions of acres. In a report to Congress this month, BLM officials suggested lifting prohibitions on mining, oil and gas leasing, and other development on large tracts scattered throughout the state. The restrictions date to the 1970s when the interior secretary withdrew lands under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act… http://www.adn.com/front/story/7875656p-7769267c.html BLM Report: Section 207 Alaska Land Transfer Acceleration Act-A Review of d-1 Withdrawals http://www.blm.gov/ak/ak930/207report/index.html 12. Fishing boats in Bristol Bay flying flags protesting the proposed Pebble Mine Fishing boats in Bristol Bay will be flying flags this summer protesting the proposed Pebble Mine. The flag statement is sponsored in part by the Alaska Independent Fishermen's Marketing Association located in Seattle which plans to distribute the flags showing the words Pebble Mine with a red X through it at various events and locations around Bristol Bay… http://www.alaskareport.com/laine50003.htm 13. Pebble owner raises stakes - Northern Dynasty Minerals sells a share of company for $78 million. The Canadian company hoping to develop the massive Pebble gold and copper deposit in Southwest Alaska has gotten financial backing from an international mining powerhouse… http://www.adn.com/money/story/7908641p-7802287c.html 14. Village opposes Pebble Mine The fact New Stuyahok sent representatives to meeting doesn't mean it supports Northern Dynasty Minerals New Stuyahok sits on the Nushagak River, 70 air miles north of Dillingham. It is the biggest community on the Nushagak River and consists of 550-plus tribal and community members. One hundred percent of our community members and the three main village entities - New Stuyahok Traditional Council, City of New Stuyahok and Stuyahok Limited - are all in opposition to Northern Dynasty Minerals' proposed Pebble Mine and to any other mining companies that want to develop in the area. These entities all adopted and signed resolutions to that effect…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/061206/opi_2006 15. Demand has Pebble backers optimistic Backers of the proposed Pebble Mine near Iliamna on the Alaska Peninsula say the economic potential of the mine is significant, given growing worldwide demand for copper, but the jury is still out on whether many area residents will back or oppose the project…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/062506/hom_2006 16. Court appeal seeks to block Long Island spraying Six Southeast Alaska groups have gone to court to block a permit authorizing Klukwan Inc. to conduct aerial herbicide spraying on Long Island this summer…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/062106/sta_2006 17. SE Native corp. leaders blast Bristol Bay for Kensington suit Three Southeast Alaska Native corporation leaders slammed Bristol Bay village corporations Wednesday for allying with the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council's lawsuit against the Kensington Mine…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/061506/sta_2006 & ADN: Mining dustup stirred by visit http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/7863627p-7757090c.html & Native leaders keep wary eye on Juneau gold mine dispute because of Pebble http://www.petroleumnews.com/pnads/559597579.shtml 18. Alaska Railroad wants to use herbicides along tracks - Comment deadline Aug 14. Alaska Railroad officials said Tuesday that they need herbicides to control fast-growing weeds and plants along the train tracks because the plants are hampering safety…
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/ap_alaska/story/7857 DEC Public Notice: Alaska Railroad Application for a Permit to Apply Herbicides on Alaska Railroad Property and Right of Way – Public Hearings in railbelt communities July 11-20… Comments must be received on or before August 14, 2006
http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f More information is available online at Alaska Railroad Vegetation & weed control home page: http://www.akrr.com/arrc327.html 19. DEC Public Notice on Application for Amendment to the Prince William Sound Tanker Oil Discharge Prevention & Contingency Plan The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (Department) is conducting a thirty-day public review of an application for amendment to the Prince William Sound Tanker Oil Discharge Prevention and Contingency Plan. The proposed amendment application is being reviewed for compliance with requirements governing oil discharge prevention and contingency plans (AS 46.04.030). … Comments will be accepted through July 28, 2006
http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7c15 20. Murkowski & Murray lead Senators in urging Exxon to pay up for Valdez spill Two dozen U.S. senators, led by Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Patty Murray, D-Wash., have sent a letter to the chief executive of Exxon Mobil urging the oil giant to negotiate or pay up on the $4.5 billion punitive damages judgment stemming from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. About 3,000 plaintiffs have died waiting for their share of the judgment a federal court jury in Anchorage, Alaska, awarded them 12 years ago, the senators wrote…
http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk= Senator Murkowski Press release: http://murkowski.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=257963 21. Sen. Murkowski introduces tax legislation to aid Exxon oil spill plaintiffs Alaskans who may receive large oil spill damage payments from Exxon in the future could put all the money into tax-advantaged retirement accounts and also average the income back to 1994 for tax purposes, under a bill introduced Tuesday by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska… http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=3242 Bill Text http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:S.3422: UFA Press Release: UFA Supports IRS Exxon Valdez Tax Relief Legislation S. 3422 and Thanks Senator Lisa Murkowski http://www.ufa-fish.org/press/2006-01UFASupportsIRSExxonTaxBill_ThanksSenato.pdf Sen Murkowski Press release: http://murkowski.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=256525 22. Stevens wants states to have veto power in federal fish farming legislation Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens presented Congress with the Bush administration’s proposed new system for issuing offshore fish-farming permits Thursday, but he also signaled immediately that he wants states to have the option of prohibiting such industry within 200 miles of their shorelines. “The state has no say about what goes on in federal waters under the current legislation,” Stevens said at a same-day hearing on the bill that featured verbal sparring between fish-farming advocates and opponents. Stevens, the committee chairman, sponsored the administration bill. In a Senate floor statement Thursday, though, he said he has proposed an amendment to give states the veto power… http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=3250 & Stevens presents fish farm permit proposal to Congress Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens supports a new fish farm permitting system proposed by the Bush administration, but wants states to have the option of banning the industry within 200 miles of their shorelines. The state has no
say about what goes on in federal waters under the current legislation,
Stevens said at a hearing on the bill….
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420AP_AK_Fish Hearing comments…
http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction Senator Stevens:
http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction= See also Item # 48 below – NY Times magazine on Fish Farms 23. ADF&G Official Testifies at U.S. Senate Hearing on Offshore Aquaculture David Bedford, deputy commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, testified yesterday at a hearing on offshore aquaculture held by the Senate Commerce Committee's National Ocean Policy Subcommittee. Bedford was invited to participate in yesterday's hearing by Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). He offered the subcommittee several recommendations for coordinating the federal regulation of offshore aquaculture with existing state regulatory programs. Bedford emphasized that local and state input will be critical in any federal attempt to oversee aquaculture activities. He highlighted many of the practices and polices in Alaska that have led to successful conservation and management of the state's fisheries resources. "We believe that the legislation authorizing offshore aquaculture should first allow states to determine what kind of aquaculture activities would take place in the federal waters off of their coastline," he said. "Local control is, from our perspective and in our experience, key to long-term conservation of resources and public acceptance of any development that takes place." Bedford also urged the subcommittee to incorporate the regional councils in any federal legislation. "We believe that the regional fishery management councils should be given jurisdiction over aquaculture operations," he said. http://www.sitnews.us/0606news/060906/060906_adfg.html 24. Critics Warns about Open-Ocean Aquaculture; Gov’t Plods Ahead … “NOAA is advocating for a bill that basically says, ‘trust us, we’ll do the right thing,’” said Rebecca Goldburg, senior scientist at Environmental Defense. “The bill doesn’t contain any safeguards that people like myself would like to see.” http://newstandardnews.net/content/index.cfm/items/3287 25. Governor: Stikine and Taku Chinook Fisheries Providing Shot in the Arm for Southeast Fishermen Alaska Governor Frank H. Murkowski said Friday he is gratified that fish and game management efforts for Stikine and Taku River salmon stocks have allowed a second year of directed commercial Chinook harvest after many years of being shut down. The total Chinook harvest so far this year in the directed commercial fisheries has topped 23,400… http://www.sitnews.us/0606news/061106/061106_fisheries.html 26. State hopes to add cachet to Yukon kings The Alaska Department of Fish and Game and commercial fish buyers are working together to boost the reputation of the Yukon River's king salmon and build a more viable market for the oil-rich fish. The Department of Fish and Game held a special three-hour commercial opening in the lower Yukon River on Thursday night in order to provide at least a small batch of Yukon River kings to interested retailers… http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,1413,113~7244~3332063,00.html 27. Coast Guard enforcing drug and alcohol testing rule changes -90 day educational period The U.S. Coast Guard Seventeenth District is employing a 90-day non-enforcement and education period for changes to the Coast Guard requirements for alcohol and drug testing after a serious marine incident (SMI). The 90-day period will allow the operators of most commercial vessels time to adapt to the regulation changes and be in compliance… http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/780/122674/ Alcohol Test Kits required on board as of June 20 Federal Register Notice Dec 22 – on the regulations:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800 DOT List of conforming
Drug/Alcohol Testing Equipment:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800 The cheap single use alcohol saliva test kits - with price, source and notes if any from federal register list – (these may not be cheapest prices): Chematics, Inc., North Webster, IN..... ALCO-SCREEN 02TM \2\ (24 for $45 – from Moxie Media - 800-346-6943) or 24 for $40 online from Ehealthlabs http://www.ehealthlabs.com/Alco_Screen_02_p/cas2.htm (Need to be stored at less than 80 degrees f. ) Varian, Inc., Lake Forest, CA.......... On-Site Alcohol \5\ (50 for $193 from Varian - 1.800.737.9667 http://www.varianinc.com/cgi-bin/nav?/products/dat/alcohol (see Footnote in federal register DOT List above about timing of readings for accuracy) OraSure Technologies, Inc., Bethlehem, Q.E.D. A150 Saliva Alcohol PA. Test. (10 for $55 – from U.S. Scanning Systems – 866-323-7336 –)\ http://www.usscreeningsource.com/index.htm (No special footnotes in Federal Register) The UFA office has a small number of the Alco2 kits – member fishermen in Juneau who are not able to procure test kits may contact our office… 28. 677,000 tossed crab could pinch industry …Officials with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game analyzed the observer data from last season's fishery, which opened Oct. 15 and ran for three months, and made an eye-popping discovery -- that crabbers had dumped lots of king crab they normally kept in the past…
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/7872 ADN Editorial: High-grading king crab must stop Alaska state law bans wanton waste when hunters pursue and shoot big game animals. Not so when the state's fishing fleet is hauling in Alaska's prized king crab. New rules actually encourage waste of this valuable commercial species…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/062506/opi_2006 Rebuttal: Pacific Northwest Crab Industry Advisory Committee chairman calls for self policing of crab discard… http://www.adn.com/opinion/compass/story/7905175p-7798813c.html 29. Crabbers say rules don't erase perils …"I think, in general, it worked really well," said Tom Suryan, skipper of the state-based Bristol Mariner. "It gave us the flexibility to sit out the worst of the ice, rather than put all our gear on deck and battle up to the grounds." Other skippers say that they still faced pressure to work fast through horrible weather to meet delivery schedules from processors. The processors wanted to ship crabs in time to sell at market peaks, such as Christmas and New Year's, and also wanted to limit the time period when plants would have to stay open… "They wanted the [king] crab before Thanksgiving, and the whole time I was struggling to catch the crab," said Tilley, whose boat nearly sank as it made its way back to port with more than 100,000 pounds of crab. "We didn't fish like the derbies, but pretty close to it."…
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003 30. Magnuson Reauthorization - Senate bulks up law on fishery oversight RENEWAL: Bill would give science a greater role in management decisions. The Senate passed a bill Monday that would renew the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the primary law managing U.S. fisheries. Sen. Ted Stevens, the bill's sponsor and namesake, called the legislation "the most successful federal-state management program ever devised." The Senate bill would preserve and strengthen the eight regional fisheries management councils, said Stevens, R-Alaska. The council system was an innovation of the original Magnuson Act in 1976 and includes one council that oversees waters off Alaska's coast. Environmental groups immediately praised the bill's passage…
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/787 & AK Journal of Commerce: Senate gives nod to revamp of federal fishing laws
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/062506/hom_2006 Senator Ted Stevens pres release: http://stevens.senate.gov/pr_detailed.cfm?prid=398 31. Giving science a voice in managing our fisheries - By David Benton This summer, Congress will revise the landmark law that manages our nation's fisheries, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, crafted by Washington's own Sen. Warren Magnuson 30 years ago. If done right, this legislation will continue to support sustainable harvests for our local fishing fleets and satisfy our nation's growing appetite for seafood…
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2003092248 32. Fishermen need a strong Magnuson Act - Juneau Empire My Turn by Amy Grondin Members of the fishing industry need to be aware of the policies Congress is writing in Washington, D.C., that could affect our fishing seasons and livelihoods. It can be difficult for independent fishermen to keep track of federal legislation, because they are busy trying to keep their boats fishing. The big fishing companies and processors can afford to hire consultants to monitor the latest proposals on Capitol Hill and lobby for changes that favor their needs…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/060906/opi_200606 33. Record chum run on Yukon There are so many summer chum salmon pouring into the Yukon River that it's making it hard for fisheries managers to count king salmon. On Monday, an estimated 308,000 summer chums were counted by a sonar at Pilot Station. That's more fish than biologists have ever seen pass the sonar in one day, according to Carl Pfisterer with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Pilot Station. "That's a new record," he said Tuesday in Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association teleconference. As of Monday, the summer chum run was up to an estimated 2.1 million and still climbing. Biologists who were expecting a run comparable to last year's 2.4 million are now predicting that as many as 4 million summer chums will return this summer… http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,1413,113~7244~3339312,00.html 34. Yukon opener is fishing for market share A brief start aims to keep the river's salmon on menus and minds… The Yukon River was opened to king salmon fishing for three hours Thursday to give retailers a small, but early, stock of the oil-rich fish. The state and commercial fish buyers want to make a name for Yukon kings in the competitive seafood market… http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/7867328p-7760774c.html 35. ADN Community profile: Nelson Lagoon A community with a largely Native culture focused on commercial fishing and subsistence activities. Alaska Natives are about 82 percent of the population. There is a strong community pride and loyalty among the residents, with a desire to maintain their lifestyle with slow, monitored growth and development that can be well-managed by the residents. The village sits in the middle of a rich and productive salmon fisheries area; 24 residents hold commercial permits. Subsistence activities balance the seasonal nature of the fishery…
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/7908676p- 36. Halibut prices still stable, skipping summer trend It used to be that halibut prices would drop each summer when other fisheries began. But no longer. Prices for halibut started off in early March well above $3 a pound in most ports -- and they've remained there. The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute reports halibut prices remain at or above $3.50 per pound for most ports… http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/7867329p-7760775c.html 37. Cook Inlet: Disappointing harvest for all anglers predicted this year Commercial fishermen in the upper Cook Inlet are already wringing their hands over weak sockeye run projections, but the forecast could be full of dreary news for all sockeye user groups. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game estimates the total sockeye return for the upper Inlet will be 3.6 million fish, with an estimated harvest by all user groups of roughly 2.1 million fish… http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/7863622p-7757092c.html 38. Salmon Scam: Consumer Reports Analysis Reveals That Farm-Raised Salmon is Often Sold as 'Wild'; Salmon that is labeled "wild" may actually be farmed-raised, an analysis in the August issue of Consumer Reports reveals. Consumer Reports bought 23 supposedly "wild" salmon filets last November, December and March-during the off-season for wild- caught salmon-and found that only 10 of the 23 were definitely caught in the wild. The rest of the fish was farm-raised salmon. CR's findings raise both cost and health concerns for the consumer. Typically, wild salmon costs more than farmed. CR paid an average of $6.31 a pound for salmon labeled as farmed (all of which was indeed farmed) compared with $12.80 for correctly labeled wild salmon. The most costly of the bunch was farmed salmon labeled as wild, with an average price of $15.62 a pound… http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=68586 Fox News story: Some 'Wild' Salmon May Be Farmed http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,201640,00.html Sacramento Bee: Some buyers got fish story on wild salmon http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/14273465p-15083536c.html 39. News Zealand Fish Farm folds with $7M in debt A rescue mission has been launched to stop 20 tonnes of live kingfish becoming crayfish bait after a Far North fish farm folded with debts amounting to millions of dollars... http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3712537a11,00.html 40. Alaska Applies for Clean Water Act Permitting Authority The State of Alaska today formally applied to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for authority to permit wastewater discharges in Alaska in lieu of EPA’s Seattle-based permitting program. The state is seeking to join 45 other states that administer their own programs of issuing permits for wastewater discharges and monitoring compliance. Only Alaska, Idaho, New Mexico, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts do not currently issue National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. Governor’s Press release: http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=2464 41. Subsistence board rules Kodiak non-rural The Federal Subsistence Board will announce a proposed ruling today that would take away the City of Kodiak’s rural status for subsistence fishing and hunting on federal public lands and waters. Subsistence activists in this town of 13,000 people have put long hours into studying the rural-status issue with the intent of keeping Kodiak rural. Some were stunned when they heard about the ruling Thursday… http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=3311 &&& Previous story: Is Kodiak still rural? - Subsistence Board members tour town as status up for review… http://juneauempire.com/stories/061206/sta_20060612015.shtml 42. Federal Subsistence Board Proposes Changes in Rural/Nonrural Status – Comment deadline Oct 27. The Federal Subsistence Board is seeking public comments through Oct. 27, 2006 on a proposed rule that would change the rural or nonrural status of several Alaska communities and areas. The Board will make a decision on a final rule in December 2006… comments are sought on the following proposed changes: Adak would change from nonrural to rural… Prudhoe Bay would change from rural to nonrural… Point MacKenzie would be grouped with the nonrural Wasilla area and would change from rural to nonrural. Fritz Creek East (not including Voznesenka) and the North Fork Road area would be grouped with the nonrural Homer area and would change from rural to nonrural. The nonrural Ketchikan area would be expanded to include all those living on the road system connected to the City of Ketchikan (except Saxman), as well as Pennock Island, and parts of Gravina Island and the entire area would be considered nonrural. However, Saxman would remain separate and rural… The Kodiak area, including the City of Kodiak, the Mill Bay area, the Coast Guard Station, Women's Bay and Bells Flats, would be grouped and would change from rural to nonrural. Written comments on this issue will be accepted through Oct. 27, 2006 and can be sent by e-mail to subsistence@fws.gov , by fax at (907) 786-3898, or by mail… See June 23 USFWS news release at: http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/news.cfm?gnr=1 43. Kodiak Salmon season kicks off slow throughout island The 2006 commercial salmon season is under way in the Kodiak Island area, but the fish aren’t showing up in the numbers fishermen hope for — yet. “It seems that runs islandwide are late this year,” Alaska Department of Fish and Game area biologist Jeff Wadle said. “Hopefully it will start picking up here pretty soon.” http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=3254 44. EVOS Trustee Council Invitation for Proposals, & call for Advisory Committee members The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council announces the release of the FY07 Invitation for Proposals. The Invitation may be downloaded from the Trustee Council’s website at http://www.evostc.state.ak.us/Proposals/invitation.htm ADFG Public Notice:
http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7c 45. EVOS Trustee Council is soliciting nominations for the Public Advisory Committee to serve a 24 month term from October 2006 to October 2008. Nominations are due in the EVOS office by August 4, 2006. For more information: www.evostc.state.ak.us/Events/index.htm or www.evostc.state.ak.us/People/PAC.htm 46. Fishing just isn't what it used to be –profile of Everett Fisherman Mike Borovina Like many business owners, Mike Borovina is pretty wedded to his cellular phone and his computer… Commercial fishing, always a hard job physically, is getting a little easier. Unlike his father, Borovina doesn't row the skiff to set nets or haul them in by hand. He has his boat computer, his Global Positioning System locator and a lot of mechanical devices to make things easier. And, of course, there's a cellular phone to keep in touch. But everything's getting more expensive these days, from gas to groceries. The fisheries themselves are more controlled and difficult. And it's harder to find good help. Borovina said he particularly needs to take care of his equipment - if an engine dies, it could cost $50,000. "It's a little more of a gamble every time," he said. "It takes $20,000 to $30,000 just to get out of town." http://heraldnet.com/stories/06/06/26/100bus_benbow001.cfm 47. Seafood chefs battle to represent Alaska Executive chef from Settlers Bay Lodge takes the title, will compete in New Orleans
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/062506/hom 48. Green to the Gills –NY Times Sunday Magazine on fish farms The ocean has been the heterogeneous alternative to humankind's homogenizing juggernaut. Wild, complex ecosystems are still the norm rather than the exception in its untamed depths. But can this last? While aquaculturists assure the public that the area required for fish farms is tiny when compared with the vast expanse of the ocean, the farms that dotted the countryside before the agricultural revolutions of the 18th century probably once seemed similarly insignificant. Taking a long-range view, there is little doubt that we are on the verge of a vast new artificial selection that will determine the characteristics of a future marine ecology… http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/18/magazine/18fish.html 49. Bare-knuckles Alaska senator hulks over Washington state politics The most powerful U.S. senators run on a high-octane mix of fear and IOUs - they cause the former and collect the latter. For 38 years, few have been as fearsome or held as many chits as Ted Stevens, the irascible Republican from Alaska.…
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/20030843 50. Alaska Airlines Introduces First of Five 737-400 Cargo Aircraft Airline Investing $100 Million in Cargo Operation to Meet Growing Demand Alaska Airlines today introduced a Boeing 737-400 freighter to its cargo fleet, the first of five larger cargo aircraft the airline will put into service by the end of 2007. The all-cargo aircraft provides 50 percent more cargo capacity and more advanced flight guidance capabilities than the 737-200 it replaces… http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-28-2006/0004388960&EDATE= 51. OR: Wyden, Boxer lift hold on fisheries bill – with provision for salmon fishermen Two Democratic senators let a fisheries management bill go forward Thursday, after Senate leaders agreed to a provision making West Coast salmon fishermen eligible for disaster assistance…
http://www.kgw.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/ 52. Laine Welch's Fish Radio –Topics from this week Friday 6/30/06 - Omega3 calms kids Thursday 6/29/06 - Cod farming a growing business Wednesday 6/28/06 - Kodiak fish memorial gets new look Tuesday 6/27/06 - Fish and food banks Monday 6/26/06 - Fish ice cream and soda yumm, yumm http://www.marineconservationalliance.org/fishradio.htm & also see Laine Welch's Fish Factor at http://www.kinyradio.com/fishfactor.html & Laine’s weblog on Alaska report website: http://www.alaskareport.com/laine.htm 53. Commerce Announces 2006 Ocean Fishery Council Appointments The Commerce Department today announced the appointment of 29 members to the eight regional fishery management councils… The appointees for 2006 fill obligatory seats for Alaska and Washington: Arne J. Fuglvog – Alaska Edward B. Rasmuson – Alaska David Benson – Washington NOAA Press Release:
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/council 54. NOAA Fisheries files final rule on northern right whale critical habitat NOAA Fisheries is designating approximately 95,200 square kilometers (36,750 square miles) of the North Pacific Ocean as critical habitat for the northern right whale (Eubalaena glacialis). Two specific areas are being designated - one in the Gulf of Alaska and another in the Bering Sea. The rule designating the areas has been filed with the Federal Register and is expected to be published next week… The final rule, maps, and other materials will also be available on NOAA Fisheries’ Alaska Region website http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/ when the rule is published in the Federal Register. For further information, contact Brad Smith, (907) 271-3023, or Marta Nammack, (301) 713-1401.
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/nr_063006_critical 55. NMFS Final Rule on exclusion of tagged halibut and sablefish NMFS issues a final rule to exclude tagged halibut and tagged sablefish catches from deduction from fishermen's Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) and from Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) accounts. This action is necessary to ensure that only halibut and sablefish that are tagged with an external research tag are excluded from IFQ deduction, and to extend the same exclusion to halibut and sablefish harvested under the CDQ Program…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan2006 56. USCG posts Draft PEIS for Nationwide Automatic Identification System The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) announces the availability of the draft programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) addressing the proposed implementation of the Nationwide Automatic Identification System (NAIS) project. The proposed implementation of the NAIS project would involve installing receivers, transmitters, transceivers, repeaters, and other equipment on towers or other structures at up to 450 sites at locations along 95,000 miles of coastline and inland waterways, as well as the use of selected remote platforms. The USCG requests public comments on the draft PEIS… A public meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 9,2006 in Washington, DC… Comment deadline August 14
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan2006 57. MMRC Steller Research: Feast, Famine & the Maternal Instinct During the first two years of life, South American sea lions survive on mother’s milk and are frequently left unattended on shore while the mother forages for fish. When prey is plentiful, foraging trips are short. But during ocean climate events such as El Niño, fish can become scarce—and a prolonged foraging trip by a nursing sea lion can mean starvation for her pup. A new study suggests that the pattern of maternal attendance among female South American sea lions could be a reliable indicator of environmental change in the ocean… http://www.marinemammal.org/2006/maternal.php Marine Mammal Research Consortium home page: http://www.marinemammal.org/ 58. USDA announces almost $1.5 million available to cooperatives to assist small minority producers - Deadline July 28 Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced that nearly $1.5 million in grant funds is now available to eligible cooperatives and associations of cooperatives to help small, minority producers develop business plans, conduct feasibility studies or create marketing plans… Paper copies must be postmarked and mailed, shipped, or sent overnight no later than July 28, 2006… Electronic copies must be received by July 28, 2006, Federal Register Notice:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan2006 USDA Press release:
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome?conten SMGP program home page: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/smpg/smpg.htm 59. NOAA Notice of Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2007 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration publishes this notice to provide the general public with a consolidated source of program and application information related its competitive grant and cooperative agreement (CA) award offerings for fiscal year (FY) 2007. This Omnibus notice is designed to replace the multiple Federal Register notices that traditionally advertised the availability of NOAA's discretionary funds for its various programs…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan2006 NOAA Press Release: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pubann/pa06/pdfs/FB06-028.pdf 60. Federal Subsistence Board Requests Creation of Kenai Peninsula Subsistence Regional Advisory Council; Seeks Public Comment (deadline Aug 25) The Federal Subsistence Board has requested that the Secretary of the Interior authorize the establishment of a new subsistence regional advisory council to address subsistence uses of fish and wildlife on Federal public lands and waters on the Kenai Peninsula. The Board will accept public comment on this proposal through August 25, 2006. See June 15 post at USFWS Alaska Subsistence news page at: http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/news.cfm?gnr=1 61. Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 2005 Annual Report available The report is available and easily accessible on the internet at the CFEC website, www.cfec.state.ak.us/mnu_Annual_Reports.htm . We also have a limited number of printed copies of the report which we will be happy to send upon request to those who need to have the report in that form. If you’d like to request a printed copy, please contact Beccy Charles by email or phone beccy_charles@cfec.state.ak.us or 907-790-6933. 62. DCCED posts Fisheries Economic Development Program 2006 Grants The State is pleased to announce the first preliminary award determinations under the 2006 Fisheries Economic Development Grant Program. List of Preliminary Award
Winners:
http://www.dced.state.ak.us/oed/seafood/pub/2006 63. USCG Maritime Safety and Security Team to be deployed around Alaskan ports Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) Anchorage will be deploying to ports around the state of Alaska supporting a broad range of port security and harbor defense missions. The domestic and mobile MSST, modeled after pre-existing Coast Guard Port Security Units and Law Enforcement Detachments, was established to respond to terrorist threats or incidents in ports and waterways throughout the country… http://www.bymnews.com/new/content/view/31067/82/ Schedule Your FREE 'No Fault' Commercial Fishing Vessel Dockside Safety Exam Today!... at http://www.fishsafe.info/ 64. Vital Choices June 26 online newsletter: Omega 3 improves attention deficit New evidence indicates that fish oil may rival Ritalin in short term and surpass in the long run… http://newsletter.vitalchoice.com/ 65. Alaska Journal of Commerce presents Coastal Journal online at: http://www.alaskajournal.com/coastal_journal/ 66. June 16th ASMI Salmon Price Tracking http://www.alaskaseafood.org/industry/ market/pages/downloads/price-2006-06-23.pdf Salmon Market Information Service: http://www.alaskaseafood.org/industry/market/ ADFG 2006 Inseason Alaska Salmon Summary
http://www.cf.adfg.state.ak.us/geninfo/finfish/salmon/ |