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UFA Update March 17, 2008 IPHC and NPRB Scholarship & grant opportunities – see item #38 USDA Rural development grants for businesses, renewable energy, cooperatives, minority businesses and more - see item #39 – 43. UFA will be at Comfish in Kodiak – Item #18. Contents 1. Change in Board of Fish makeup sought - SB 284 draws mixed reviews 2. Sustainable fisheries bill SB 237 Senate Resources hearing Friday 3/21 3. AK Delegation Introduces Fishermen’s Health Care Act in Senate and House 4. Senator Stevens Introduces Legislation to Address Seafood Safety 5. Congressman Young introduces bill to evaluate vessel discharges 6. Governor Names Fishery Nominees - 2nd Term for NPFMC Chair Eric Olson 7. Governor names Morris, Jensen, and William Brown to Board of Fisheries 8. UFA Thanks Governor Palin for Habitat Division move & ADF&G funding 9. Notice of guideline harvest level for 2C and 3A sport charter halibut 10. Halibut season on way to 50 million-pound catch; high prices foreseen 11. Synergistic pesticides bigtime salmon killer - Science Magazine Reports 12. Salmon politics may uproot managers –Sen. Green seeks to move Soldotna F&G 13. Human Shadows on the Seas – Maps show human impact on oceans & coasts 14. UW professors explore economics of overfishing 15. Tulsequah Chief Update: ACMP review suspended 16. 2008 salmon forecast predicts 18th largest harvest since 1960 17. Dept. of Revenue posts 2007 Annual Alaska Salmon Production Report (3/12) 18. Kodiak Chamber of Commerce ready for 29th year of fisheries trade show 19. Kodiak Ports and Harbor Board backs boat lift contract at $6.2 million 20. Commandant issues instructions on Coast Guard interactions with mariners 21. NPFMC April 1 – 7, Anchorage Hilton - Items for the April meeting 22. 2007 Report to Congress on the Disclosure of Financial Interest and Recusal 23. NOAA’s Fisheries Service Releases New Steller Sea Lion Recovery Plan 24. Coast Guard offers dockside exams for Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery 25. Alaska Marine Safety Education Association Spring Newsletter… 26. ASMI “Sustainability: More Than A Catchphrase, For Alaska It’s A Tradition” 27. Cordova out in the cold – AK Journal of Commerce profile 28. Washington Post: Exxon Oil Spill Case May Get Closure 29. Boat fire escape straight out of ‘The Twilight Zone ’ by Jack Sternhagen 30. NOAA Names Balsiger Acting Director for National Marine Fisheries Service 31. MSC withdraws logo and apologizes for WWF “Stinky Fish” campaign 32. Federal Subsistence Board Defers Action on Draft C&T Policy 33. 2008-2009 federal Subsistence fish and shellfish regulations posted 34. Chilean salmon industry faces new challenge 35. Chilean salmon crisis forces sacking of Fisheries head 36. Marine Harvest to lay off 1,000 Chile workers 37. Laine Welch's Fish Radio –Topics from this week 38. IPHC Solicits Applications for IPHC Merit Scholarship – deadline June 29. 39. USDA Rural Development Applications for Renewable Energy Loans And Grants 40. Deadline March 31 for USDA Rural Business Opportunity Grants 41. Deadline March 31 and June 30 for Rural Economic Development Loan and Grants 42. Deadline April 8 for Rural Coop Development Grants and minority producer grants 43. Rural Co-ops Value-Added Producer Grant Application Deadline March 31, 2007 44. Deadline June 1 for Vessel Safety Advisory Committee applications 45. Comment by May 6 on USFWS Sea Otter Stock Assessment Reports 46. Sablefish quota error corrected 47. NMFS posts final rule on use of QS & processing of non IFQ species… 48. Comment deadline March 17 on BSAI Crab Amendment 25 regulations (Feb 15) 49. NMFS posts final 2008 and 2009 Harvest Specifications for BSAI Groundfish 50. GOA 2008 and 2009 Final Harvest Specifications for Groundfish 51. NOAA Fisheries rule would protect seafloor habitat from bottom trawling 52. Comment deadline April 4 on IFQ & CDQ longline pot gear, and military transfer 53. NOAA posts IPHC annual management measures and 2A Catch Sharing Plan 54. NMFS repeals groundfish vessel incentive program on halibut and crab bycatch
55. NMFS posts Application for Exempted Fishing
Permit for Salmon Excluder test 57. NMFS rules against revision of marbled murrelet critical habitat 58. ESA Petition to list Pacific Eulachon in CA, OR, WA – AK info requested 59. Revised Draft Framework for Developing the National System of MPAs 60. North Aleutians Basin Energy-Fisheries workshop, March 18–19, Anchorage 61. Deadline April 10 for Board of Fisheries 2008 proposals – PSW, SE 62. Fishlines - the newsletter of the Alaska Sea Grant College Program, UAF 1. Change in Board of Fish makeup sought - SB 284 draws mixed reviews A bill that would change the makeup of the Board of Fisheries received mixed response from Alaska fishermen on Tuesday. Commercial, sport and
personal-use fishermen statewide weighed in on Senate Bill 284 at a public
hearing with the state Senate Resources Committee…
http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/stories/031608/news Next hearing is Wed 3/19. For HB 284 Tracking and
text of bill see:
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill= (CS is not yet posted and is not official until passed by committee.) UFA Opposes HB 284. The current Committee Substitute for SB 284 calls for 2 commercial, 2 sport, and 3 personal use/subsistence seats on the Board of Fisheries. Letters of comment should be sent by Tuesday 3/18 to Senator Charlie Huggins, Chair Senate Resources Committee Fax 907-465-3265 Or after 3/18 - Send your legislators a Public Opinion Message (POM) through webform at: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/poms/ 2. Sustainable fisheries bill SB 237 Senate Resources hearing Friday 3/21
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill= This bill would put some sustainable salmon policy language, that was intended as guiding policy, into statute. UFA opposes SB 237 and HB 189. For more info contact the UFA office at 586-2820. Letters should be sent to committee Chairman Huggins by Thursday 3/20 (see above for fax#). 3. AK Delegation Introduces Fishermen’s Health Care Act in Senate and House Senators Stevens, Murkowski, Kennedy and Kerry introduce Fishermen’s Health Care Sens. Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski last week introduced the Commercial Fishing Industry Health Care Coverage Act to Congress. The bipartisan bill was co-sponsored by Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts; Congressman Don Young is introducing the same bill in the U.S. House of Representatives… The measure would require the secretary of Health and Human Services to fund $50 million in matching grants for fishing states or organizations. The money would help jump-start the process for getting health-care coverage plans up and running based on each state’s needs. The money also would be used to offset individual health care costs and provide group insurance coverage for more fishing families… http://thedutchharborfisherman.com/news/story/1506 S 2630 Commercial Fishing Industry Health Care Coverage Act: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:s2630is.txt.pdf House Companion version introduced by Congressmen Young and bipartisan Reps. .S. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) and a bipartisan coalition of House and Senate Members today introduced legislation that would provide low-cost health coverage to fishermen and their families in Alaska and other coastal states… http://donyoung.house.gov/PressRelease.aspx?NewsID=1886 House companion bill H.R. 5404: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h5404ih.txt.pdf 4. Senator Stevens Introduces Legislation to Address Seafood Safety Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Senator Dan Inouye (D-Hawaii) today introduced legislation to improve seafood safety in the United States. The bill would establish a federal program that would ensure commercially distributed seafood in America is fit for consumption. “Wild-caught Alaska seafood has consistently set the worldwide standard for quality and sustainability,” said Senator Stevens. “However, more than 80 percent of the seafood consumed in the United States is imported from countries whose quality standards are nowhere near those applied in Alaska. This bill would help bring those standards up and protect the health and safety of all Americans.”…
http://stevens.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction= AK Journal of Commerce:
Bill urges further inspection of commercially distributed seafood
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/031608/fis_ 5. Congressman Young introduces bill to evaluate vessel discharges Representative Young (R-AK) introduced the Vessel Discharge Evaluation and Review Act (H.R. 5594) to require the Commandant of the Coast Guard to conduct an evaluation and review of certain vessel discharges. This bill, if enacted into law, would provide for establishment of uniform, environmentally sound standards for discharges incidental to the normal operation of vessels. It would also prohibit states from adopting their own standards for discharges regulated under the Act… (3/11/08).http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h5594ih.txt.pdf 6. Governor Names Fishery Nominees - 2nd Term for NPFMC Chair Eric Olson (March 13) Governor Sarah Palin today forwarded her nomination of Eric Olson to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce for appointment to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC). Olson is currently completing his first three-year term on the council and serves as chair. Governor Palin requested that Olson be appointed to a second term… http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=931 7. Governor names Morris, Jensen, and William Brown to Board of Fisheries (March 12) Juneau, Alaska - Governor Sarah Palin announced her recommendations to the legislature for three vacancies on the Alaska Board of Fisheries. Governor Palin is recommending the reappointment of John Jensen, of Petersburg, and Mel Morris, of Kodiak, and the appointment of William Brown, of Juneau, to the board… http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=927 8. UFA Thanks Governor Palin for Habitat Division move & ADF&G funding http://juneauempire.com/stories/031308/let_257547115.shtml Alaska salmon need protection from mixing zone loophole – by Bob Shavelson http://www.homernews.com/stories/031208/oped_4_023.shtml Habitat Division to Return to Department of Fish and Game (Feb 5) http://www.gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=859&type=1 9. Notice of guideline harvest level for 2C and 3A sport charter halibut NMFS provides notice of Pacific halibut guideline harvest levels (GHLs) for the guided sport charter vessel fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) regulatory areas 2C and 3A. The GHLs provide a benchmark harvest level for participants in the charter fishery.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 10. Halibut season on way to 50 million-pound catch; high prices foreseen Alaska halibut fishermen were likely to fetch high prices again as the season got under way on Saturday, March 8. Longliners holding quota shares of the prized flatfish will haul in about 50 million pounds during the eight-month season, a drop of 2 million pounds from last year… http://thedutchharborfisherman.com/news/story/1695 11. Synergistic pesticides bigtime salmon killer - Science Magazine Reports "Salmon in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, and elsewhere, have been in a world of hurt for decades. One of their main enemies is agricultural chemicals, such as chlorpyrifos. The pesticide interferes with salmon brains and harms their ability to feed, according to studies by zoologist Nathaniel Scholz of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Seattle, Washington. Now Scholz's research is showing that mixtures of pesticides are even worse for salmon and can be surprisingly lethal." http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2008/216/2 This story was not reported in Alaska media that we know of, although Alaska’s agricultural heartland is the place where salmon allocation battles cause legislation like those above in items #1 and #2 to be introduced. 12. Salmon politics may uproot managers –Sen. Green seeks to move Soldotna F&G INLET: Legislation would send Soldotna offices to Anchorage. The perennial fight over Cook Inlet salmon has come to the capital with a proposal to transfer state commercial and sportfish managers from the Kenai Peninsula to Anchorage. Senate budget writers have included language to close the commercial and sportfish offices in Soldotna and eliminate $80,000 in annual lease expense… http://www.adn.com/matsu/story/341334.html 13. Human Shadows on the Seas – Maps show human impact on oceans & coasts …scientists are building the first worldwide portrait of such dispersed human impacts on the oceans, revealing a planet-spanning mix of depleted resources, degraded ecosystems and disruptive biological blending as species are moved around the globe by accident and intent. A paper in the Feb. 15 issue of the journal Science is the first effort to map 17 kinds of human ocean impacts like organic pollution, including agricultural runoff and sewage; damage from bottom-scraping trawls; and intensive traditional fishing along coral reefs…
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/science/earth/ Science Magazine: A Global Map of Human Impact on Marine Ecosystems
Abstract:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/ Supporting online material: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/data/319/5865/948/DC1/1 14. UW professors explore economics of overfishing It is on the rare occasion that the interests of conservationists and businessmen align, but that is what happened in the fishery industry, according to an article published in Science Magazine. “Economics of Overexploitation Revisited,” co-authored by Ray Hilborn, a professor in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the UW, contends that it is more economically advantageous to pursue preservation efforts in fisheries than attempt to maximize profits, causing fish to go extinct… http://thedaily.washington.edu/2008/3/10/uw-professors-explore-economics-overfishing/ 15. Tulsequah Chief Update: ACMP review suspended -DCOM has suspended the ACMP consistency review of Redfern’s proposed Taku River barging project until required supplemental information is produced and determined to be satisfactory by the participating State resource agencies. -The Public Comment Deadline is also suspended until the State’s consistency review requirements are satisfied.
http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/mlw/mining/largemine/ DNR Tulsequah home page:
http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/mlw/mining/largemine/ Rivers Without Borders Tulsequah home page:
http://riverswithoutborders.org/tulsequah-chief Redfern Resources Tulsequah home page: http://www.redcorp-ventures.com/main/?tulsequah 16. 2008 salmon forecast predicts 18th largest harvest since 1960 State fisheries biologists are forecasting a total run of 137 million salmon during the upcoming commercial harvest season, which would make 2008 the 18th largest harvest on record since 1960. The total harvest is expected to include 672,000 Chinook salmon, 47.1 million sockeye salmon, 4.4 million coho salmon, 66 million pink salmon and 18.7 million chum…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/031608/hom_ 17. Dept. of Revenue posts 2007 Annual Alaska Salmon Production Report (3/12)
http://www.tax.alaska.gov/programs/documentviewer/ 18. Kodiak Chamber of Commerce ready for 29th year of fisheries trade show Alaska’s largest and longest running fisheries trade show is a little more than a week away and preparations for the big event are moving full speed ahead. The ComFish Alaska Trade Show and Fisheries Policy Forum is in its 29th year, and attracts hundreds of visitors to Kodiak each year. http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=5936 Comfish home page: http://www.comfishalaska.com/ We hope to see you there. 19. Kodiak Ports and Harbor Board backs boat lift contract at $6.2 million An excited Ports and Harbor Advisory Board was first to get the news that bids for the boat lift project had finally gotten under way, as planned March 10. Board members were relieved that Marine Travelift, a U.S. manufacturer, had decided to bid and was the lowest bidder. That relief and excitement was tempered when they learned Marine Travelift had bid $6.2 million, approximately $2.4 million more than the City of Kodiak budgeted for… http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=5954 20. Commandant issues instructions on Coast Guard interactions with mariners Reports of conflict between Coast Guard personnel and the maritime community prompted Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen to issue a branch-wide communiqué outlining his expectations for interactions with seafarers… http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=5943 21. NPFMC April 1 – 7, Anchorage Hilton - Items for the April meeting Agenda: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/Agendas/408agenda.pdf 2C3A Halibut Catch Sharing Plan Analysis
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/halibut and… Trawl LLP Recency proposed changes; Observer Program regulatory changes Recovery plan for the Steller Sea Lions Enforcement Committee Minutes 2/08 Scallop SAFE 2008, Appendix 1, Apendix 2 Council proposed specs for 2008/2009 fisheries; PSCs for 08/09 …available at NPFMC home page at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/ Meeting Announcement:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01 22. 2007 Report to Congress on the Disclosure of Financial Interest and Recusal Requirements for Regional Fishery Management Councils and Scientific And Statistical Committees
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/reg_svcs/Council_Report 23. NOAA’s Fisheries Service Releases New Steller Sea Lion Recovery Plan NOAA’s Fisheries Service has published its new Steller Sea Lion Recovery Plan to help restore the endangered population in western Alaska and provide further improvements to the threatened population across eastern Alaska. The recovery plan
identifies an array of actions, but highlights maintaining current or
equivalent fishery conservation measures; designing an adaptive management
program to evaluate fishery conservation measures; and continuing population
monitoring and research on the key threats to potential sea lion recovery.
The full plan is available online at:
http://www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/protectedresources NOAA Press release: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2008/sslrp0308.pdf 24. Coast Guard offers dockside exams for Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery The Coast Guard will offer courtesy dockside examinations of commercial fishing vessels in Sitka in anticipation of the 2008 Sitka Sound Herring Sac Roe fishery… Fishermen can sign up for an exam starting Sunday, March 17, by calling Sitka Marine Safety Detachment Supervisor, Chief Warrant Officer Scott Durrer, at (907) 966-5454, or by speaking directly with one of the Coast Guard examiners working in Sitka's harbors. Vessels participating in the opener will have priority in scheduling, though operators of other commercial fishing vessels may request courtesy dockside exams as well… http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/780/195245/ 25. Alaska Marine Safety Education Association Spring Newsletter… The Spring 2008 issue of AMSEA's Marine Safety Update is now available for download… http://www.amsea.org/pdf/v24n1.pdf 26. ASMI “Sustainability: More Than A Catchphrase, For Alaska It’s A Tradition” Juneau, Alaska. February 1, 2008 – The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) announces a new Sustainability Resource Center at their booth at the upcoming International Boston Seafood Show (February 24th – 26th). Press release:
http://www.alaskaseafood.org/about/pressreleases/ ASMI Sustainability program home page: http://www.alaskaseafood.org/sustainability/ Downloadable
Sustainability Pocket Guide (793 K pdf file):
http://www.alaskaseafood.org/sustainability/Sustainability 27. Cordova out in the cold – AK Journal of Commerce profile Life in Cordova isn't what it used to be. Fishing boats sit dry-docked near the Lummi Fishing Supply Marine and Outdoor Warehouse in the Prince William Marina. The restaurants and bars are empty. It's cold inside buildings. Even the hospital is chilly. Heating oil costs too much…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/031608/hom_ 28. Washington Post: Exxon Oil Spill Case May Get Closure Almost 20 Years After Valdez Wreck, Justices to Weigh In When a federal jury in Alaska in 1994 ordered Exxon to pay $5 billion to thousands of people who had their lives disrupted by the massive Exxon Valdez oil spill, an appeal of the nation's largest punitive damages award was inevitable. But almost no one could have predicted the incredible round of legal ping-pong that only this month lands at the Supreme Court. In the time span of the battle -- 14 years after the verdict, nearly two decades since the spill itself -- claimants' lawyers say there is a new statistic to add to the grim legacy of the disaster in Prince William Sound: Nearly 20 percent of the 33,000 fishermen, Native Alaskans, cannery workers and others who triumphed in court that day are dead. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/23/AR2008022302354_pf.html &&& Senator Murkowski Speaks on behalf of Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Plaintiffs http://murkowski.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=293631 29. Boat fire escape straight out of ‘The Twilight Zone ’ by Jack Sternhagen History from Dutch Harbor Fisherman… http://thedutchharborfisherman.com/news/show/1673 30. NOAA Names Balsiger Acting Director for National Marine Fisheries Service James W. Balsiger has been appointed as acting assistant administrator for NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, directing federal scientists and regulators responsible for managing commercial and recreational ocean fishing and the protection of marine mammals, sea turtles and their habitat…
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2008/ 31. MSC withdraws logo and apologizes for WWF “Stinky Fish” campaign THE Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) last night said it has withdrawn the use of the MSC logo and disassociated the MSC from WWF's 'Stinky Fish' campaign. The MSC also said it regrets and apologises for any offence given by the campaign "to all those partners and colleagues in the seafood industry who work extremely hard to ensure sustainable and legal fishing that results in high quality seafood products in the market."
http://www.fishupdate.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/9764/ 32. Federal Subsistence Board Defers Action on Draft C&T Policy The Federal Subsistence Board has deferred finalization of a draft policy on implementation of Customary and Traditional Use determinations, pending the outcome of a case currently before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. See March 13 Press
release at
http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/news.cfm?gnr=1 33. 2008-2009 federal Subsistence fish and shellfish regulations posted This final rule establishes regulations for seasons, harvest limits, methods, and means related to taking of fish and shellfish for subsistence uses during the 2008-09 regulatory year… Kasilof fish wheel, Yakutat subsistence closures before and after commercial openings lifted, fyke nets on Lake Clark and Sixmile lake tributaries…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 34. Chilean salmon industry faces new challenge An association of 16
fishermen groups from Chilean Patagonia is calling on President Michelle
Bachelet to freeze expansion of Chile’s lucrative but
environmentally-suspect farmed salmon industry…
http://www.mercopress.com/vernoticia.do?id= 35. Chilean salmon crisis forces sacking of Fisheries head Ongoing problems affecting Chile’s once booming salmon industry have prompted a shake up in the National Fishing Service (SERNAPESCA), the Chilean government body responsible for overseeing all fishing activity in the country…
http://www.mercopress.com/vernoticia.do?id= 36. Marine Harvest to lay off 1,000 Chile workers Hit hard by an ongoing
outbreak of Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA), Marine Harvest, the world’s
largest farmed salmon company, has decided to drastically reduce its
operations in Chile.
http://www.tcgnews.com/santiagotimes/index.php?nav=story 37. Laine Welch's Fish Radio –Topics from this week Monday 3/17/08 St. Patrick’s Day tribute Friday 3/14/08 West Coast salmon crisis makes customers skittish Thursday 3/13/08 Recession could squeeze U.S. seafood sales, Sales to Europe soar! Wednesday 3/12/08 Kodiak king crab: Clues to why they haven’t returned Tuesday 3/11/08 Salmon forecast for 2008; Scary economy Online at: http://www.marineconservationalliance.org/fishradio.htm & also see Laine Welch's Fish Factor at http://www.kinyradio.com/fishfactor.html 37. IPHC Solicits Applications for IPHC Merit Scholarship – deadline June 29. The International Pacific Halibut Commission funds several Merit Scholarships to support University and Technical College education. The scholarship fund has been established to assist the further education of Canadian and U.S. students connected to the halibut fishery and its industry… Applications are available through the Commission offices and must be received by June 29, 2008.
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel/2008/ 38. NPRB Announces Graduate Student Research Awards – deadline April 1, 2008 Full Announcement:
http://www.nprb.org/temp_upload/GSRA%20announcement Application Cover Sheet
http://www.nprb.org/temp_upload/GRA%20Cover%20Shee North Pacific research
Board home page: 39. USDA Rural Development Invites Applications for Renewable Energy Loans And Grants Loan guarantees and grants are available to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. USDA will issue one grant solicitation for two separate competitions in FY 2008. For the first competitive window, grant-only applications must be submitted no later than April 15, 2008. For the second competitive window, grant-only applications must be submitted no earlier than April 16, 2008, and no later than June 16, 2008. Applications for loan guarantees, as well as those for loan/grant combinations must be completed and submitted to the appropriate USDA Rural Development State Office no later than June 16, 2008. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov . USDA News Release:
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome?contentidonly 40. Deadline March 31 for USDA Rural Business Opportunity Grants The Rural Business-Cooperative Service, an Agency within the Rural Development mission area, announces the availability of grants of up to $50,000 per application from the Rural Business Opportunity Grant (RBOG) program for fiscal year (FY) 2008, to be competitively awarded. The purpose of this program is to promote sustainable economic development in rural communities with exceptional needs by: Focusing on communities that have experienced: - trauma due to natural disasters or fundamental structural changes - persistently poor - long-term population decline or job deterioration Focusing on communities where the project is sustainable over a long term through local effort without long-term external subsidies… Program home page:
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/GA/ Federal Register 2/5/08
Text:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ For details on this and other USDA Rural development programs listed below contact: USDA Rural Development State Office, 800 West Evergreen, Suite 201, Palmer, AK 99645-6539, (907) 761-7705/TDD (907) 761-8905. 41. Deadline March 31 and June 30 for Rural Business-Cooperative Service Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2008
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 42. Deadline April 8 for Rural Coop Development Grants and Small, Minority Producer Grant Program Rural Cooperative Development:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ Small, Minority Producer Grant Program:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 43. Rural Co-ops Value-Added Producer Grant Application Deadline March 31, 2007 The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) announces the availability of approximately $18.4 million in competitive grant funds for fiscal year (FY) 2008 to help independent agricultural producers enter into value-added activities…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/29jan20081800/ 44. Deadline June 1 for Vessel Safety Advisory Committee applications The Coast Guard seeks applications for membership on the Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Safety Advisory Committee (CFIVSAC). The CFIVSAC provides advice and makes recommendations to the Coast Guard for improving commercial fishing industry safety practices. DATES: Applications for membership should reach the Coast Guard at the address below on or before June 1, 2008.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 45. Comment by May 6 on USFWS Sea Otter Stock Assessment Reports Notice of availability of draft revised marine mammal stock assessment reports for three stocks of northern sea otters in Alaska; request for comments…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 46. Sablefish quota error corrected The Alaska Region of NOAA Fisheries has corrected an error that gave 170 tons of total allowable sablefish catch to fishermen in one area of the Gulf of Alaska that should have gone to fishermen in another area of the Gulf.
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2008/ 47. NMFS posts final rule on use of QS & processing of non IFQ species… NMFS issues a final rule to modify the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program for the fixed-gear commercial Pacific halibut fishery and sablefish fishery by revising regulations governing the use of commercial halibut quota share (QS) and the processing of non-IFQ species when processed halibut is onboard a vessel. This action amends current regulations to allow persons holding category A halibut QS to process IFQ regardless of whether a QS holder with unused category B, C, or D halibut QS is onboard the vessel. This action also allows catcher/processor vessels to process non-IFQ species regardless of whether any processed IFQ species is onboard the vessel… Effective March 17, 2008…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 48. Comment deadline March 17 on BSAI Crab Amendment 25 regulations (Feb 15) NMFS proposes regulations implementing Amendment 25 to the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs (FMP) and a provision of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2006 (Coast Guard Act)…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 49. NMFS posts final 2008 and 2009 Harvest Specifications for BSAI Groundfish NMFS announces final 2008 and 2009 harvest specifications and prohibited species catch allowances for the groundfish fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI)…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 50. GOA 2008 and 2009 Final Harvest Specifications for Groundfish
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 51. NOAA Fisheries rule would protect seafloor habitat from bottom trawling NOAA Fisheries published a proposed rule that would prohibit bottom trawling in certain waters of the Bering Sea in order protect the sea floor habitat. Public comment on the proposed rule must be received by April 21, 2008… The proposed rule would close certain locations that have not been previously fished with bottom trawl gear, nearshore bottom habitat areas that support subsistence marine resources, and a research area for further study of the potential impacts of bottom trawling on sea floor habitat. The rule would close waters around St Matthew Island to protect habitat for blue king crab, a species which is still depleted in spite of fishing closures in place since 1999. Closures of waters around St. Lawrence Island and Nunivak Island and within Etolin Strait and Kuskokwim Bay would support subsistence species such as halibut, which inhabit the sea floor, and walrus, which feed from the sea floor… NOAA Press release:
http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2008/ Federal Register Notice March 7:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ Federal Register Notice Feb 27: Availability of an amendment to a fishery management plan; request for comments… deadline April 28
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 52. Comment deadline April 4 on IFQ & CDQ longline pot gear, and military quota transfer NMFS proposes regulations to modify both the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program for the fixed-gear commercial Pacific halibut and sablefish fisheries. This action would amend current regulations to remove a prohibition against the use of longline pot fishing gear in the Bering Sea sablefish IFQ and sablefish CDQ fisheries in the month of June. This action also would add regulatory provisions to allow members of the National Guard and military reserves who are mobilized to active duty to temporarily transfer their annual halibut and sablefish IFQ to other eligible IFQ recipients…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 53. NOAA posts IPHC annual management measures and 2A Catch Sharing Plan The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), on behalf of the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), publishes annual management measures promulgated as regulations by the IPHC and approved by the Secretary of State governing the Pacific halibut fishery. The AA also announces modifications to the Catch Sharing Plan (CSP) for Area 2A (waters off the U.S. West Coast) and implementing regulations for 2008, and announces approval of the Area 2A CSP…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 54. NMFS repeals groundfish vessel incentive program on halibut and red king crab bycatch NMFS issues a final rule to repeal regulations providing for a groundfish vessel incentive program (VIP) that was designed to reduce the rate at which Pacific halibut and red king crab are taken as incidental catch in Alaska groundfish trawl fisheries. The VIP has not performed as intended because of the costs associated with implementation and enforcement, the relatively small number of vessels covered by the regulation, and the implementation of more effective bycatch reduction programs…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/
55. NMFS posts Application for Exempted Fishing
Permit for Salmon Excluder test
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/analyses/efp/ 56. NMFS classifies North Pacific and Atlantic Right Whales as separate species …NMFS completed a status review of right whales in the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in December 2006 and are listing the currently endangered northern right whale (Eubalaena spp.) as two separate, endangered species, North Pacific right whale (E. japonica) and North Atlantic right whale (E. glacialis). … effective on April 7, 2008…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 57. NMFS rules against revision of marbled murrelet critical habitat …the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), find that the proposed revision of critical habitat for the marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, (Act), should not be made…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 58. ESA Petition to list Pacific Eulachon in CA, OR, WA – AK info requested On November 8, 2007, we, NMFS, received a petition to list populations of Pacific eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) in Washington, Oregon, and California as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We find that the petition presents substantial scientific and commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted. Accordingly, we will initiate a status review of the species. To ensure that the status review is complete and based upon the best available scientific and commercial information, we solicit information regarding the population structure and status of Pacific eulachon throughout their range in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 59. Revised Draft Framework for Developing the National System of Marine Protected Areas and Response to Comments NOAA and the Department of the Interior (DOI) jointly propose the Revised Draft Framework for Developing the National System of Marine Protected Areas (Revised Draft Framework), as required by Executive Order 13158 on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This Revised Draft Framework provides overarching guidance for collaborative efforts among federal, state, tribal and local governments and stakeholders to develop an effective National System of MPAs (National System) from existing sites, build coordination and collaborative efforts, and identify ecosystem-based gaps in the protection of significant natural and cultural resources for possible future action by the nation's MPA authorities. The document further provides the guiding principles, key definitions, goals, and objectives…
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/ 60. North Aleutians Basin Energy-Fisheries workshop, March 18–19 at the Anchorage Marriott
http://seagrant.uaf.edu/news/08news/01-23-08energy Workshop page: http://seagrant.uaf.edu/conferences/2008/energy-fisheries/index.html 61. Deadline April 10 for Board of Fisheries 2008 proposals – PSW, SE
http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7c156e7 62. Fishlines - the newsletter of the Alaska Sea Grant College Program, UAF March 2008 issue online at: http://seagrant.uaf.edu/news/fishlines/2008/march.html
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