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UFA Update May 12, 2008 Action Item: Fishermen’s Petition on High Fuel PricesFishermen in Petersburg got 400 signatures on a petition seeking help on fuel costs. UFA, SEAFA and other organizations are making the petition available. Download a copy, get as many signatures as you can and fax to UFA at (907) 463-2545 and we will collect and deliver them to Alaska and Washington’s delegations in DC. Download the petition in pdf at: http://www.ufa-fish.org/doc/fuelcostpetition.pdf Vessel Monitoring costs a problem in your fishery? - see #57, NOAA VMS Reimbursement Program – for up to $3100. Table of Contents 1. Cook Inlet Salmon Task Force named 2. North Pacific fishery council to meet in Kodiak June 4-10 3. NPFMC Items for the June meeting (Kodiak, June 4-10, 2008) 4. Council to decide on charter fleet halibut quota in October meeting 5. IPHC 2008 Halibut Landing Report No. 1 6. High fuel prices keep fishing boats docked – Laine Welch 7. Governor Palin Responds to Record Oil Prices –coming soon 8. Governor Palin Announces Appointments (Chris McDowell to CFAB Board) 9. Coast Guard to revamp commercial fishing safety regs – Comment deadline Jul 29 10. House moves to make fishing a safer job 11. Senator Stevens Calls for Task Force to Bring Illegal Fishing Issue to United Nations 12. Senator Stevens Introduces Legislation to Combat IUU Fishing 13. COOL three years later: grocers respond to consumers' concern (MO) 14. Seafood Choices Alliance Survey Finds Widespread Adoption of Sustainable Seafood 15. MSC ASKS: Do you think there is a need to differentiate farm and wild 16. Wall Street Journal: Does Being Ethical Pay? 17. Oil slick blankets mile of Long Isl. Channel – Coast Guard seeks info 18. ADF&G opens Tanner crab fishing in Kachemak Bay 19. When crab was king – radio series documents Kodiak King Crab fishery 20. Kodiak Coast Guardsman Receives Coast Guard Foundation Award For Heroism 21. Coast Guard Alaska Ranger Rescuers to Receive Awards May 15 -- Media Invited 22. MCA Marine Debris Brochures: Marine Debris in AK & Programatic Response 23. Icicle Seafoods to acquire Smoki Foods 24. Season's first Copper River salmon set to arrive Friday in Seattle 25. Copper River set for season opening 26. (Chitina dip) Copper River run expected to be smaller this year - The dip netting 27. Pebble Partnership releases first round of environmental data 28. Groups sue to stop seismic oil exploration in Arctic seas 29. Comment by June 2 on Beaufort Sea Seismic testing Marine Mammal take 30. AKFS: The Non-Consumptive Value of Steller Sea Lion Protection Measures 31. ASMI Seafood Market Bulletin: 32. ASMI seeks fishery and community photos: 33. Southeast charters face worrisome season 34. Alaska Board of Fisheries Summary of Actions - SE King Salmon Teleconf. 4/28 35. Charter operator charged with perjury 36. Please Check My Salmon – NPR reports on fish box cargo load 37. Seafood: Weighing the Benefits and Risks 38. L.A. Times: Fish oil supplements help heart disease patients 39. Happy 100 years, Cordova 40. Anchor Point Developer to Pay over $27,000 for Alleged Water Violations 41. Tulsequah Chief mine operations plan delayed 42. GAO Offshore Aquaculture Report: Multiple Issues Need to Be Addressed 43. Rahall Urges Caution Against Hasty Development of Offshore Aquaculture 44. NOAA Hosts Meeting on Alternative Feeds for Aquaculture 45. B.C. fish farm opponents plan to petition court to put an end to salmon farms 46. 'Voracious' jumbo squid invading Pacific Northwest waters 47. “Fishery Failure” Declared for West Coast Salmon Fishery 48. My turn: Does the governor care about her grandmother-in-law's rights? 49. A Meeting of Minds – MMRC Workshop brings scientists together 50. Marine Mammal Commission's Report to Congress: The Biological Viability… 51. History Channel “Tougher in Alaska” - Leave the white collars in the drawer 52. 'Deadliest Catch': Show is a star turn for Seattle-based crew 53. Review: "Red Summer": The adventure of salmon fishing in Alaska by Bill Carter 54. Study will collect fishing crew data 55. Laine Welch's Fish Radio –Topics from this week 56. Biology and Management of Exploited Crab Populations under Climate Change 57. NOAA VMS Reimbursement Program – up to $3100 58. NMFS Annual Report to Congress on U.S. Fisheries Bycatch Reduction 59. ADF&G Notice: Groundfish Bycatch in the Salmon Troll Fishery 60. NMFS posts correction to 2C & 3A Charter GHLs 61. NMFS delays Cook Inlet Beluga Whale ESA listing decision 62. Comment deadline June 23 on IFQ referendum rules – crew eligibility specs… 63. BLM revised NEPA Handbook available online & for comment 64. Nat’l Parks & USFWS propose deferring gun regs to States - Comment by June 30 65. DEC hosts public meeting on farmer’s markets & direct sales, May 15, 6-7 pm 66. USFS preparing EIS for Gravina Island Timber sale - Opportunity for comment 67. Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Draft Conservation Plan posted – comment by 9/1 68. NPRB posts list of twenty-five proposals funded for 2008 69. U.S.C.G. Marine Safety Alerts: Watertight integrity and high level bilge alarms 70. National Sea Grant Review Panel Meeting April 29, 2008 71. Fishlines – The Newsletter of Alaska Sea Grant May issue 72. Comment deadline May 24 BSAI Crab Amendment 24 on overfishing 73. Comment deadline May 20 on BSAI Crab Plan crew share exemption from PQ 74. IPHC Solicits Applications for IPHC Merit Scholarship – deadline June 29 1. Cook Inlet Salmon Task Force named Sen. Tom Wagoner, R-Kenai, who was named Friday to the Cook Inlet Salmon Task Force, said the legislative group formed to examine ways to reduce allocation conflicts in the inlet's Northern District appeared heavily weighted with Anchorage and Mat-Su state lawmakers… Senate President Lyda Green, R-Wasilla, and House Speaker John Harris, R-Valdez, named the members of the task force. Green named herself as one of five senators and the task force's vice-chairwoman. Harris did not take a seat from the House side. Also on the panel are Sens. Charlie Huggins, R-Wasilla, Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage, and Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, as well as Reps. Craig Johnson, R-Anchorage (chairman), Kyle Johansen, R-Ketchikan, Mark Neuman, R-Big Lake, Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak/Mat-Su, and Mike Doogan, D-Anchorage. http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/stories/050408/ new_275393232.shtml & Kenai Peninsula Clarion: Wagoner named to task force http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/stories/050408/ new_275393232.shtml & ADN Highliner Blog: Cook Inlet Salmon Task Force now set (& 46 comments) http://community.adn.com/adn/node/122598#comment 2. North Pacific fishery council to meet in Kodiak June 4-10 Up for final action are Bering Sea Aleutian Island crab loan program fees, halibut subsistence rural definition and an exemption for dinglebar gear. An initial review of issues related to fixed gear limited license program (LLP) recency, Pacific cod sector split, sideboards and salmon bycatch will also be on the agenda. http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=6159 3. NPFMC Items for the June meeting (Kodiak, June 4-10, 2008) BSAI and GOA Percent Observed Catch, 2004-2007 http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/observer/ percent_observed.pdf Agenda (updated 5/5): http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/Agendas /608Agenda.pdf Committee Meetings schedule: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc /cmteemtg.htm (Note that SSLMT meeting for May 13-16 has been cancelled) Federal Register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-10385.htm 4. Council to decide on charter fleet halibut quota in October meeting Federal fisheries managers are moving slowly forward with a halibut allocation battle, with plans to decide in October on the charter fishing industry's request for more fish to appease a growing number of customers. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council, while meeting April 1-7 in Anchorage, heard testimony on a plan to put in place a catch-sharing plan for the charter and longline fleets. The federal panel then approved a list of options and sent them out for public review. http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/042008/hom_ 20080420005.shtml 5. IPHC 2008 Halibut Landing Report No. 1 Quota Share Commercial Fisheries Update The 2008 quota share halibut fisheries opened on March 8. It is estimated that the following catches and numbers of landings were made in the Alaskan IFQ fishery and in the British Columbian IVQ fishery through April 24, 2008. No Alaskan Community Development Quota (CDQ) landings have been made yet in 2008… http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel/2008/ nr20080425.htm 6. High fuel prices keep fishing boats docked – Laine Welch High fuel prices have idled 20 percent of Kodiak's trawl fleet -- and hundreds of local seafood workers. Seven of the 35 trawlers home-ported at Kodiak are tied up at the peak of the flatfish season. At $4.65 a gallon for diesel, they simply can't afford to go fishing… http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/ 381298.html 7. Governor Palin Responds to Record Oil Prices –coming soon … When Governor Palin appointed Steve Haagenson as energy coordinator, she directed him to lead a team to identify the most efficient and effective ways to reduce the energy cost burden on Alaskans. The Governor will unveil the plan to address the short-term energy crisis caused by spiking oil prices in the next week… http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1132 8. Governor Palin Announces Appointments (Chris McDowell to CFAB Board) Governor Palin appointed Chris McDowell to the Alaska Commercial Fishing and Agricultural Bank Board of Directors (CFAB)… McDowell, of Juneau, has been the lead Seafood Industry Project Manager of the Salmon Market Information Service since 1998 and is widely acknowledged as one of Alaska’s leading experts on world salmon markets. He is a lifetime Alaska resident and has been a vessel owner and permit-holder in three Alaska commercial salmon fisheries for more than 20 years. http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1130UFA thanks Harold Whittlesy for his service on the CFAB board – and we thank all fishermen who serve on community and state boards, commissions, appointed and elected offices. 9. Coast Guard to revamp commercial fishing safety regs – Comment deadline Jul 29 Fishermen have an opportunity to weigh in on an issue of the most basic importance as the Coast Guard makes plans to revamp safety regulations specific to commercial fishing boats… http://www.homernews.com/stories/050708/seawatch _25_001.shtmlUSCG 73FR16815 31Mar2008 -Advance notice of proposed rulemaking: http://homeport.uscg.mil/mycg/portal/ep/contentDetailView.do ?BV&contentType=EDITORIAL&contentId=111455 Federal Register Notice March 31: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-6477.htm USCG Safety home page: www.fishsafe.info 10. House moves to make fishing a safer job A major overhaul of commercial-fishing safety rules is tucked inside a bill that this week sailed through the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would require new fishing boats, if they are at least 50 feet long, to meet tougher construction standards to improve seaworthiness. Older vessels would have to meet an alternate set of Coast Guard safety standards by 2018. Some fishermen say the provisions impose too much expensive and cumbersome regulations that the Coast Guard, already struggling to shoulder its current responsibilities, would be hard-pressed to carry out… http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004374882 _safety26m.html Also see Coast Guard safety alert at item #69 below. 11. Senator Stevens Calls for Task Force to Bring Illegal Fishing Issue to United Nations Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) today urged the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to address the threat of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. He called on NOAA, the State Department, and the U.S. Coast Guard to meet with Congress and bring the issue to the United Nations… http://stevens.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=News Room.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=c064c629-080d-f4d1 -c84c-4723dae46f59&Region_id=&Issue_id 12. Senator Stevens Introduces Legislation to Combat IUU Fishing Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) today joined Senator Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) to introduce a bill to close the gaps in United States law that currently allow illegal, underreported, and unregulated (IUU) fish products to enter the country. The International Fisheries Stewardship and Enforcement Act of 2008 (S. 2907) would strengthen United States’ fisheries law enforcement programs and would assist developing countries with fisheries monitoring and enforcement.. http://stevens.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=News Room.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=81f3f13f-e9d3-98a1- d851-8c0364444f6b&Region_id=&Issue_id= & APRN Radio: Stevens continues push for federal crack down on illegal fishing http://aprn.org/2008/05/06/stevens-continues-push-for- federal-crack-down-on-illegal-fishing/ 13. COOL three years later: grocers respond to consumers' concern (MO) …The seafood industry became the first to adopt country-of-origin labeling, ahead of beef and other livestock industries, which are slated to do the same later this year, after much resistance. Seafood importers and processors balked initially, too. But now they concede that labeling is just a cost of doing business. "We didn't think it was necessary, because we didn't feel it really enhanced food safety," said Gavin Gibbons, of the National Fisheries Institute, an industry trade group. "With that said, all (our) members are 100 percent compliant. It's part of the industry now."Still, that doesn't mean consumers are getting complete clarity. Restaurants and food-service companies are not required to provide the labels. Fish processed with other ingredients, like breaded shrimp or fish sticks, also is exempt. http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscity county/story/D14ADF79553506BE8625743E001E57FB?Open Document 14. Seafood Choices Alliance Survey Finds Widespread Adoption of Sustainable Seafood In “The U.S. Marketplace for Sustainable Seafood: Are We Hooked Yet?”, the Seafood Choices Alliance finds that all sectors of the U.S. seafood supply chain have included and recognize the need for sustainable seafood in their operations… http://www.insnet.org/ins_headlines.rxml?id=10346&photo= 15. MSC ASKS: Do you think there is a need to differentiate farm and wild production in the market place, using labeling? The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has appointed Harewelle International Ltd to undertake a confidential stakeholder survey on whether MSC should engage in a certification and labelling programme covering aquaculture products. We are very interested in your views and we invite you to complete the survey.The web survey site is now open at www.rightbrainsolution.com/msc . The web survey closes at midnight GMT, 22nd May 2008. Marine Stewardship Council Home page: www.msc.org 16. Wall Street Journal: Does Being Ethical Pay? Companies spend huge amounts of money to be 'socially responsible.' Do consumers reward them for it? And how much?.. In all of our tests, consumers were willing to pay a slight premium for the ethically made goods. But they went much further in the other direction: They would buy unethically made products only at a steep discount… http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121018735490274425.html ?mod=todays_us_nonsub_journalreports 17. Oil slick blankets mile of Long Isl. Channel – Coast Guard seeks info The U.S. Coast Guard is seeking information to help find who is responsible for dumping oil in an area between Long Island and Woody Island. On Tuesday, a local pilot spotted and reported a mile-long oil slick. A Coast Guard helicopter on training was diverted to investigate, but spotted no boats in the vicinity of the spill… http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=6174 18. ADF&G opens Tanner crab fishing in Kachemak Bay The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced in April that it will open Kachemak Bay to non-commercial tanner crab fishing on July 15, 2008. Subsistence, personal-use and sport fisheries for Tanner crab will open in the waters of Kachemak Bay, east of a line between Anchor Point and Point Pogibshi. Department surveys estimate the abundance of legal sized male Tanner crab has met the minimum criteria for opening the fishery under the management plan adopted by the Alaska Board of Fisheries in 2002… http://www.homertribune.com/article.php?aid=2905 19. When crab was king – radio series documents Kodiak King Crab fishery Award-winning journalist produces radio series to document once plentiful Kodiak king crab fishery… A new, 52-part radio series will detail the rise and fall of one of Kodiak’s most prolific fisheries, that of Kodiak king crab. King crab first appeared in Kodiak in the 1940s and disappeared in the 1970s. However, before the fishery officially closed in 1982, the king crab harvest buoyed Kodiak from a small fishing town to one of the busiest ports in Alaska. Kodiak Daily Mirror item: http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=6181Download the programs online at Kodiak Maritime Museum Radio: http://www.kodiakmaritimemuseum.org/programs/index.html 20. Kodiak Coast Guardsman Receives Coast Guard Foundation Award For Heroism U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Devin L. Townsend, of Belleville, Mich., was awarded the Admiral Chester R. Bender Award for Heroism here on May 2, 2008, for his participation in the rescue of four fishermen on Feb. 9, 2007. Stationed in Kodiak, Alaska, Townsend was a key part of the HH-65 Dolphin crew that responded to the call from fishing vessel Illusion off Unalaska Island, Alaska at 1:00 a.m. Despite a low cloud ceiling, near zero illumination, and winds up to 35 knots, the helicopter crew was able to navigate to the scene of the distressed vessel. Despite surpassing weight limitations on the HH-65 Dolphin's engines, the crew managed to retrieve all four fishermen from the arctic waters, and navigate safely back to Dutch Harbor where an ambulance was waiting to treat the survivors. http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/823/201659/ 21. Coast Guard Alaska Ranger Rescuers to Receive Awards May 15 -- Media Invited KODIAK, Alaska - Coast Guard crews involved in the fishing vessel Alaska Ranger rescue will receive awards Thursday May 15th during ceremonies at the Coast Guard base in Kodiak. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Munro will be receiving the Coast Guard Unit Commendation and aviators Lt. Brian J. McLaughlin, Lt. Timothy L. Schmitz, Lt. Steven M. Bonn, Lt Greg S. Gedemer, Petty Officer 2nd Class O'Brien Hollow, Petty Officer 2nd Class Robert R. DeBolt and Petty Officer 2nd Class Alfred V. Musgrave will receive Air Medals for saving 20 of the 47 crew members of the Alaska Ranger. The Alaska Ranger's sister ship, Alaska Warrior, saved 22… http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/780/201998/ 22. MCA Marine Debris Brochures: Marine Debris in AK & Programatic Response The Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation has recently published the following: A Programmatic Response to Marine Pollution: http://www.mcafoundation.org/doc/PRMP_Handout.pdf & Marine Debris in Alaska: http://www.mcafoundation.org/doc/MD_brochure.pdf 23. Icicle Seafoods to acquire Smoki Foods Icicle Seafoods Inc., a diversified Seattle-based seafood harvesting and processing firm, plans to expand its product mix with the acquisition of Smoki Foods, also of Seattle... Smoki Foods is a producer and distributor of seafood specializing in production of farmed salmon, and the further processing and distribution of wild-caught seafood harvested in Alaska waters. http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/051108/hom_ 20080511055.shtml 24. Season's first Copper River salmon set to arrive Friday in Seattle Alaska Airlines says its first 737 freighter filled with Copper River salmon will arrive Friday at Sea-Tac Airport. The plane from Cordova will carry about 10 tons of the fish prized for its flavor… http://www.newsminer.com/news/2008/may/12/seasons- first-copper-river-salmon-set-arrive-frida/ 25. Copper River set for season opening "It will be interesting to see what salmon prices will be," Cade Smith at Fisherman's Express said Tuesday morning, That's an understatement when it comes to discussing the opening next week for the Copper River. Salmon prices have been high lately, and the kings and sockeyes that come out of that famed area typically draw top prices. Copper River salmon has a reputation across the nation and internationally as a best buy because of its oil content and because the harvest is sustainable… http://www.adn.com/life/story/398426.html 26. (Chitina dip) Copper River run expected to be smaller this year - The dip netting season for red and king salmon on the Copper River at Chitina is tentatively scheduled to open June 4, with emphasis on the word “tentative.”… Dip-netters can only hope for the same kind of seasons they enjoyed the past two years. Last year’s personal-use harvest at Chitina was approximately 129,500 salmon, the vast majority of which (125,000) were reds. It was the fifth-largest harvest since 1984 and the catch per permit was the second highest during that time period. http://newsminer.com/news/2008/may/08/copper-river-run- expected-be-smaller-year/ 27. Pebble Partnership releases first round of environmental data The Pebble Partnership has released the first of its pre-permitting environmental and socio-economic data reports focusing on meteorological data collected in the project area over the past three years… http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/051108/hom_ 20080511048.shtml & Pebble to spend $140 million on mine efforts this year http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/042708/hom_ 20080427045.shtml 28. Groups sue to stop seismic oil exploration in Arctic seas Alaska Native and environmental groups sued Monday to stop exploration by oil companies this summer in Arctic waters frequented by whales, seals and other marine species. The groups are challenging federal permits that allow Shell Oil Co. and BP PLC to search for oil and gas using powerful acoustic devices that have been shown, at times, to harm a variety of marine animals. The technology, known as seismic exploration, is used to determine the geologic makeup of the sea bed. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jnA0Bf6EdDCfPmPfXNg- 71mMm6GAD90FSQ7O0 29. Comment by June 2 on Beaufort Sea Seismic testing Marine Mammal take NMFS has received an application from BP Exploration (Alaska), Inc. (BPXA) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals incidental to a 3D, ocean bottom cable (OBC) seismic survey in the Liberty Prospect, Beaufort Sea, Alaska in 2008. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to BPXA to incidentally take, by harassment, small numbers of several species of marine mammals between July and October, 2008, during the aforementioned activity. DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than June 2, 2008. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-9682.htm 30. AKFS: The Non-Consumptive Value of Steller Sea Lion Protection Measures AK Fisheries Science Center Economic and Social Sciences Research Program …The objective of this project is to use state-of-the-art survey, sampling and statistical techniques to estimate the value that U.S. citizens place on providing protection to Steller sea lions. This information is important for the management and monitoring of marine resources, but is currently not available. This is a multi-year project. http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/REFM/Socioeconomics/ Projects/NCVSSLPM.php 31. ASMI Seafood Market Bulletin: Featuring the following articles: 2008 Salmon Forecast Halibut Season Update Sablefish Landings Whitefish Update http://www.alaskaseafood.org/fishingprocessing/seafoodweb _apr08/index.html & also see ASMI Sustainability home page: http://www.alaskaseafood.org/sustainability/ 32. ASMI seeks fishery and community photos: Color photos are needed for Alaska Seafood promotional internet based regional map Can be photos of fishing in the area, landscapes, wildlife, fishermen, boats, scenic beauty, landmarks. Need to be high-enough resolution (not thumbnails). A photo credit can be provided, however no professional photo rights will be procured. Chignik, Kodiak, Larsen Bay, Valdez, Kasilof, Cordova, Sitka, Juneau, Petersburg, Wrangell, Ketchikan, Dutch Harbor, Attu, Adak, Atka, Akutan… Contact Laura at ASMI at (907) 465-5563 33. Southeast charters face worrisome season CONCERNS: Possible bag limit cuts, fewer tourists and fuel prices. Charter fishermen in Juneau are putting their boats in the water for the summer season but they say there's a lot to worry about this year. …Charter fishermen also are keeping a close eye on new or proposed regulations on king salmon and halibut that may further limit the available catch. The charter fleet did receive some good news. Last week, the state Board of Fisheries revised regulations it made earlier this year on king salmon sport fishing. Charter captains are back to six lines per boat instead of four… http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/398414.html & Juneau Empire: Charter fishermen face tight season http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/050608/loc_276027741.shtml & Charter Halibut discussions in Juneau Empire Op-ed page: My turn: Leasing fish is no way to run a business By Rick Bierman The subject of operators leasing quota from the commercial halibut fleet has been reported in the Empire lately. I would like to raise some points on this issue from the charter perspective. http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/042008/opi_270392464.shtml Fishermen need plan for quotas -Juneau Empire Letter to the editor & responses I would like to respond to Rick Bierman's recent letter, though I really wish I didn't have to. I'm exhausted with all the bickering about allocation between the commercial and charter halibut fleets. Bierman refers to his clients as the public (though they represent a very small percentage of the public - those financially able to purchase a few hours or days aboard a charter boat.) http://juneauempire.com/stories/042708/let_272767613.shtml 34. Alaska Board of Fisheries Summary of Actions - SE King Salmon Teleconf. 4/28 http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/meetinfo/2007_ 2008/4-28-08-teleconf/teleconf-sum.pdf & Notice Of Adoption Of Emergency Regulations Of The Alaska Board Of Fisheries http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7c156e7a 8925672a0060a91b/7fdfdc68bc35d16f8925744100637a74 ?OpenDocument 35. Charter operator charged with perjury An owner of a Southcentral charter business has been charged with four felony counts of perjury and one of witness tampering, according to Alaska State Troopers… Troopers say Byler included falsified information on letters of recommendation on behalf of four people he wanted to employ as assistant guides, including how long he had known them and their qualifications, said Alaska Wildlife Trooper investigator Shannon Fore… http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/391131.html 36. Please Check My Salmon – NPR reports on fish box cargo load Southeast Alaska's waters are home to all five species of salmon, and each summer, sport fishermen from the lower 48 states flock to the area for charter fishing vacations. But when they return home, they don't just bring T-shirts or baseball caps… During the summer, Alaska Airlines gets a lot of fish traffic from its airports in Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka. Paul McElroy, a spokesman for the airline, estimates that during the peak season for sport fishing – from late July through August — nearly 200 fishermen fly each day from Ketchikan back to the lower 48 states and transport between 250 and 300 containers of fish in the cargo hold. On average, each container weighs about 50 pounds… http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90220212 37. Seafood: Weighing the Benefits and Risks Few foods have confused consumers as much as seafood. Even though the health benefits associated with eating fish and shellfish continue to expand, fears of seafood contaminants sometimes overshadow the good associated with eating more fish. Are we being irrational? Risk experts say that people exaggerate the chance of rare but nasty events occurring, following their gut instincts rather than logic. Faced with conflicting information, consumers say, “Why take the chance when I don’t have to?” This paper takes a close look at what we might gain or lose by eating fish and shellfish more often… http://www.alaskaseafood.org/health/experts/seafood benefitsandrisks.htm 38. L.A. Times: Fish oil supplements help heart disease patients But, doctors say, fish oil has no documented benefits for people without a cardiac problem… All over the world -- Japan, the Arctic, Anaheim, wherever -- people who eat a lot of fish seem to enjoy unusual protection from heart disease. Not everyone can manage a plate of salmon or sashimi every night, but there's another option: fish oil capsules, the fatty extracts of anchovies, sardines or salmon poured into a package of gelatin… http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-skeptic5-2008 may05,0,4292159.story 39. Happy 100 years, Cordova We’ve made it. Cordova is officially 100 years old as of today, May 1. Reaching this moment has not been easy… Cordova is not the bustling seaport that was once her aspiration. Cordova is no longer the razor clam capital of the world as she was before the 1964 earthquake. She no longer has the multi-million dollar herring industry she enjoyed before the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill… http://thecordovatimes.com/news/show/2168 40. Anchor Point Developer to Pay over $27,000 for Alleged Violations of the Federal Clean Water Act The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached a settlement with Paul Sayer (Sayer) for alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA). The violations occurred at Sayer’s 5.5 acre construction site located along Sayer Road and North Fork Road in Anchor Point, Alaska on the Kenai Peninsula. Sayer has agreed to pay $27,600. EPA alleges that Sayer violated the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), by not obtaining a Storm Water Construction General Permit (CGP). Permit authorization is required for discharges of storm water from any construction site with at least one acre of disturbed land. Violations included: -Numerous Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) violations; and -Failure to obtain the necessary NPDES CGP permits… http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d96f984dfb3ff77185 25735900400c29/0a5bc2f77fb15f758525744700796472!Open Document 41. Tulsequah Chief mine operations plan delayed The owner of the proposed Tulsequah Chief mine in British Columbia is still working on responding to the state of Alaska's February request for more information on a proposed unconventional barge system in the winter and spring melt and fall freeze-up seasons. But the company, Redfern Resources Ltd., doesn't need any state permits to use conventional barges this summer, as it did last summer. http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/042208/loc_271046778.shtml 42. GAO Offshore Aquaculture Report: Multiple Administrative and Environmental Issues Need to Be Addressed in Establishing a U.S. Regulatory Framework Document posted May 9, 2008: Highlights of GAO-08-594, a report to the Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives“In developing a regulatory framework for offshore aquaculture, it is important to consider a wide array of issues, which can be grouped into four main areas… Program administration… Permitting and site selection… Environmental management… Research… For complete 58 page report (1 meg.) see: http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-594 Highlights summary: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08594high.pdf 43. Rahall Urges Caution Against Hasty Development of Offshore Aquaculture Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), citing a new report released today by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on U.S. aquaculture, cautioned that the report's findings illustrate that significant barriers still exist in the development of an environmentally safe offshore aquaculture industry…. http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com _content&task=view&id=379&Itemid=27 44. NOAA Hosts Meeting on Alternative Feeds for Aquaculture On Wednesday, April 30, 2008, NOAA’s Aquaculture Program hosted the NOAA-USDA National Stakeholder Meeting on Alternative Feeds for Aquaculture in Silver Spring, MD. Over 80 participants representing aquaculture producers, the aquaculture feeds industry, private research consortiums, other federal agencies, academia, and non-government organizations focused on research priorities for promising alternatives to fish meal and oil in aquaculture diets… http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishnews/2008/05062008.htm#anchor1 More information is available on the Aquaculture Program website, http://aquaculture.noaa.gov . 45. B.C. fish farm opponents plan to petition court to put an end to salmon farms VANCOUVER — Some of the most vociferous critics of fish farming on the West Coast filed a petition in court Tuesday, asking it to declare that the way fish farms are regulated in B.C. is contrary to the Constitution. Marine biologist Alexandra Morton said she and an association of gillnetters, the Vessels Owners Association and the Wilderness Tourism Association filed the petition in B.C. Supreme Court… http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5iwbditv6_ oo2b6mImWRzG_NdD-uw 46. 'Voracious' jumbo squid invading Pacific Northwest waters WASHINGTON — They aren't your normal calamari. But the jumbo squid now lurking off the Pacific Northwest coast could threaten salmon runs and signal yet another change in the oceans brought on by global warming. No one knows exactly why they started appearing in increasing numbers off Washington state and Oregon, or how many of them there are, but scientists and commercial fishermen have found them in their nets every year since 2004…. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/226/story/34948.html & Jumbo squid swims north, imperiling B.C. hake Persistent sightings have some calling for an expedition to determine how many of the predatory creatures exist in Canadian waters… http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.2008 0512.BCSQUID12/TPStory/National 47. “Fishery Failure” Declared for West Coast Salmon Fishery On May 1, 2008 Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez declared a commercial fishery failure for the West Coast salmon fishery due to historically low salmon returns. Hundreds of thousands of fall Chinook salmon typically return to the Sacramento River every year to spawn. This year, scientists estimate that fewer than 60,000 adult Chinook will make it back to the Sacramento River. NOAA Fisheries Service has issued regulations to close or severely limit recreational and commercial salmon fishing in the area… http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishnews/2008/05062008.htm#anchor1 & West Coast Salmon closure: NOAA posts 2008 Management Measures and a Temporary Rule http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-9687.htm & NOAA’s Fisheries Service Issues Far-Reaching Plans for Protecting Northwest Salmon http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20080505_salmon.html & House Resources oversight hearing on the management of West Coast fisheries - -Thursday May 15… The hearing will look at the most recent salmon disaster and how it has affected local communities. The hearing will also examine broader questions surrounding the management of West Coast salmon stocks by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service and the failure to maintain robust and resilient salmon populations that can sustain inevitable changes in ocean conditions. Visit the Committee’s Web site to access witness testimony following the conclusion of the hearing. (May 15, 2008, at 10:00 a.m., Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building)… http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_ jcalpro&Itemid=27&extmode=view&extid=174 48. My turn: Does the governor care about her grandmother-in-law's rights? By Matt Gilbert Gov. Sarah Palin's grandmother-in-law's subsistence rights are being eroded by state interests infiltrating the Federal Subsistence Board and infecting laws Natives have worked so hard to instill. http://juneauempire.com/stories/042908/opi_273340314.shtml 49. A Meeting of Minds – MMRC Workshop brings scientists together to seek common solutions Contrary to public perception, not all marine mammal research involves observing animals in the wild. While studying wild animals in their natural environment does provide valuable information for science and conservation, it simply cannot answer many of the pressing research questions about marine mammals. Questions such as how do the food requirements of marine mammals vary by time of year, what are the nutritional benefits of different prey, what are the energetic costs of changing behavior, and what are the physiological consequences of changing their diet cannot be answered from field studies. Thus, many scientists turn to trained animals – such as those cared for in public aquaria or in university research facilities – to study specific aspects of their physiology or behavior… http://www.marinemammal.org/2008/workshop.phpMarine Mammal Research Consortium home page: http://www.marinemammal.org 50. Marine Mammal Commission's Report to Congress: The Biological Viability of the Most Endangered Marine Mammals and the Cost-effectiveness of Protection Programs 448 Page report is online at: http://www.mmc.gov/reports/workshop/pdf/mmc_rept_txt08.pdf 51. History Channel “Tougher in Alaska” - Leave the white collars in the drawer Alaskan jobs get a visit from History channel It's been said about New York City that "if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere." Well, the people who believe that - mostly New Yorkers, in all likelihood - might change their opinions after watching a few episodes of a rollicking new series on the cable network History (formerly known as the History Channel). http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080508 /ART18/805080320 52. 'Deadliest Catch': Show is a star turn for Seattle-based crew …One thing is certain: What began as a documentary-style series about the Alaskan crab fishing industry has become an international sensation in its fourth season, with six ships featured this season… http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/tv/361860_catch06.html 53. Book Review: "Red Summer": The adventure of salmon fishing in Alaska by Bill Carter Author and documentary director Bill Carter lives in southern Arizona. But like a bird migrating to the Arctic to nest each summer, he traveled north for four summers to fish the annual sockeye salmon run on the river flowing past the tiny village of Egegik, Alaska… http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2004399056_ redsummer11.html 54. Study will collect fishing crew data An ambitious new project aims to craft a system that will provide labor data on the thousands of crew members who work aboard Alaska's fishing fleets. Best guess-timates peg the number of deckhands at 20,000. Because fishermen are contract workers, no wage reports are collected by the state. Crew licenses are required, but they don't tell where or when or even if a crew member fished, or how much they earned…. http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/395520.html 55. Laine Welch's Fish Radio –Topics from this week Monday 5/12/08 Bristol Bay salmon permit values increasing, herring outlook good Friday 5/9/08 Steam can fuel big energy savings instead of going up the stack. Thursday 5/8/08 Copper River May 15 opener marks ‘official’ start of AK salmon season Wednesday 5/7/08 Updates on halibut and sablefish Tuesday 5/6/08 Counting AK fishing crews: how, where and who’s to do it? Online at: http://www.marineconservationalliance.org/fishradio.htm & also see Laine Welch's Fish Factor at http://www.kinyradio.com/fishfactor.html 56. Biology and Management of Exploited Crab Populations under Climate Change 25th Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium, March 10-13, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska This symposium will bring together international crab fishery scientists and managers to share insights into the mechanisms behind synergistic effects of human and natural causes of fluctuations and collapses of crab stocks and fisheries around the world. The organizers of this symposium seek to foster a comparative approach across different marine ecosystems in the face of climate change and variable exploitation rates. Discussions will take a process-oriented approach by focusing on the mechanisms behind crab population-level responses relevant to fisheries management in an ecosystem context. Submissions from arctic to tropical ecosystems are encouraged. Abstracts for poster and oral presentations are being accepted. For details, see the symposium web site at: http://www.alaskaseagrant.org /conferences/2009/wakefield-crab/index.html Or contact: Sherri Pristash, fyconf@uaf.edu 57. NOAA VMS Reimbursement Program – up to $3100 NMFS revises the availability of grant funds for vessel owners and/or operators who have purchased an Enhanced Mobile Transmitter Unit (E-MTU) for the purpose of complying with fishery regulations requiring the use of Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS). These funds will be used to reimburse vessel owners and/or operators for the purchase price of the E-MTU. This notice supersedes all previous notices on VMS MTU or E-MTU reimbursement… http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-9994.htm 58. NMFS Annual Report to Congress on U.S. Fisheries Bycatch Reduction Standards and Measures Issued Pursuant to Section 202(h) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act… U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/by_catch/docs/BycatchReduction Report2007.pdf NMFS Bycatch home page: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/bycatch.htm 59. ADF&G Notice: Groundfish Bycatch in the Salmon Troll Fishery Sitka. . . The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced today the following information regarding groundfish bycatch in the salmon troll fishery, in the state waters portion of the Eastern Gulf of Alaska Area. Groundfish incidentally taken by hand and power troll gear operated to take salmon consistent with applicable laws and regulations are legally taken and possessed in unlimited amounts with the exception of the species listed… http://documents.cf1.adfg.state.ak.us/AdfgDocument.po? DOCUMENT=16761 60. NMFS posts correction to 2C & 3A Charter GHLs NMFS published a notice of Pacific halibut guideline harvest levels (GHLs) for the guided sport charter vessel fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission regulatory areas 2C and 3A in the Federal Register on February 5, 2008 (73 FR 6709). This notice contained an incorrect metric conversion for the Area 2C GHL… The corresponding GHLs are 931,000 lb (422.3 mt) in Area 2C, and 3,650,000 lb (1,655.6 mt) in Area 3A… http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-9869.htm 61. NMFS delays Cook Inlet Beluga Whale ESA listing decision We, NMFS, are extending the date by which a final determination will be made regarding the April 20, 2007, proposed rule to list a Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of beluga whale, Delphinapterus leucas, found in Cook Inlet, Alaska, as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). We believe that substantial disagreement exists regarding the population trend, and that allowing an additional 6 months to obtain the 2008 abundance estimate would better inform our final determination as to whether the Cook Inlet beluga whale should be listed as endangered under the ESA. DATES: A final determination on this listing action will be made no later than October 20, 2008. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-8689.htm 62. Comment deadline June 23 on IFQ referendum rules – crew eligibility specs… Individual Fishing Quota Referenda Guidelines and Procedures for the New England Fishery Management Council and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council… The intended effect of these procedures and guidance is to ensure IFQ program referenda are fair and equitable… "Specifically, NEFMC's initiation letters must include a recommendation for the percentage of a crew member's total income that, if earned in the proposed IFQ fishery, would be considered significant. " Comments must be submitted in writing on or before June 23, 2008. Online at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-8756.htmThis is not Alaska but is an opportunity to influence crew eligibility for future programs 63. BLM revised NEPA Handbook available online & for comment This notice announces the availability of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Handbook to support implementation of the procedures the BLM uses to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)… The public can review the revised edition of the NEPA Handbook on the BLM Web site at http://www.blm.gov , on the left click on Information and then click on NEPA. Note that the Web Guide links will be functional at a later date. The handbook will be mailed to those who indicate that they want a hard copy or compact disk. The handbook is based upon current regulation, policy, and procedures… The public is welcome to review and comment on the handbook… http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-8866.htm 64. Nat’l Parks & USFWS propose deferring to States on gun regs – Comment by June 30 …forty-eight States authorize citizens to carry concealed weapons for the purpose of self-defense. Existing federal regulations governing firearms in national parks and national wildlife refuges, promulgated before many of these State laws were in effect, properly limit poaching and target practice, but unnecessarily disable or limit the ability of law-abiding citizens to possess, carry, and transport a concealed firearm. The Department believes that Federal regulations should be amended to defer to this development in State law, particularly where, as in this case, the deference can be achieved without harm to the visitors or resources the regulations are designed to protect. Written comments will be accepted through June 30, 2008 http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-9606.htm 65. DEC Food Safety program hosts public meeting on farmer’s markets & direct sales May 15, 6-7 pm, Fairbanks LIO, and teleconference The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation’s Food Safety and Sanitation Program invites you to a public meeting on the regulations and guidelines for people who wish to produce and sell food products at local markets and how to safely bring those products to market. What type of permit do you need? Where can your products be produced? What requirements are necessary to maintain a permit? These questions and more will be addressed at the meeting... The meeting will be held on May 15 from 6-7 PM and based in the Fairbanks Legislative Information Office (LIO) at 1292 Sadler Way Suite 308. We will teleconference to several other LIO’s across the state, or people may call-in from any location in the state to hear the meeting. Call in at 1-800- 315-6338 code 2178#. http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7c156e7a 8925672a0060a91b/580dbd031ad2423e89257440005da02 1?OpenDocument 66. USFS preparing EIS for Gravina Island Timber sale - Opportunity for comment The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (ETS) on a proposal to construct roads and harvest timber in central Gravina Island on the Ketchikan Misty Fiords Ranger District, Tongass National Forest. Two Alternatives have been developed for the public to comment on. These Proposed Alternatives would harvest between 18 and 38 million board feet (MMBF) of timber on between 515 and 1,250 acres and would construct between 7 and 16 miles of road respectively… Opportunities for comments are available throughout the analysis process. Comments concerning the scope of the analysis will be most helpful if received within 30 days of the date of this notice (posted May 7). http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-9929.htm 67. Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Draft Conservation Plan posted – comment by 9/1 ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Draft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge; request for comments. SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service, we), announce that the Draft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan (Draft Plan) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is available for public comment… Comments on the Draft Plan/EIS must be received on or before September 1, 2008 http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-10236.htm 68. NPRB posts list of twenty-five proposals funded for 2008 http://www.nprb.org/proposals/2008_rfp.html And other items: -Congratulations to the 2008 Graduate Student Research Award Winners -Photo Contest Winners Announced -Sponsorship of 2008 Marine Mammals of the Holarctic Conference … and more online at North Pacific Research Board home page: http://www.nprb.org/ 69. U.S.C.G. Marine Safety Alerts: Watertight integrity and high level bilge alarms Maintaining Vessel Watertight Integrity This Safety Alert addresses two issues: watertight integrity and high level bilge alarms. http://www.hklaw.com/content/maritime/mardocs/ Marine_Safety_Alert_1-08.pdf 70. National Sea Grant Review Panel Meeting April 29, 2008 The National Sea Grant Review Panel met this month to discuss advice to the National Sea Grant College Program in the areas of staffing and resource needs at the National Sea Grant Office, the designation of Pennsylvania State University as a Sea Grant Institutional Program and a response to Congressional questions posed by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives' Natural Resources Committee in regard to Sea Grant reauthorization… For additional information, please contact Ms. Gina Barrera, National Sea Grant College Program; telephone: (301) 734-1077. http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishnews/2008/05062008 .htm#anchor1 71. Fishlines – The Newsletter of Alaska Sea Grant May issue This month’s items include: Brian Allee to Retire Energy-Fisheries (North Aleutian Basin Workshop) Kudos Gadid Book release Entanglement Prevention Placard 2009 Wakefield Symposium on Crab March 2009 Invasive Species Research Salmon in the City Festival Anchorage June 6-15 Marine Refrigeration Course http://seagrant.uaf.edu/news/fishlines/2008/may.html Congratulations to Brian Allee on your retirement. Whale Entanglement placards are available at the UFA office in Juneau, or through UAF Alaska Sea Grant. Repeat items – still open for comment 72. Comment deadline May 24 BSAI Crab Amendment 24 on overfishing –http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-5562.htm 73. Comment deadline May 20 on BSAI Crab Plan crew share exemption from PQ http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-6584.htm && Federal Register Notice March 21: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-5789.htm 74. IPHC Solicits Applications for IPHC Merit Scholarship – deadline June 29. http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel/2008/ nr20080311.htm
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