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UFA Update January 12, 2007 The UFA semi-annual winter meeting will be held January 23-25 in Juneau. Members are invited – please contact the office for location and directions. Contents 1. Fish Bills Pre-filed for 25th Alaska Legislative Session 2. Marine Aquaculture Task Force issues final offshore aquaculture report. 3. Governor Palin Welcomes Lifting of Bristol Bay Lease Moratorium 4. Kodiak Island Borough mistakenly included in list of Bristol Bay oil supporters 5. Alaska editorial: We should close the Exxon chapter of Alaska history 6. BLM extends comment period on Bristol Bay Draft Resource Plan & EIS 7. Halibut charter growth cuts into commercial harvest 8. IPHC Staff Recommendations and Blue Book for IPHC meeting Jan 15-18, Victoria 9. Governor Palin Appoints Denby Lloyd as acting ADF&G Commissioner 10. NOAA proposes N. Pacific Right Whale as endangered species –Comment by Feb 26 11. AFSC Report: Disappearing Right Whales and the Secrets of Soviet Whaling 12. 2006 Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Population Estimate Completed 13. Interior Secretary Kempthorne Announces Proposal to List Polar Bears as Threatened 14. Crab plan alters balance of jobs 15. Corporate-friendly Rules Threaten Alaskan Crabbers 16. Competing Alaska fish processors look to merge by October 17. Pebble copper/gold project foes threaten to seek Alaska mining tax 18. Alaska continues to harvest employment from fisheries 19. Frontier drops Bristol Bay stops, adds flights to Northwest Alaska 20. State studies aim to grasp why uninsured lack coverage 21. Sen. Murkowski is 1st Alaskan to serve on health, ed., labor, and pensions committee 22. Top seafood market guru to address Southwest Alaska economic summit 23. Governor Palin Unveils FY08 Budgets 24. Stevens: Nation will copy Alaska fish management 25. 2006 was rosier for Southeast Alaska fisheries 26. APOC staff recommends maximum fine for Ben Stevens 27. State slams Prince William Sound hatcheries 28. Sea otters still struggling to survive (Homer) 29. Farm Service Agency County Committees Elect results posted 30. USDA reopens COOL comment period – Comment deadline February 26 31. Coast Guard rescues four fishermen 32. USCG Email Address Change for Ship Security Alert System Alerts 33. ASMI: Wild Alaska Salmon Advertising is Flying High 34. Young Fishermen’s Summit trains next generation fishermen 35. MMRC Summer Field Season 2006 Field Update #5: Far From the Field 36. Congress’ first day - Disaster relief help sought for Klamath fishermen 37. Laine Welch year end wrapup in ADN '06 a good year; '07 could be just as hot - 38. Laine Welch's Fish Radio –Topics from this week 39. Commerce Department Announces Appointment of Merrigan to NPFMC 40. NOAA Fisheries releasing final EIS document on groundfish harvest 41. NOAA Omnibus Notice of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2007 42. NMFS Notification of Halibut & Sablefish standard prices and fee percentage. 43. Alaska Crab Stock Enhancement and Rehabilitation: Workshop Proceedings 44. Board of Fisheries Bristol Bay Habitat Protection committee meets Jan 11 45. Interior Secretary Appoints Members to the Fed. Subsistence RACs 46. AFSC Report: Ecosystem Modeling for Sustainability-Case Study for the GOA 47. ADFG Fishery Management Reports Online – 48. ADF&G eLandings Fisheries Reporting System Reaches the 15000 Mark 49. Application deadline April 30 for 2007 AK Aquatic Farm Applications 50. USDA announces $100M to promote U.S. food and ag. overseas - $3M for ASMI. 51. BBRSDA Director nominations deadline Feb 1, Voting deadline April 7. 52. Vital Choices January 8 newsletter 53. USDA targets programs for agricultural producers, fishers and rural small businesses 1. Fish Bills Pre-filed for 25th Alaska Legislative Session HB 15 – Seaton - Board of Fisheries Conflict of Interest
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session HB 16 – Seaton - Bering Sea Korean hair crab and weathervane scallop fisheries
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session HB 26 - aquatic farm permitting involving geoducks and geoduck seed transfers
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session HB 74 – Seaton - prohibiting mixing zones in freshwater spawning waters
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session HB 40 – Gara – Land trades, purchases, and leases to enhance public access to certain streams for fishing, hunting, and recreational HB 41 - Gara – Returning habitat division to ADF&G
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session 2. Marine Aquaculture Task Force issues final offshore aquaculture report. The 2 megabyte report, and a two-page position paper are online at:
http://www.whoi.edu/sbl/liteSite.do?litesiteid=2790& (see Related Files section at right of page) Related News stories: WHOI Convenes Task Force of Business, Environmental, and Scientific Leaders.. Congress should enact legislation to ensure that strong environmental standards are in place to regulate the siting and conduct of offshore marine aquaculture, according to an independent panel of leaders from scientific, policymaking, business, and conservation institutions. http://www.huliq.com/5207/guidelines-development-marine-aquaculture-the-united-states Independent Panel Recommends Strong, Clear Guidelines for Development of Marine Aquaculture in the United States WOODS HOLE, Mass., Jan. 8 (AScribe Newswire) -- Congress should enact legislation to ensure that strong environmental standards are in place to regulate the siting and conduct of offshore marine aquaculture, according to an independent panel of leaders from scientific, policymaking, business, and conservation institutions. At the same time, the Marine Aquaculture Task Force suggests that the federal government should provide funding and incentives for research, development, and deployment of technologies, and techniques for sustainable marine aquaculture…
http://newswire.ascribe.org/cgi-bin/behold.pl?ascribeid=20070108.092950&time=10%20 NOAA Fisheries Director
Hogarths's Statement on the Woods Hole Marine Aquaculture Task Force Report
:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/mediacenter/docs/Director 3. Governor Palin Welcomes Lifting of Bristol Bay Lease Moratorium January 9, 2007, Juneau, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin today welcomed the news that President George W. Bush had lifted the moratorium barring oil and gas development in federal waters off Bristol Bay and the Aleutians Islands. “It is gratifying that the federal government is again looking north to Alaska to provide the energy our nation needs,” Palin said. “Development in the Bristol Bay region could provide the jobs, economic diversification and energy the people of this region need. If we can be sure it will not threaten the fisheries that are the foundation of the region’s economy and way of life, I’m all for it.” Governor’s Press release online at: http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php & Senator Stevens Commends Decision to Lift Bristol Bay Moratorium “Imported farmed salmon, high energy costs, and the area’s remoteness have limited economic development and contributed to high poverty in the region,” said Senator Stevens. “The possibility of oil and gas development in Bristol Bay presents a series of new opportunities to the people of this region. Equally important, offshore development in Bristol Bay will occur under stringent environmental safeguards, using the most advanced technology available to help ensure our fisheries are protected. I will continue to work with residents in this region to ensure their needs are met.” http://stevens.senate.gov/pr_detailed.cfm?prid=452 & Sen. Murkowski comments on the lifting of the presidential moratorium Following the decision today by President George Bush to lift the Presidential moratorium that has stopped all energy leasing from even being considered in the waters of the North Aleutian Shelf near Bristol Bay in recent years, Senator Lisa Murkowski urged Alaskans to continue to express their views on the merits and dangers of Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leasing in Alaska waters… ““I spoke with Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne about the environmental sensitivities of Bristol Bay and its world-leading sockeye salmon runs,” continued Murkowski. “During those conversations, I received an assurance from the Secretary that if leasing is ultimately proposed for the waters, that it will only be conducted with stringent environmental safeguards to protect not just salmon, but also any crab, cod, Pollock and whales, marine mammals and birdlife that live and pass through the Bristol Bay region waters..” http://murkowski.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=267351 & President Bush Lifts Ban on Oil Drilling President Bush on Tuesday lifted the drilling ban for Alaska’s Bristol Bay, clearing the way for the Interior Department to open the fish-rich waters to oil and natural gas development. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16545911/ & Related News Stories: Alaska officials react to Bristol Bay announcement http://www.ktva.com/alaska/ci_4979198 Leaders voice mixed reactions to Bristol drilling http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=4242 4. Kodiak Island Borough mistakenly included in list of Bristol Bay oil supporters The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly has not taken a position on the Bristol Bay oil and gas drilling moratorium since 1989, yet news reports including the Kodiak borough in a list of entities that want the ban lifted were widely reported last month… http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=4202 5. Alaska editorial: We should close the Exxon chapter of Alaska history Last month a three-judge panel, including Judge Andrew Kleinfeld of Fairbanks, somewhat grudgingly cut in half a $5 billion jury award saying, oh so correctly, "it is time for this protracted litigation to end." In dissent, Judge James Browning, said the original $5 billion verdict was fine and that there "is no principled means by which this award should be reduced." Combined, the judges' statements should be a strong hint for Exxon. Yet, Exxon's spokesman Dave Gardner stopped short of telling reporters whether the company would appeal the decision and said, "in our opinion the facts of this case do not warrant an award this size."…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/010907/opi_ 6. BLM extends comment period on Bristol Bay Draft Resource Plan & EIS The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces an extension of the public comment period on the Bay Draft Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/EIS). The original notice, issued September 29, 2006, provided for a comment period to end on January 5, 2007. The BLM is extending the comment period until February 5, 2007. Federal Register Notice:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan2006 BLM Bay Plan home page: http://www.blm.gov/ak/ado/BayRMP01.html Draft Bay RMP and EIS document: http://www.blm.gov/ak/ado/bayrmp/start_here.pdf 7. Halibut charter growth cuts into commercial harvest Charter boat operations are growing by leaps and bounds in Southeast Alaska resulting in the industry far exceeding their guideline harvest level (GHL) in 2006. Kodiak’s charter industry exceeded their 2006 GHL by a small percentage, but charter operators agree there is room for a lot more growth… http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=4207 8. IPHC Staff Recommendations and Blue Book for IPHC meeting Jan 15-18, Victoria BC 2007 Annual Meeting News Release, Regulatory and Administrative proposals, Catch Limit comments, and Annual Meeting handout (Bluebook) (pdf, 1.9 MB) 2007 Meeting materials:
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/pubs/ IPHC Home page: http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/ 9. Governor Palin Appoints Denby Lloyd as acting ADF&G Commissioner “Denby has earned the regard and respect of constituent groups and staff alike, and will continue to be a great asset to this administration in his new capacity as Acting Commissioner,” said Governor Sarah Palin. & UFA Applauds Governor Palin for Appointing Denby Lloyd http://www.ufa-fish.org/press/2006-05_UFA_Applauds_Palin_on_naming_lloyd_122806.pdf 10. NOAA proposes N. Pacific Right Whale as endangered species –Comment by Feb 26 This rule proposes to list the North Pacific right whale as an endangered species …A proposed rule for designation of critical habitat will follow this action. We are soliciting public comment on this proposed listing determination… Comments on this proposed rule must be received by close of business on February 26, 2007. Requests for public hearings must be made in writing by February 12, 2007… Federal Register Notice:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan2006 11. AFSC Report: Disappearing Right Whales and the Secrets of Soviet Whaling Recently, the National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML) came into possession of a collection of internal reports written by Soviet scientists working aboard whaling factory ships in the North Pacific. At the time that these reports were written, the U.S.S.R. was engaged in a massive worldwide campaign of illegal whaling, which began in 1947 and continued until introduction of the International Whaling Commission’s (IWC) International Observer Scheme in 1972… The most notable example of the damage inflicted in the North Pacific is that of the right whale. By 1963, the eastern population of this species was showing signs of a slow recovery from the intensive historical whaling, which had begun in 1835. However, the remnant population was virtually extirpated by a Soviet catch of 372 whales between 1963 and 1967; most of these animals were taken in the southeastern Bering Sea and in an area south of Kodiak…
http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/Quarterly/jas2006/ 12. 2006 Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Population Estimate Completed NOAA Fisheries Service biologists have analyzed data from a recent survey of beluga whales in Cook Inlet near Anchorage, Alaska. The latest abundance estimate is 302 individual beluga whales in Cook Inlet. “Although this estimate is slightly higher than the 2005 estimate of 278 whales, it is still well below the average of 370 whales for the years 1999 to 2004," explained Alaska Fisheries Science Center Administrator Doug DeMaster. "If you step back to look at the bigger picture, the annual estimates from 1994 to 2006 show an average decline of 5.6 percent per year." … For more information, visit: www.fakr.noaa.gov/protectedresources/whales/beluga.htm NOAA Press release:
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2007/beluga 13. Interior Secretary Kempthorne Announces Proposal to List Polar Bears as Threatened Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne today announced the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to list the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and initiating a comprehensive scientific review to assess the current status and future of the species…
http://www.fws.gov/news/NewsReleases/showNews.cfm? 14. Crab plan alters balance of jobs Labor economists say that while overall fish harvesting employment increased slightly in 2005, privatizing of crab fisheries resulted in a significantly smaller average job count from September through December of 2005.
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/010707/hom_2007 15. Corporate-friendly Rules Threaten Alaskan Crabbers Steve Branson, Shawn Dochtermann, Food & Water Watch, & Greenpeace are featured in this lengthy New Standard essay… A crab fishing program started in 2005 -- ostensibly to stop overfishing and ensure fishermen's safety -- has given fishing rights to corporations, put individual fishermen out of work, and risked the marine ecosystem. http://newstandardnews.net/content/index.cfm/items/3761 16. Competing Alaska fish processors look to merge by October Two major Japanese companies heavily invested in processing some of the same Alaska fisheries will merge in October into a new entity, Maruha Nichiro Holdings Inc…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/010707/hom_2007 17. Pebble copper/gold project foes threaten to seek Alaska mining tax (Mineweb.com) The battle over Northern Dynasty Minerals’ Pebble copper-gold project kicked up a notch this week with a threat to circulate a petition to put a mining tax on the state ballot in Alaska… Art Hackney of the Renewable Resources Coalition suggested to the Anchorage Daily News that a new mining tax is one of the possible tools to fight the Pebble project… Northern Dynasty spokesman Sean Magee told the Anchorage Daily News Wednesday that “it’s stunning” that Pebble’s opponents would even make the petition threat. Alaska legislator Rep. Paul Seaton, R-Homer, already declared his intention to introduce legislation aimed at changing the mining industry’s taxes. Seaton is also a commercial fisherman. http://www.mineweb.net/sustainable_mining/554709.htm 18. Alaska continues to harvest employment from fisheries Fisheries continue to be a major source of employment in Alaska, with fish harvest jobs averaging nearly 7,500 a month in 2005, state labor economists report in the latest edition of Alaska Economic Trends. At the peak of summer in 2005, the monthly job count in fish harvesting rose above 20,000 workers, the report said…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/010707/hom_2007 19. Frontier drops Bristol Bay stops, adds flights to Northwest Alaska Frontier Flying Service has pulled its flights from Dillingham and Togiak, blaming recent changes to the U.S. Postal Service bypass mail regulations for its withdrawal…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/010707/hom_2007 20. State studies aim to grasp why uninsured lack coverage The state Department of Health and Social Services is working to get a better handle on access to health care facilities and on the numbers of Alaskans who have no health insurance. The department this month issued two requests for proposals seeking contractors to conduct interviews with various groups to discuss insurance coverage and to hold talks about access to health care facilities…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/010707/hom_2007 21. Sen. Murkowski is 1st Alaskan to serve on health, ed., labor, and pensions committee “On the HELP Committee, I look forward to being a part of the effort to reauthorize, and fix where needed, the legislation for No Child Left Behind, while working to identify ways to address some of the critical health care needs of our state. http://murkowski.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=266952 UFA will continue to work with Senator Murkowski and our delegation for fishermen’s health care. 22. Top seafood market guru to address Southwest Alaska economic summit Seafood market analyst John Sackton, president of Seafood.com, will be the featured speaker at the 2007 Southwest Alaska Economic Summit Jan. 25-26 in Anchorage. He will discuss the global seafood industry and its implications for Alaska. Sackton is recognized as one of the nation's top seafood market analysts. His daily seafood commentary is read by thousands in the industry… Other fisheries topics to be featured at the summit include a presentation by Lacey Berns on her research on the cultural and social impacts of low salmon prices on the social ties and networks in the Kodiak salmon fishery. Berns is doing a master's thesis on the topic at Humboldt State University…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/010707/fis_2007 23. Governor Palin Unveils FY08 Budgets Gov’s Press
release:
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/ Find ADF&G & other departments’ budgets online at http://www.gov.state.ak.us/omb/08_OMB/budget/index.htm 24. Stevens: Nation will copy Alaska fish management Alaska-style fish management should be possible throughout U.S. waters under changes coming to federal law, Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young said Wednesday… http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=4214 MSA Online: 2007 Reauthorization of Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act - enrolled version of MSA, HR 5946: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/2007reauth_notsigned.pdf 25. 2006 was rosier for Southeast Alaska fisheries $95.2 MILLION: Despite poor pink salmon returns, industry kept improving. Southeast Alaska saw continued improvements in 2006 of a commercial salmon fishing industry that's still on the mend after terrible seasons in recent years…
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/ 26. APOC staff recommends maximum fine for Ben Stevens Move reverses an earlier decision on senator's failure to report income from clients... http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/8551676p-8445509c.html &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Corruption probe turns to fisheries As a federal investigation into alleged corruption involving Alaska legislators widens, several major seafood companies have been subpoenaed for documents related to the investigation, industry sources say…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/122406/hom_2006 27. State slams Prince William Sound hatcheries Prince William Sound Aquaculture called the issues dated or overblown. State officials have accused Alaska's largest salmon hatchery operator of numerous violations, some of them termed "egregious." The Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corp., based in Cordova, has failed or refused to abide by its state permits, has been uncooperative with state officials and has failed to deal with what the state calls "large-scale straying" of hatchery-born pink and chum salmon, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game…
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/851 28. Sea otters still struggling to survive (Homer) National Marine Fisheries Service forms investigative team to look into Unusual Mortality Event among Kachemak Bay otters… http://www.homertribune.com/article.php?aid=1113 29. Farm Service Agency County Committees Elect results posted See
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/stateoffapp?mystate 30. USDA reopens COOL comment period – Comment deadline February 26 for interim final rule for mandatory Country Of Origin Labeling of fish and shellfish The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today that it is reopening the comment period for 90 days for the Interim Final Rule (IFR) for mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) for fish and shellfish covered commodities. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service is reopening the comment period to request general comments on the costs and benefits of the IFR. Comments addressing implementation costs, maintenance costs, benefits, and net economic impact are of special interest… http://www.ams.usda.gov/news/279-06.htm Federal Register Notice:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan2006 31. Coast Guard rescues four fishermen The Coast Guard rescued four fishermen two miles east of Cape Igvak at 3:50 pm today. …the crew of the F/V Hunter were hoisted to safety by Coast Guard rescue helicopter. All four crew members were taken to Kodiak where they received medical attention. The F/V Hunter is based out of Cordova. http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/780/141406/ 32. USCG Email Address Change for Ship Security Alert System Alerts The U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center, Alameda, announces a change in the e-mail address that U.S. vessels equipped with a Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) must use to send emergency notices to the Coast Guard when their security is threatened. The new email address is: ssas@uscg.mil USCG Safety alert: http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/moa/docs/6-06.pdf 33. ASMI: Wild Alaska Salmon Advertising is Flying High The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute Encourages Retail Customers to "Ask for Alaska" in New Alaska Airlines Advertisment..
http://www.alaskaseafood.org/about/pressreleases/ 34. Young Fishermen’s Summit trains next generation fishermen The Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program is paving the way for the next generation of fishermen with a summit to be held at Anchorage’s Hotel Captain Cook on Jan. 25-26. http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=4223 UAF Marine Advisory Program Young Fishermen’s Summit home page: http://seagrant.uaf.edu/map/workshops/2007/ayfs/index.html UFA supports the Young Fishermen’s Summit. 35. MMRC Summer Field Season 2006 Field Update #5: Far From the Field Researcher Pamela Lestenkof spent the summer at her home in the remote Pribilof Islands, where she studied the foraging behavior of the island's fur seal population. Now back at her home-away-from-home at the University of British Columbia, the next phase of her research begins. In this final field update she describes the months of data analysis ahead, which she expects will yield valuable information about the degree of spatial overlap between fur seal habitat… http://www.marinemammal.org/2006/nfs_5.php MMRC Home page: http://www.marinemammal.org/ 36. Congress’ first day - Disaster relief help sought for Klamath fishermen On the first day of the 110th Congress, bills were introduced in both the House and Senate to aid suffering salmon fishermen. (Calif.) North Coast Congressman Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, introduced legislation to provide federal disaster relief to California and Oregon's salmon fishing industry. The bill authorizes the appropriation of $60.4 million for the fishermen, tribes and businesses that were impacted by the commercial fishery failure of 2006. California Sen. Barbara Boxer also introduced companion legislation Thursday in the Senate. http://www.times-standard.com/local/ci_4955573 37. Laine Welch year end wrapup in ADN '06 a good year; '07 could be just as hot - Commercial fishing in Alaska remains a vibrant industry that is the envy of other countries around the world. Managers and industry stakeholders are protective stewards of Alaska's robust marine resources -- especially while the fisheries are being retooled to conform to the tough realities of changing times… Best fish mover/shaker: Bruce Schactler of Kodiak, who almost singlehandedly has helped redefine federal feeding rules to include Alaska canned pink and chum salmon in world food aid programs…
http://www.adn.com/outdoors/story/8527730p- 38. Laine Welch's Fish Radio –Topics from this week Wednesday 1/10/07 Fish n Flush turns toilets into aquariums Tuesday 1/9/07 AK snow crab price nearly doubles; Bering Sea fleet gets jump on competition Monday 1/8/07 Ads claim farmed salmon, cod 'protect oceans'; US jewelers urged to boycott gold from Pebble Mine Friday 1/5/07 Symphony of Seafood unveils 18 new products in Seattle & Anchorage Thursday 1/4/07 Jan. marks start of AK's biggest fisheries; a peek at some price trends Online at http://www.marineconservationalliance.org/fishradio.htm & also see Laine Welch's Fish Factor at http://www.kinyradio.com/fishfactor.html 39. Commerce Department Announces Appointment of Merrigan to NPFMC The Commerce Department announced the appointment of Gerald P. Merrigan from Petersburg, Alaska, to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. Merrigan has been a commercial fisherman since 1981 and is currently employed by a fishing company based in Petersburg, Alaska. He will serve on the Council until August 10, 2009…
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2006/ 40. NOAA Fisheries releasing final EIS document on groundfish harvest NOAA Fisheries has released the Alaska Groundfish Harvest Specifications Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for a 30-day review period. The document examines projected environmental impacts of alternative harvest strategies for the groundfish fisheries of the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, including pollock, Pacific cod, rockfish, and flatfish… The Alaska Groundfish Harvest Specifications Final EIS can be downloaded electronically or a printed copy can be requested from: www.fakr.noaa.gov/analyses/specs/eis/default.htm NOAA Press Release:
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2007/ground 41. NOAA Omnibus Notice of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2007 The NOAA publishes this notice to provide the general public with a consolidated source of program and application information related to its competitive grant and cooperative agreement (CA) award offerings for fiscal year (FY) 2007… The full funding announcement for each program is available via the Grants.gov web site: http://www.grants.gov . Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education, other nonprofits, and state, local and Indian tribal governments in the United States…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan2006 42. NMFS Notification of Halibut & Sablefish standard prices and fee percentage. SUMMARY: NMFS publishes IFQ standard prices for the individual fishing quota (IFQ) cost recovery program in the halibut and sablefish fisheries of the North Pacific. This action is intended to provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2006 standard prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment for IFQ cost recovery fees due by January 31, 2007. Federal register:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan2006 NOAA - Three Ways To Pay Your IFQ Cost Recovery Fee: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/ram/ifqfees.htm Payments are due by January 31, 2007. 43. Alaska Crab Stock Enhancement and Rehabilitation: Workshop Proceedings available at SeaGrant bookstore: http://seagrant.uaf.edu/bookstore/pubs/AK-SG-06-04.html 44. Board of Fisheries Bristol Bay Habitat Protection committee meets Jan 11 …the Alaska Board of Fisheries committee on Bristol Bay Habitat Protection will meet for the purposes of developing recommendations for the full board. The committee will meet 9:00 a.m. January 11, 2007 at the Department of Natural Resources office, Atwood Building, 550 West 7th Avenue, Anchorage, AK. This meeting is open to the public. The board committee will not take oral public testimony during this session. For further information or a copy of the agenda contact Jim Marcotte at (907) 465-4110.
http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/meetinfo 45. Interior Secretary Appoints Members to the Federal Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils For your region see December 29 Press releases at: http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/news.cfm?gnr=1 46. AFSC Report: Ecosystem Modeling for Sustainability A Case Study for the Gulf of Alaska This article describes AFSC efforts to develop intuition about the Gulf of Alaska marine ecosystem using ecosystem model scenarios so that management may move to a fuller ecosystem level of policy evaluation..
http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/Quarterly/jas2006/jas More Alaska Fisheries Science Center reports are at: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/ 47. ADFG Fishery Management Reports Online – South Alaska Peninsula area Pacific cod fishery report to the Alaska Board of Fisheries. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fishery Management Report No. 06-73, Anchorage. Mattes, L. A. and N. H. Sagalkin. 2006. & Norton Sound Golovin and Moses Point Subdistricts chum salmon stock status and action plan, 2007; a report to the Alaska Board of Fisheries. Menard, J. and D. J. Bergstrom. & Alaska Peninsula-Aleutian Islands management area herring sac roe and food and bait fisheries report to the Alaska Board of Fisheries, 2007. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fishery Management Report No. 06-72, Anchorage. Jackson, J. V. and A. D. Poetter. & 2004 Chignik management area annual management report. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fishery Management Report No. 06-69, Anchorage. Bouwens, K. A., and M. A. Stichert. 2006. All online at: http://www.cf.adfg.state.ak.us/geninfo/pubs/pubs_recent.php 48. ADF&G eLandings Fisheries Reporting System Reaches the 15000 Mark: ADF&G to expand the successful program The eLandings system, Alaska’s new electronic commercial fisheries catch reporting system, hit the 15,000 mark at the close of 2006. After 16 months of operation, the revolutionary reporting system is proving to be very successful. It replaces the old carbon copy receipt system, eliminates reporting duplication, and increases efficiency for harvesters, processors, and managers… http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/news/2007/1-4-07_nr.php 49. Application deadline April 30 for 2007 AK Aquatic Farm Applications From January 1, 2007 to April 30, 2007 the DNR will be accepting applications for the farming of shellfish and sea plants on state-owned tidelands. The 2007 joint-agency application can now be filled out on-line and printed. Applications will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 30, 2007… http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/mlw/aquatic/index.htm 50. USDA announces $100 million to promote U.S. food and agricultural products overseas - $3M for ASMI. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced fiscal year 2007 allocations of $100 million to 67 U.S. trade organizations to promote U.S. agricultural products overseas… (Includes $3M for ASMI)
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome?content 51. BBRSDA Director nominations deadline Feb 1, Voting deadline April 7. The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association is conducting a vote among Bristol Bay salmon drift gillnet permit holders to fill 7 seats on its Board of Directors. The elected Board will oversee all aspects of the BB-RSDA including developing an initial plan of operations and hiring an Executive Director. This election will be conducted under the terms of the Association’s bylaws… http://www.bbrsda.com/driftnet/default.asp 52. Vital Choices January 8 newsletter This weeks stories include Omega-3s Enhance Post-Surgery Outcomes Salmon Dam’s Demise Marks Timely Trend FDA Agrees that Vitamin D + Calcium Combo Cuts Osteoporosis Risk And more at: http://newsletter.vitalchoice.com 53. USDA targets programs for agricultural producers, fishers and rural small businesses PALMER,
Alaska, December 27, 2006 - Chad
Padgett,
Alaska Acting
State Director for USDA
Rural Development announced that applications will soon be accepted for
programs targeting agricultural producers and
rural small businesses.
To learn more about these programs
and application deadlines, please contact Karen Dearlove, Special Projects
Representative at (907) 761-7716 or email her at
karen.dearlove@ak.usda.gov
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