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UFA Update September 16, 2007 Rerun – Time is running out and nonresident need to contact their senators: UFA Action Alert – Letters and calls needed to Senate Finance Committee to pass S. 552, the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Tax Treatment Act. UFA Action Alert & sample letter: http://www.ufa-fish.org/update/07/050507aa.htm Do you know anyone who lives in Montana? Senate Finance Committee chairman Baucus will care about this if he hears from Montanans. How about WA, OR, IA, CO, and more?… take a look at this Senate Resources committee list and contact friends and family to ask their Senators in these states to support S 552. Senate Finance Committee: http://www.senate.gov/~finance/sitepages/committee.htm Contents: 1. Exxon plaintiffs file cross-appeal to reinstate $5B damages 2. UFA Report: Fishermen falling through the cracks in health care & insurance 3. Fishermen’s Fund Appeals Board seeks fishermen willing to serve 4. Health care plan touts insurance for all Alaskans 5. USCG Cutter Boutwell transfers custody of high seas driftnetter Lu Rong Yu 6007 6. Catching fish, netting earmarks up in Alaska 7. ADN Interview: Palin foresees positive changes in politics 8. Governor Forms Alaska Climate Change Sub-Cabinet 9. NPFMC member Ed Rasmuson to step down Jan 1. 10. Comment by September 30 on Limited Access Privilege Programs 11. The Highliner blog: About that professor Bromley 12. Gulf Council developing regulations to allow open ocean aquaculture 13. NOAA Launches 2008-2009 National Marine Aquaculture Competition 14. BC Salmon 'spill' prompts calls for closed farming system 15. World Bank on Aquaculture: Changing the Face of the Waters 16. Pinks lift '07 salmon catch to a near record 17. Sportsmen's Caucus formed by Rep. John Harris 18. Oyster growers plan processing plant on Homer Spit 19. NOAA Halibut–Sablefish 2005 report 20. Illegal charter nets guide big fine 21. Fisherman loses 20-year Chatham sablefish permit fight 22. Juneau scientist explores world's largest marine canyon – to close it to fishing. 23. Bringing the Ocean to the World,’ in High-Tech – N.Pacific monitoring project 24. Bristol Bay hosts House Fisheries Legislative Hearings for HB 134 – Sept 24-26 25. Center for Biological Diversity: list Pacific as impaired waterway 26. Sled Dogs Warn of Alaskan Mercury Levels 27. Selendang Ayu owner pleads guilty, fined $10M 28. Governor appoints Tom McGlaughlin, Jack Shulteis to ASMI Board 29. MSC awards first eco-label to tuna fishery 30. Comment Deadline Sept 26 on MSC sustainable label for BC Sockeye Fishery 31. Kodiak salmon tops tuna at area Subways 32. Alaska leads the way by getting fish on school lunch menus 33. Troopers put brown shirts back in style 34. ADN Community Profiles: Chignik & Golvin 35. Review board yanks Shell Beaufort Sea pollution permits 36. NOAA Reports La Niña is Developing 37. Wild caught fish are not likely to get the organic nod… By Laine Welch 38. Laine Welch's Fish Radio –Topics from this week 39. NMFS posts Halibut & Sablefish IFQ modifications (Aug. 9) 40. NOAA posts BSAI Pacific Cod Allocations final rule 41. NOAA BSAI Amendment 80 Public Workshop – Sept 24, Seattle 42. BSAI Amendment 80 Application for Quota share deadline October 15 43. BSAI AFA Sideboards final rule 44. NOAA Seeks Comments on BSAI Crab Rationalization Information Collections 45. Sierra Club seeks Lynn Canal Herring ESA listing –comment by December 10 46. USCG Marine Safety Alert: Programming Marine Radio and AIS Equipment 47. Comment deadline Sept 21 on BOF AC changes: 48. AK DEC Solicitation for Water Quality Data and Information – Oct 17 Deadline 49. Cook Inlet Areawide 2008 Oil and Gas Lease Sales –State calls for new information 50. CFEC posts 2006 Annual Report 51. NOAA amended Omnibus Grant availability notice 52. NPFMC - 3A Halibut Documents for October meeting. 53. Subsistence Board seeks comments on draft Customary and Traditional Use policy 54. Ninilchik residents C&T now salmon only, not resident species 55. Fallout continues – Fairbanks News Miner on Fed Subsistence 56. New Kenai subsistence fishery was fairly quiet 57. Stikine Riverbed State or Fed? – Comment by Nov 20 & Oct 22. 58. Other jurisdiction applications: Little Scottie Creek and Scottie Creek (Tenana) 59. 2007 Preliminary Alaska Salmon Catches - Blue Sheet & summaries updated 7/13 60. Board of Fisheries proposals for 2007-2008 cycle 1. Exxon plaintiffs file cross-appeal to reinstate $5B damages If high court hears oil giant’s appeal, plaintiffs will request $5B for damages Plaintiffs are filing a cross-appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court today asking for punitive damages in the Exxon Valdez oil spill to be raised to $5 billion if the high court decides in favor of Exxon’s request last week to hear the case. Plaintiff’s attorney Matt Jamin of Kodiak said Monday a cross-appeal would re-establish the $5 billion originally awarded in the 18-year-old case, only if the Supreme Court takes the case... http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=5147 & APRN audio: Oil spill plaintiffs ask Supreme Court to dismiss ExxonMobil’s latest appeal: http://aprn.org/2007/08/ (scroll down) or http://media.aprn.org/2007/ann-20070830-01.mp3 (audio) & APRN: State and federal governments waiting for $92 million from ExxonMobil reopener http://aprn.org/2007/09/03/state-and-federal-governments-waiting-for-92-million-from-exxonmobil/ 2. UFA Report: Fishermen falling through the cracks in health care & insurance United Fishermen of Alaska (UFA), a trade association representing 36 Alaska commercial fishing organizations, released a study today that shows that many Alaska commercial fishermen fall through the cracks when it comes to access to health care and health insurance coverage - but would likely have lower than expected health care costs were health care services and insurance more available…
http://www.sitnews.us/0907news/090407/090407_ UFA Health Care Report: http://www.ufa-fish.org/doc/healthcare2007.pdf 3. Fishermen’s Fund Appeals Board seeks fishermen willing to serve The Fishermen’s fund is a vital component of health care for Alaska fishermen. One or two fishermen’s seats are open on the appeals board. The UFA Board will consider the $2500 limit at our Wrangell meeting. Contact Frank Bailey at the Governor’s office of Board and Commissions at 465-3500. http://gov.state.ak.us/boards/factsheet.php?i=038 & Senator Murkowski urges the senate to pass Indian Health Care Improvement Act http://murkowski.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=282761 & Senator Murkowski supports reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.. http://murkowski.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=280448 4. Health care plan touts insurance for all Alaskans State legislators on Monday got an in-depth look at a new bill attempting to create universal health care in Alaska through a “consumer driven” model that would require everyone to become insured, but would also help pay medical costs for the poorest Alaskans. Sen. Hollis French, an Anchorage Democrat, first proposed the bill toward the end of the last regular session, and called the late summer hearing before the Senate Health, Education and Social Services committee a “jump start on the 90-day session” next year, when legislators will have to work quicker than usual. Based loosely on a well-publicized plan instituted in Massachusetts last year, French’s bill would create an 11-member Alaska Health Care Board charged with defining the essential medical services covered by the program and certifying private coverage plans that meet state requirements. The board would also oversee the Alaska Health Fund, where contributions from state and federal sources, as well as employers and employees, would go toward a sliding-scale voucher system. Based on income, Alaskans could take those vouchers to the Alaska Health Care Clearinghouse, a “marketplace” of various certified policies. http://newsminer.com/2007/09/11/8825 5. USCG Cutter Boutwell transfers custody of high seas driftnetter Lu Rong Yu 6007 The Coast Guard Cutter Boutwell transferred custody of the Lu Rong Yu 6007 to the Chinese Fisheries Law Enforcement Command (FLEC) today ending American paticipation in the multi-national law enforcement action involving suspected high-seas drift net fishing… http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/780/171844/ & China, U.S., Japan cooperate against high-seas drift nets (9/7) The United States Coast Guard, the People's Republic of China Fisheries Law Enforcement Command (FLEC), and Japanese Coast Guard are investigating a fishing vessel suspected of illegal high-seas drift net fishing five hundred miles east of Hokkaido, Japan… http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/780/171373/ Senator Stevens reiterated at the Ted Stevens Marine Research Center dedication ceremony that illegal fishing was one of the major points of the MSA Authorization. We applaud this example and look forward to more. See #20 for more illegal fishing enforcement (guided). 6. Catching fish, netting earmarks up in Alaska By Manu Raju September 06, 2007 Sen. Ted Stevens has quietly steered millions of federal dollars to a sportfishing industry group founded by Bob Penney, a longtime friend who helped the Alaska Republican profit from a lucrative land deal, according to public records and officials from the state. Critics say those earmarked federal dollars could be the first example of how Stevens rewarded Penney for a land deal in Utah that reportedly earned the senator more than $125,000. Penney’s group, for its part, rewarded Stevens with several expensive gifts at the time it was receiving the earmarked dollars… http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/catching-fish-netting-earmarks-up-in-alaska-2007-09-06.html 7. ADN Interview: Palin foresees positive changes in politics “…I am not scared of the changes that I believe are inevitable in terms of leadership that has represented the state of Alaska for all of these years because the change is inevitable… I am not buddies with Bob Penney. I don't go to that Kenai classic fishery thing, you know, I don't go hunting and fishing with Bill Allen. That's not my world. So my perspective is, I guess this new leadership team, we wouldn't be tempted to become part of that world because that is not where we came from. I'm not enticed at all or excited about the idea of hooking up with some of the characters in the past that now are in trouble…” http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/9272372p-9187130c.html 8. Governor Forms Alaska Climate Change Sub-Cabinet Governor Sarah Palin today signed Administrative Order 238 establishing a sub-cabinet to prepare a climate change strategy. “Many scientists note that Alaska’s climate is changing,” Governor Palin said. “We are already seeing the effects. Coastal erosion, thawing permafrost, retreating sea ice and record forest fires affect our communities and our infrastructure. Some scientists tell us to expect more changes in the future. We must begin to prepare for those changes now….” http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=608 9. NPFMC member Ed Rasmuson to step down Jan 1. Ed Rasmuson, a former Anchorage banker, has informed Gov. Sarah Palin he will resign from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council effective Jan. 1. And he's got some suggestions for his replacement… For ADN Highliner blog see http://community.adn.com/adn/node/110578 10. Comment by September 30 on Limited Access Privilege Programs The National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) is soliciting public comment on what guidance is needed for the LAPP provisions found in section 303A of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), as amended by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006 (MSRA). NOAA Fisheries especially seeks comments describing any questions on the application of the LAPP provisions and input on what topics in MSA section 303A need interpretation… NOAA Fisheries Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act LAPPs home page http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/msa2007/limitedaccess.html 11. The Highliner blog: About that professor Bromley We were naturally curious to learn more about Professor Daniel Bromley’s work for the state (The Highliner, Aug. 27). So we fired a few questions to Denby Lloyd, state fish and game commissioner and Alaska’s lead representative on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council… http://community.adn.com/adn/node/110186 & Professor Bromley – quota killer? – ADN Highliner blog by Wesley Loy Many industry players expect the state to push soon for changes to “crab rationalization,” the sweeping overhaul of Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands crab fishery management that began in 2005 and continues to churn controversy. Daniel Bromley, a University of Wisconsin economist and fish policy philosopher, could have considerable influence in whatever is proposed. Bromley’s fairly revolutionary ideas evidently are of keen interest to officials in Alaska, whose governor controls five of the 11 seats on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council… http://community.adn.com/adn/node/109904 Professor Daniel Bromley Home page: http://www.aae.wisc.edu/dbromley/ October Bromley 2005 paper: Purging the frontier from our mind: Crafting a new fisheries policy “…Unfortunately, the regional fisheries management councils, founded on the utopian themes of localism and beneficent optimism, have shown themselves incapable of taking care of their first business – the protection of America’s fishery resources”
http://www.adn.com/static/includes/highliner/ or if this ADN link
times out try:
http://www.aae.wisc.edu/dbromley//pdfs/FISH More than half of US seafood is from Alaska, where the North Pacific Council has proven very capable of protecting our fishery resources. UFA opposes auctions and limited durability of fishing privileges. -MV 12. Gulf Council developing regulations to allow open ocean aquaculture With planning money from NOAA, the Gulf Council is developing regulations to enable it to permit fish farming in the EEZ within its jurisdiction… “The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has authority to regulate fisheries in federal waters, including aquaculture… The purpose of this FMP amendment is to develop a regional permitting process for regulating and promoting environmentally sound and economically sustainable aquaculture in the Gulf EEZ... Programmatic EIS:
http://www.gulfcouncil.org/Beta/GMFMCWeb/downloads/ Gulf Council home page: http://www.gulfcouncil.org 13. NOAA Launches 2008-2009 National Marine Aquaculture Competition Deadline for Pre-Proposals is October 18, 2007
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) has announced an open competition for up to $8 million
in competitive grants in 2008-2009 through the National Marine Aquaculture
Initiative. The grants will be awarded to demonstration projects and
research to develop sustainable marine aquaculture in the United States. The
deadline for preliminary proposals is October 18, 2007. The deadline for
full proposals is January 24, 2008. Institutions of higher education,
nonprofit organizations, commercial organizations, Federal, State, local and
Indian tribal governments, and individuals are eligible to apply…
http://www.lib.noaa.gov/docaqua/news/nmaiannounce 14. BC Salmon 'spill' prompts calls for closed farming system Calls to have British Columbia's salmon farming industry move to a closed, shore-based system were revived yesterday while crews scrambled to respond to the latest "spill" of Atlantic salmon from an open net pen in Clayoquot Sound. Mainstream Canada officials said thousands of Atlantic salmon escaped from an inner containment net but they weren't sure yet how many - if any at all - had made it past an outer barrier, known as a predator net…
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC. &&& Fish Farm Still Accounting For Atlantic Salmon Clayoquot Sound salmon farm still doesn’t know how many fish may have escaped after workers accidentally tore a one-metre hole in a net pen last week" - more details via:
http://www.westcoaster.ca/modules/AMS/article.php Video of the damaged net via Friends of Clayoquot Sound: http://www.focs.ca/ New Marine Harvest CEO must focus on environment, says campaign group standards.
http://www.fishfarmer-magazine.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/1240/New_Marine_ 15. World Bank on Aquaculture: Changing the Face of the Waters Meeting the Promise and Challenge of Sustainable Aquaculture A recent report by the World Bank entitled: Aquaculture: Changing the Face of the Waters Meeting the Promise and Challenge of Sustainable Aquaculture calls for variety of environmental controls for fish farms.
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTARD/Resources/ 16. Pinks lift '07 salmon catch to a near record Catches are still trickling in but Alaska's 2007 salmon harvest is already one for the record books. As of Sept. 7 the total tally had topped 200 million fish, making it the fifth-largest salmon harvest in history. Preseason forecasts pegged the 2007 harvest at 180 million fish, up 21 percent from the previous year. Powering the 2007 season: pinks…The statewide harvest of roughly 135 million pink salmon, compared to 73 million last year, ranks second to the largest catch of 161 million pink salmon taken in 2005.
Alaska's sockeye salmon harvest of 47 million ranks eighth since the turn of the last century. Nearly 30 million of the total red take came from Bristol Bay… http://www.adn.com/outdoors/story/9286024p-9200501c.html 17. Sportsmen's Caucus formed by Rep. John Harris In light of the need to protect the heritage of Alaskans who hunt, fish and trap, I have begun efforts to establish a Sportsmen's Caucus in the Alaska Legislature… http://www.sitnews.us/0807Viewpoints/083107_john_harris.html 18. Oyster growers plan processing plant on Homer Spit More than a dozen small oyster-growing enterprises in the Homer area plan to have their own processing facility up and running on the Homer Split by summer 2008…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/090907/hom_ 19. NOAA Halibut–Sablefish 2005 report Alaska Region, NOAA Fisheries (NMFS) Restricted Access Management (RAM) Posted August 2007 http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/ram/rtf05.pdf 20. Illegal charter nets guide big fine WASILLA -- A Houston-area hunting and fishing guide will pay $10,300 in fines and do 40 hours community service for leading a fishing trip on Clear Creek the day after the king salmon fishing season closed in 2006… http://www.adn.com/outdoors/fishing/story/9228374p-9144229c.html 21. Fisherman loses 20-year Chatham sablefish permit fight Alaska's commercial fisheries limited-entry law has survived yet another legal challenge. On Friday the Alaska Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling and rejected Walter Pasternak's appeal for a state permit for the northern Southeast inside sablefish longline fishery, also known as the Chatham Strait fishery. The state Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission in 1985 established the maximum number of permits for the fishery at 73. Pasternak, of Sitka, argued this number was too restrictive. He also claimed the CFEC hadn't given him enough credit for his past involvement in the fishery, which precluded him from qualifying for a permit based on a scoring system. Pasternak originally applied for a permit in 1987.
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/929 22. Juneau scientist explores world's largest marine canyon – to close it to fishing. At 1,300 feet below the water's surface, in the giant Zhemchug Canyon in the middle of the Bering Sea, Juneau marine ecologist Michelle Ridgway piloted her Deepworker submarine through the squid zone… Greenpeace funded the expedition, hoping to learn enough about the area to mark it as a protected zone and close it to fishing, especially bottom trawling…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/091607/loc_2007 23. Bringing the Ocean to the World,’ in High-Tech – N.Pacific monitoring project Thousands of miles of fiber-optic cables are strung across the world’s oceans, connecting continents like so many tin cans in this age of critical global communication. So the fact that about 800 more miles of fiber-optic cable will soon thread the sea floor off the coast of the Pacific Northwest might not seem particularly revolutionary. Until you meet John R. Delaney, part oceanographer, part oracle. “This is a mission to Planet Ocean,” said Mr. Delaney, a professor at the University of Washington. “This is a NASA-scale mission to basically enter the Inner Space, and to be there perpetually. What we’re doing is bringing the ocean to the world.”…
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/04/science/04ocea 24. Bristol Bay hosts House Fisheries Legislative Hearings for HB 134 – Sept 24-26 HEARING: (H) FSH Sept 24 4:30 PM Newhalen HEARING: (H) FSH Sept 25 2:00 PM Naknek HEARING: (H) FSH Sept 26 8:30 AM Dillingham
For bill and Hearing
info see: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=HB% & Sockeye salmon, gold and copper mine in battle for hearts, minds in Alaska
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2007/09/09/MN13S1 & Pebble mine: Alaskan economy faces a fork in the river 25. Center for Biological Diversity: list Pacific as impaired waterway …the Center for Biological Diversity officially requested seven coastal states to declare ocean waters under their jurisdiction impaired under the Clean Water Act due to ocean acidification, the changing of seawater chemistry through absorption of human-produced carbon dioxide…
http://biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/press/ocean-acidification The UFA Board will consider acidification at our October 24-26 meeting in Wrangell. So far the most
informative article we’ve found is from the UW Alumni magazine Columns:
http://www.washington.edu/alumni/columns/june07/ 26. Sled Dogs Warn of Alaskan Mercury Levels Alaskan sled dogs live in one of the world's most pristine environments, but a new study has revealed the hard-working canines are often exposed to potentially dangerous levels of mercury… The study came after elder members of native communities expressed concern about the impact of mercury levels resulting from metal processing, coal burning and other industrial waste. Mercury especially accumulates in one food at the center of Yukon Territory diets — salmon…
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/09/07/sleddog 27. Selendang Ayu owner pleads guilty, fined $10M Owners of a Singapore freighter that ran aground in fishing waters off of Unalaska Island, and killed several thousand migratory birds, have pleaded guilty and sentenced to pay a $10 million fine…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/082307/hom_2007 & Tribe files new claim against Selendang Ayu owner The Qawalangin tribe is filing a claim with the Coast Guard's National Pollution Fund Center, claiming the tanker spill's affect on land and sea lead to a loss of tradition and culture from which the group and area have not been able to recover… http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=7073557 28. Governor appoints Tom McGlaughlin, Jack Shulteis to ASMI Board …Governor Palin appointed Tom McLaughlin and Jack Schultheis, and reappointed Kevin Adams, to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute’s (ASMI) Board of Directors. The seven-member board includes representatives from the seafood processing and harvesting industries, and works to increase the value of Alaska’s seafood resource through promotions in both domestic and overseas markets and providing the industry with food safety and quality assurance training… http://www.gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=535&type=1 29. MSC awards first eco-label to tuna fishery A tuna fishery operating in the North and South Pacific Ocean is to be awarded the Marine Stewardship Council’s coveted eco-label for sustainable fishing…
http://www.fishupdate.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/8518/ 30. Comment Deadline Sept 26 on MSC sustainable label for BC Sockeye Fishery The BC sockeye fishery is up for for MSC sustainable certification, and the MSC seeks comments. Comment deadline Sept 26. The press release and invitation to comment is online at:
http://www.msc.org/assets/docs/BC_Salmon/Advisory_Draft The draft assessment report is at:
http://www.msc.org/assets/docs/BC_Salmon/Draft_Public 31. Kodiak salmon tops tuna at area Subways "Alaska Wild" is the now the official name of salmon sandwiches being served by an expanded number of Subway restaurants throughout the state…
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/ 32. Alaska leads the way by getting fish on school lunch menus Getting fish into the nation's school lunch program is tough enough -- making sure it is top quality and tasty is an even bigger challenge. A few Alaska schools and seafood companies are showing the rest of America how it's done…
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/ 33. Troopers put brown shirts back in style …Gov. Sarah Palin pledged during her campaign to revive those units. This summer that change went into effect… http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/matsu/story/9247095p-9162183c.html 34. ADN Community Profiles: Chignik & Golvin Chignik: http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/9272413p-9187165c.html Golovin: http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/9268671p-9183420c.html 35. Review board yanks Shell Beaufort Sea pollution permits Shell hit a new snag Friday in its quest to drill for oil in the Beaufort Sea. A Washington, D.C., board that reviews U.S. Environmental Protection Agency actions found grounds to withhold air-pollution permits the EPA had granted Shell in June for its two diesel-burning offshore drill ships. The decision marked the second time in two days that Shell was frustrated in its aims to start a $200 million drilling campaign -- and that federal regulators were called into question for approving Shell's plans… http://www.adn.com/money/industries/oil/story/9304224p-9218659c.html 36. NOAA Reports La Niña is Developing Scientists with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, in today’s release of its monthly El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Diagnostic Discussion, say that La Niña is on its way
http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases2007/sep07/ 37. Wild caught fish are not likely to get the organic nod… By Laine Welch http://www.sitnews.us/LaineWelch/082507_fish_factor.html 38. Laine Welch's Fish Radio –Topics from this week Friday 9/14/07 - AK dive fisheries gear up: spotlight on sea cucumbers Thursday 9/13/07 - Salt water burns to provide energy...other ocean based alternatives. Wednesday 9/12/07 - AK halibut prices continue to climb Tuesday 9/11/07 - AK fishermen face double whammy with health care Monday 9/10/07 - Today is deadline to apply for fisheries grants: Southeast AK only Online at http://www.marineconservationalliance.org/fishradio.htm & also see Laine Welch's Fish Factor at http://www.kinyradio.com/fishfactor.html 39. NMFS posts Halibut & Sablefish IFQ modifications (Aug. 9) NMFS adopts a rule that modifies the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program for the fixed-gear commercial Pacific halibut fishery and sablefish fishery by revising regulations specific to those fisheries… …This final rule adopts the following five changes in their entirety: - Allow transfers of QS for medical reasons; - Require a vessel monitoring system for vessels harvesting sablefish in the BSAI; -Amend the block program for halibut by (a) allowing a QS holder to hold 3 blocks rather than 2, (b) dividing halibut blocks in Areas 3B and 4A that yield more than 20,000 lb (9.1 mt), based on the 2004 harvest figures, into a block of 20,000 lb (9.1 mt) and the remainder unblocked, and (c) increasing the halibut sweep-up level in Areas 2C and 3A to 5,000 lb (2.3 mt); -Allow category D QS to be fished on vessels less than or equal to 60 ft (18.3 m) length overall (LOA) in areas 3B and 4C; and -Allow category B catcher vessel QS for Area 2C halibut and Southeast Outside District sablefish, which currently must be fished on vessels greater than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA, to be fished on catcher vessels of any length. ---The sixth proposed change would have tightened the requirements for QS holders who use hired skippers by requiring specific documentation of vessel ownership and requiring ownership of the vessel used by the hired skipper for the prior 12 months. The final rule adopts the documentation requirement but not the 12-month ownership requirement…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/ NOAA Press release: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2007/ifq082907.html 40. NOAA posts BSAI Pacific Cod Allocations final rule
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/ 41. NOAA BSAI Amendment 80 Public Workshop – Sept 24, Seattle Notification of public workshop on the implementation of the Amendment 80 Program (Program) for potentially eligible participants and other interested parties… …Monday, September 24, 2007, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific standard time….At Swedish Cultural Center, 1920 Dexter Avenue N., Seattle, WA 98109. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Glenn Merrill, 907-586-7228 or glenn.merrill@noaa.gov. Federal Register Notice:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/ 42. BSAI Amendment 80 Application for Quota share deadline October 15 NOAA Amendment 80 home page:
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/amds/80/ 43. BSAI AFA Sideboards final rule NMFS issues a final rule to implement Amendment 80 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP). Amendment 80 (hereinafter the ``Program'') primarily allocates several Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) non-pollock trawl groundfish fisheries among fishing sectors, and facilitates the formation of harvesting cooperatives in the non-American Fisheries Act (AFA) trawl catcher/processor sector…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800 44. NOAA Seeks Comments on BSAI Crab Rationalization Information Collections The Alaska Region is soliciting public comments on three information collections associated with the Crab Rationalization Program (Program) according to Robert D. Mecum, Acting Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS… Comments must be submitted by November 1, 2007…
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/index/infobulletins/bulletin. 45. Sierra Club seeks Lynn Canal Herring ESA listing –comment by December 10 On April 2, 2007, we, NMFS, received a petition to list the Lynn Canal (Alaska) stock of Pacific herring, Clupea pallasi, as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). After review, we find that the petition presents substantial scientific and commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted…Information and comments should be submitted to NMFS by December 10, 2007…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800 46. USCG Marine Safety Alert: Programming Marine Radio and AIS Equipment Statistics show that many mariners in distress do not properly identify themselves nor provide a precise location when radioing for help which delays rescue services in arriving at the scene quickly and providing the assistance needed… http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/moa/docs/2-07.pdf 47. Comment deadline Sept 21 on BOF AC changes: The Alaska Board of Fisheries and the Alaska Board of Game (Joint Boards) propose to adopt regulation changes in Title 5 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with local fish and game advisory committees, including the following: distribution and composition; qualification for members, functions and uniform rules of operation, administration, advisory committee closures, adoption of fish and game regulations, including standards for submitting written comment for board meetings...
http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7 Sitka Charter rockfish grab (#11), State halibut regulations to mirror Fed (#24) and more… online at: http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishgame/ACRoct07.pdf Highliner Blog & comments: Let go of that rockfish!... http://community.adn.com/adn/node/110331 48. AK DEC Solicitation for Water Quality Data and Information – Oct 17 Deadline The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is requesting water quality information for the development of Alaska’s 2008 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report. This biennial report describes the health of Alaska’s waters and reports to Alaskans (as required under Sections 303(d) and 305(b) of the federal Clean Water Act) and includes the list of impaired (polluted) waters. DEC encourages the public to submit any existing and readily available water quality related data and information for consideration by the Department in preparing the Report and on possible updates or revisions to the current Report. All data and information must be submitted to DEC no later than 5 PM Wednesday October 17, 2007 in order to be considered for the final 2008 Integrated Report.
http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7c156 49. Cook Inlet Areawide 2008 Oil and Gas Lease Sales –State calls for new information The Alaska Department of Natural Resources (ADNR), Division of Oil and Gas, requests new information regarding its proposal to offer all available state acreage in the Cook Inlet Areawide Oil and gas Lease Sale 2008, tentatively scheduled for May 21, 2008. Comment deadline November 13, 2007.
http://www.dog.dnr.state.ak.us/oil/public%20notice/ci_ 50. CFEC posts 2006 Annual Report The “Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 2006 Annual Report” is now complete and available to you in several forms. www.cfec.state.ak.us/mnu_Annual_Reports.htm 51. NOAA amended Omnibus Grant availability notice
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/ 52. NPFMC - 3A Halibut Documents for October meeting. We have posted the Council's initial review draft and a staff data supplement for the Area 3A GHL proposed action… http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/ The previously posted ADF&G report on final 2006 charter halibut data is at:http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/halibut_ NPFMC home page: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/ 53. Subsistence Board seeks comments on draft Customary and Traditional Use policy The Federal Subsistence Board is accepting written comments through December 1, 2007 on a draft policy on implementation of Customary and Traditional Use determinations. The draft policy can be found under the “Issues in Depth” section of the Federal Subsistence Management Program Website, http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/home.html or a copy can be obtained by contacting the Office of Subsistence Management at (800) 478-1456 or (907) 786-3888. Comments should be sent to Theo Matuskowitz by e-mail at subsistence@fws.gov . Those without e-mail access can fax comments to (907) 786-3898 or mail them to: Federal Subsistence Board Attn: Theo Matuskowitz Office of Subsistence Management 3601 C Street, Suite 1030 Anchorage, AK 99503 The Federal Subsistence Board will consider all comments received before submitting a draft of the policy for review and approval by the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture. For the official press release see the FSB press release dated Sept 12 online at http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/news.cfm?gnr=1 For the draft policy see this item among the “Issues in depth” online at http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/current.cfm 54. Ninilchik residents C&T now salmon only, not resident species The Federal Subsistence Board today finalized its customary and traditional use determination for residents of Ninilchik in the Kenai River area. The Board voted to recognize only the traditional use of salmon, not other fish species, by the community of Ninilchik in the federal waters of the Kenai River area, which includes the waters north of and including the Kenai River drainage within the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and the Chugach National Forest. The Board held the new vote to correct procedural errors in previous voting. Look for press release dated 9/14 online at http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/news.cfm?gnr=1 55. Fallout continues – Fairbanks News Miner on Fed Subsistence Former Gov. Tony Knowles always said he was moved by Alaska Native elder Katie John’s plea for subsistence fishing rights on the Copper River and said that dropping the state’s subsistence lawsuit plainly “was the right thing to do.” One-on-one, sitting down with Katie John, many Alaskans might have agreed. But oftentimes basing a decision that impacts an entire state on one situation in one area doesn’t yield the most beneficial result for all. Could there have been a more creative solution under state management for the Copper River? We’ll never know, and Knowles’ 2001 call remains a bad one… http://newsminer.com/2007/08/29/8633 56. New Kenai subsistence fishery was fairly quiet NO CONFLICT: Only 108 people got permits; 410 sockeye were harvested. Ninilchik's controversial move into subsistence fishing on the upper Kenai River has netted few fish and no reported conflicts on the water, federal officials say. Only 108 people obtained permits to dipnet or fish by rod, and they caught just 410 sockeye. That compares to a state personal-use dipnet fishery in the mouth of the river that draws 20,000 families who catch at least 100,000 and sometimes more than 200,000 sockeye every July… http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/9253893p-9168870c.html 57. Stikine Riverbed State or Fed? – Comment by Nov 20 & Oct 22. SUMMARY: The State of Alaska (State) has filed an application for a Recordable Disclaimer of Interest from the United States in those lands underlying the Stikine River, located in Southeast Alaska. The State asserts that the Stikine River was navigable and unreserved at the time of statehood; therefore, title to the submerged lands passed to the State at the time of statehood (1959). The lands included in the application are within the exterior boundary of the Tongass National Forest, created by Presidential Proclamation of February 16, 1909, and administered by the U.S. Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture. Comments on the State of Alaska's application should be submitted on or before November 20, 2007. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Summary Report. Comments on the Draft Summary Report should be submitted on or before October 22, 2007. The State's application and the BLM Draft Summary Report will be posted on the BLM-Alaska Web site:http://www.blm.gov/ak/ak930/rdi/index.html Federal register Notice:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/ BLM Draft Stikine Navigability report:
http://www.blm.gov/ak/ak930/rdi/se_region/stikine_river 58. Other jurisdiction applications: Little Scottie Creek and Scottie Creek (Tenana) The State of Alaska (State) has filed applications for Recordable Disclaimers of Interest from the United States in those lands underlying Little Scottie Creek and Scottie Creek, located in the Tanana River region in Interior, Alaska… Federal Register Notice:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/ 59. 2007 Preliminary Alaska Salmon Catches - Blue Sheet & summaries updated 7/13 Bluesheet: http://csfish.adfg.state.ak.us/BlueSheets/BLUEWebReport.php Harvest summaries:
http://www.cf.adfg.state.ak.us/geninfo/finfish/salmon/ For harvest timing charts
and other reports see:
http://www.cf.adfg.state.ak.us/geninfo/finfish/salmon/ 60. Board of Fisheries proposals for 2007-2008 cycle
http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/meetinfo/2007_ |