UFA Update

UFA Update

July 17, 2009

The Halibut Coalition needs your financial support for their fees in intervention proceedings in the ongoing lawsuit against the guided halibut bag limit reduction. To donate by credit card ($200 minimum) see: http://www.halibutcoalition.org/docs/Donation%20
Form%20HC%2012Jul08.pdf

UFA is now on Facebook as United Fishermen of Alaska, and Ufa Mark Vinsel.

Table of Contents
1. Comment deadline July 31 Sport Fish Draft Strategic Plan
2. Exxon to pay $500 million in interest to spill victims
3. HB 134 Cruise ship wastewater bill signed into law by Governor Palin
4. Governor Sarah Palin signs SB3 (CFEC data) and HJR 19 (EVOS) bills
5. BOF prohibits sale of kings taken in Yukon chum fishery
6. Yukon residents take fishing matters into their own hands
7. Halibut travel up the Copper River – with CDFU’s help
8. Donated salmon reaching more kids in Bristol Bay
9. Murkowski Calls for Mining Reform
10. Senate and House health care bills move in DC
11. Congressman Young defends fishing industry in H.R. 21 hearing – you tube
12. Delegation Announces Grants to Alaska Programs - $4M+ fish related
13. AK Journal of Commerce: Palin's replacement is her polar opposite
14. Secretary of Commerce Names 30 to Fishery Management Councils
15. Glut of reds overwhelms Bristol Bay processors - again
16. 2009 brings mixed salmon returns
17. Salmon Wars: KTUU five part series by Jason Moore
18. Poor Yukon salmon run threatens treaty
19. Smart Gear competition gets three entries from Alaska
20. Environment Groups Praise Senate Panel For New Clean Water Bill S.787
21. Diesel spill near Iliamna River still seeping into river
22. Pebble commentary: Are salmon as precious as gold?
23. AP: Failed policies, corruption is leading to overfishing
24. National Geographic “the Long Haul” featuring F/V Krusof & the Hubbard family, airs Aug 13 at 3:00 pm Eastern time.
25. NFI Open Letter to Journalists from the Seafood Community on
Errors and Distortions in News Coverage
26. Alaskan native brings catch to western Pennsylvania
27. 17th Coast Guard District to hold change of command ceremony – July 16, Juneau
28. USCG Safety Alert - EPIRB and PLB Registration
29. Juneau to forgive half of fishermen's memorial debt
30. Barbecue at Ballard marina 7/28 will benefit Seattle Fishermen’s Memorial
31. Out the Juneau road, a new research forest and new roads into Cowee Creek
32. Mystery goo floating off North Slope coast
33. Scientists Report First Remote, Underwater Detection of Harmful Algae, Toxins
34. WholeFoods Blog - On the Waterfront features Alaska salmon
35. SE Gillnetters vote down regional marketing assessment, again
36. Louisiana: Branding local seafood like Maine lobster could help fishermen
37. Massachusetts: States lure consumers with seafood branding
38. W.Va. chef headed to Great American Seafood cook-off (no AK or WA?)
39. Maine - Nonprofits, state buying fishing rights for fishermen
40. UK: ‘Out of touch’ Prince Charles condemned for remarks on fish stocks
41. UK: Fish and chip shops accused of selling Vietnamese cobbler as cod
42. Scientists Say Farmed Fish May Carry 'Mad Cow' Disease
43. Kona Blue's paper - "The Ecological Efficiencies of Farmed Fish"
44. Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
45. Attention Salmon Fishermen: Reward for Returned Radio Tags
46. Channel Islands State Marine Park Management Plan meeting July 28, 2009
47. Coast Guard imposes $1,000 fines for boaters in Port Valdez ($2K for Commercial)
48. 17th Coast Guard District command transfers to Rear Admiral Colvin
49. NOAA Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2010
50. BSAI Crab Rationalization zero percent cost recover fee for 2009/2010
51. Deadline Sept 14, 2009 for nominations for NOAA Science Advisory Board
52. Comment by Sept 24, 2009 on draft Marine Mammal Stock Assessment Reports
53. NOAA Bans Commercial Harvesting of Krill in WA, OR, CA
54. Comment by August 28 on Pac. NW salmon and steelhead ESA monitoring guidance
55. Comment Deadline on Council Operations extended to Nov 2
56. Comment Deadline August 3, 2009 on Gulf of Mexico aquaculture plan
57. USDA Rural Development withdraws Value-Added Producer Grant notice
58. NOAA Research Vessels Conduct Gulf of Alaska Bottom Trawl Survey
59. NOAA Imposes Fine and Penalty for False Reporting in Alaska Fishery
60. Feds to investigate NMFS enforcement tactics
61. IPHC Bycatch Workshop Sept. 29 in Seattle, and landing reports
62. Comment deadline August 31 on Fed Fisheries data collection paperwork
63. Public asked to weigh in on commercial fishing in the Arctic – by July 27
64. NW Trade Adjustment Assistance Center – memo from DCCED’s Kevin O’Sullivan

1. Comment deadline July 31 Sport Fish Draft Strategic Plan
The Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADFG), Division of Sport Fish (DSF) is requesting public comment on its draft strategic plan.

The five-year plan is a guiding document that outlines goals, objectives, and activities that will direct the division’s budget and assist staff in fulfilling DSF’s mission.

DSF recognizes that input from recreational anglers and those that support recreational fishing is crucial to the development of a complete, workable plan.

To review and comment on the draft strategic plan go to http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/StratPlan/index.cfm/FA/main.home or contact Klaus Wuttig at (907) 459-7344 for more information. All comments must be submitted by July 31, 2009. Comments received after that date cannot be considered. The complete, final strategic plan will be published by year end and will be available on the ADF&G website.

2. Exxon to pay $500 million in interest to spill victims
ANCHORAGE — Exxon Mobil said Monday it won't appeal nearly $500 million in interest a court recently ordered it to pay to Alaska fishermen, business owners and others harmed by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.

Exxon said it will pay $470 million in interest on the $507.5 million in punitive damages it has already begun paying out to claimants.

The only sum that remains in dispute in the long-running lawsuit is $70 million in court fees, according to a company spokesman.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009400014
_exxon30.html

3. HB 134 Cruise ship wastewater bill signed into law by Governor Palin
I find no news stories on this, though it is mentioned in this KTUU item:
Sail Away Pt.5: Cruise industry aims for better environmental practices
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=10735189

UFA worked closely with cruise ship representative John Binkley, DEC, sponsors of the original initiative Responsible Cruising in Alaska, and Representative Harris to hold vessels to the best available technology rather than simply remove the words “at the point of discharge” which would create moving mixing zones. Congratulations to all on the success of this collaborative effort.

The bill and info is online at:
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=
HB%20134&session=26

4. Governor Sarah Palin signs SB3 (CFEC data) and HJR 19 (EVOS) bills
SB 3, sponsored by Senator Donny Olson, requires the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission to share data with Alaska Regional Development Organizations (ARDORs) at no cost…
HJR 19, sponsored by Representative Alan Austerman, recognizes the 20th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and puts the Alaska Legislature on record as supporting vessel escorts for any loaded oil tanker using Prince William Sound. Current federal law only requires vessel escorts for single-hulled tankers of 5,000 gross tons or more…
Governor Palin press release:
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1966

SB3 is online at http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?b
ill=SB%20%20%203&session=26

HJR 10 is online at http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session=26&bill=hjr+19

5. BOF prohibits sale of kings taken in Yukon chum fishery
On June 30, 2009, the Alaska Board of Fisheries adopted as emergency regulations, changes in Title 5 of the Alaska Administrative Code dealing with a prohibition on the sale of king salmon taken during the commercial summer chum salmon fishery in the Yukon River (5 AAC 05.362).

The emergency regulations took effect on July 1, 2009 and will expire October 28, 2009. The Board of Fisheries does not intend to make the emergency regulations permanent.
http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7c156e7
a8925672a0060a91b/7591079f023f0f48892575ec00053a
29?OpenDocument

6. Yukon residents take fishing matters into their own hands
Tribal leaders say as the waters of the Yukon grow more troubled, not enough is being done to bridge the gaps.
Every village has a story. And in Marshall, the story has taken a defiant turn.
Last Friday, six boats set out to net king salmon during a closed fishing period. Eighteen people broke the law to catch 100 kings.
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=10642984
&
Issues arise while adviser on trip
Q&A: Moller addresses illegal fishing protest and Yukon King concerns.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/852920.html

7. Halibut travel up the Copper River – with CDFU’s help
In the tradition of community sharing, building connections and strengthening relationships, the proposition of delivering fresh-caught halibut to residents of the Copper River Basin on behalf of Cordova’s commercial fishing fleet seemed like a no-brainer. Add a beat-up SUV, a warped sense of geography and a tagalong 2-year-old to the mix…
http://www.thecordovatimes.com/news/show/6508

8. Donated salmon reaching more kids in Bristol Bay
A program that brings donated sockeye salmon to students in Bristol Bay has ballooned in the past two years, an organizer says.
This month, Bristol Bay fisherman gave schools 14,000 pounds of sockeye, said Patty Luckhurst, food service manager and head cook for Dillingham schools. The point is to put local fish on local cafeteria trays so kids don't have to eat trout shipped from who-knows-where.
Compare the new numbers to the 8,000 pounds of sockeye donated in the first year of the program, in 2007.
http://community.adn.com/adn/node/142403

9. Murkowski Calls for Mining Reform
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today called for modernization of the 137-year-old law governing mining on federal lands.
“The current mining law is woefully out of date,” Murkowski said. “We need to overhaul the law to ensure that it strikes the right balance between protecting the environment, obtaining a fair return for taxpayers, creating jobs and maintaining a secure supply of American minerals.”
http://murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=
PressOffice.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=79d2a340-90
07-1fa3-4bf4-6cd4c92e0d40&Region_id=&Issue_id=

Salazar: Now's time to revamp 1872 mining law
WASHINGTON — Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Tuesday set the stage for a showdown on reform of hard rock mining law, telling a Senate panel that the Obama administration intends to end 30 years of gridlock on the issue.

"There is a new administration in town, and we do want to get the 1872 mining law reformed. We are committed to that and are committed to deploying significant resources from the Department of Interior to get this done," Salazar said.

Recent attempts to revamp hard rock mining law have often foundered on the shoals of Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader and protector of an industry that arguably benefits more than any other from the status quo — Nevada's gold mines…
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_12838758

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Hearing on S.796 and S.140 (July 14) is online at:
http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings
.Hearing&Hearing_ID=eaad8749-9d88-3c39-10c0-688b2dcad10b

10. Senate and House health care bills move in DC
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate health committee has passed legislation to revamp health care, becoming the first congressional committee to act on President Barack Obama's goal of overhauling the system this year.

The Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted 13-10 along party lines to pass a $600-billion measure that would expand coverage to nearly all Americans by requiring individuals get insurance and employers to contribute to the cost. The bill would provide federal aid to families and individuals making less than four times the poverty level, or about $88,000 for a family of four…
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jlMpJ
Gn28kqCcgU-aGcYE_ZHW-ywD99EUB600

Senate HELP committee Health Care bill:
http://help.senate.gov/BAI09A84_xml.pdf

&&&&

Senate Finance Committee chairman Baucus “Call to Action” white paper (3.5 megabytes)
http://finance.senate.gov/healthreform2009/finalwhitepaper.pdf

&&&&

House Health Care bill:
H.R. 3200: “To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes” can be found online at http://thomas.loc.gov/ - enter H.R. 3200 and select search by bill number and.

11. Congressman Young defends fishing industry in H.R. 21 hearing – you tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzw4_Mr8ZeU

H.R. 21 (Rep. Farr, CA & 62 co-sponsors) the `Ocean Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act', to establish a national policy for our oceans, to strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to establish a national and regional ocean governance structure, and for other purposes.

To read the bill go to http://thomas.loc.gov/ - enter H.R. 21 and select search by bill number..

12. Delegation Announces Grants to Alaska Programs - $4M+ fish related
The Alaska Congressional Delegation is pleased to announce the following grants awarded to communities in the State of Alaska…
-$973,886 to the Copper River Watershed Project of Cordova for Eyak Lake
-$992,062 to the Nature Conservancy of Arlington, Virginia, for the Klawock River Salmon passage and Habitat Restoration project.
-$1,575,996 to the Kenai Watershed Forum of Soldotna. The Kenai Watershed Forum will restore salmon habitats within Daves Creek
-$1,012,640 to the Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation of Juneau for an Alaska-wide coastline Marine Debris removal…
http://begich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&
ContentRecord_id=9b986fb3-8d1e-439a-b485-eb26196c1f5
6&ContentType_id=ef710aa3-7e29-440a-b9de-316ee20df1b5

13. AK Journal of Commerce: Palin's replacement is her polar opposite
… The lesser-known lieutenant governor, an attorney with a long history in public service, is quiet in both dress and demeanor.
Republican state Rep. Mike Hawker described Parnell, who is inheriting Palin's office with her sudden resignation, as a "public craftsman, not a swashbuckling crusader." …
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/071009/
loc_imga42_001.shtml
&
Better flow of communication anticipated with Parnell
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/071009/loc_a40_002.shtml
&
Rural Alaskans have hope in Parnell
http://www.thesewardphoenixlog.com/news/show/6668

14. Secretary of Commerce Names 30 to Fishery Management Councils
The Commerce Department today announced the appointment of 30 new and returning members to the eight regional fishery management councils – important partners with NOAA’s Fisheries Service in determining how ocean fisheries are managed…

The North Pacific Council appointees for 2009 fill obligatory seats for Alaska and Washington.
*David W. Benson
*Robert E. “Ed” Dersham (A
Howard D. Hull (Alaska)
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/mediacenter/docs/
councilappts_june09.pdf

15. Glut of reds overwhelms Bristol Bay processors - again
LAINE WELCH, KODIAK
Salmon fishermen at Bristol Bay were bracing for another surge of reds over the July 4 weekend -- and likely more catch limits…
"The fishermen are angry. All winter long we've been told the processors have the capacity to handle large runs. The fishermen have been told they are going to work hard to keep them off limits and bring more tenders into the bay. This is the sixth season in a row that they've gone on limits, and they've been caught unprepared…
http://www.adn.com/money/welch/story/853730.html

16. 2009 brings mixed salmon returns
Questions remain whether sockeye will meet 10-year-average numbers
By Naomi Klouda
Homer Tribune
July 15, 2009

While the summer of 2009 may go down for many as the season of relatively small salmon returns, many Alaskans who rely on the fishery for income and food are more concerned about the impact the lower numbers will have in terms of providing for their families throughout the cold winter months ahead.
http://www.homertribune.com/article.php?aid=4416

17. Salmon Wars: KTUU five part series by Jason Moore
Pt.1: A delicate balancing act for Fish and Game
KENAI, Alaska -- The Kenai River is Alaska's playground -- and in July it's home to the biggest salmon in the world. That's when hundreds of thousands of sockeye salmon, along with the coveted...
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?s=10660292

Pt.2: Conflict between commercial and sport fishers
Editor's note: This story has been changed to correct the spelling of Ricky Gease throughout. KENAI, Alaska -- For generations families have made their living harvesting the salmon of Cook Inlet while at the same time many of the salmon caught in those...
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?s=10667479

Pt.3: The debate over over-escapement
The glut of the July sockeye salmon run is still on its way to the mouth of the Kenai River. And while the commercial fishermen, dip netters and in-river anglers stand ready to catch them, the Department of Fish and Game has a different,...
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?s=10702966

Pt.4: Science supplements nature
Wild Alaska salmon are a cherished resource for Alaskans. But not all of the salmon runs in Alaska are purely wild. Hatcheries create runs by releasing fry and smolt in river and lake systems, and they maintain those runs…
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?s=10710155

18. Poor Yukon salmon run threatens treaty
FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- The number of king salmon that reach the Canadian border might not satisfy a treaty agreement between Alaska and Canada despite massive cuts in subsistence fishing up and down the Yukon River in Alaska.

The state has failed for the past three years to meet obligations laid out in the Pacific Salmon Treaty.

Biologists are projecting the size of this year's chinook run to be 120,000 to 130,000.

Biologist Steve Hayes said 50,000 to 55,000 of those fish will have to make it to Canada to meet Canadian escapement and harvest objectives.

"It's too early to say whether or not we're going to meet the Canadian escapement goal," he said. "It's going to be a while before we can tell how we did with the conservation measures we put in place."
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_ak_alaska_fishing
_treaty.html?source=mypi

19. Smart Gear competition gets three entries from Alaska
By Laine Welch | Fish Factor
The international Smart Gear competition this year attracted 71 entries from 26 countries, including three from Alaska.

The contest was created five years ago by the World Wildlife Fund to inspire and reward new ideas to reduce bycatch - the accidental take of marine mammals, sea birds or small/unwanted fish by various fishing gear.

"Last time we had only one entry from Alaska, so three is certainly an improvement," said WWF program director Mike Osmond. "Maybe next time we'll go for five or six. There's a lot of fishermen in Alaska and I have no doubt there's a lot of good ideas up there"

The ideas from Alaska include a halibut excluder device for trawl nets, and an escape panel for Tanner crab in the Gulf pot cod fishery. Past Smart Gear winners have used magnets to repel sharks from longline gear - one made changes to the chemical properties of fishing ropes and nets. The 2007 winner was a net called the "Eliminator" that uses fish behavior to reduce cod bycatch in haddock fisheries…
http://www.capitalcityweekly.com/stories/071509/
bus_463969454.shtml

20. Environment Groups Praise Senate Panel For New Clean Water Bill S.787
WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--Environmentalists praised Senate lawmakers on Thursday for approving legislation that more clearly defines which bodies of water are subject to federal regulation.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted, 12 to 7, to approve legislation sponsored by Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc., that would amend the federal law - Clean Water Act of 1972 - by replacing the term "navigable waters" with "waters of the United States," among other changes.

The legislation, dubbed the Clean Water Restoration Act, now faces approval by the full Senate…
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090618-713693.html
&
Ag Groups Say Clean Water Act Overreaches Federal Authority
http://www.agweb.com/get_article.aspx?pageid=151730

To view the bill and tracking see http://thomas.loc.gov/, select “search by bill number” and enter S. 787 in the search box.

21. Diesel spill near Iliamna River still seeping into river
A diesel fuel spill near the Iliamna River, which flows into Lake Iliamna in the Bristol Bay watershed, has seeped into bedrock and continues to pollute the river, despite removal of contaminated soil, state officials said July 2.

Gary Folley, the on-scene coordinator for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, said the spill would continue to require long-term monitoring.

Meanwhile, absorbent pads are being used to recover the diesel fuel, which continues to spread a thin sheen on the river, he said.

The spill occurred June 6, when landing gear under a 9,500-gallon tanker trailer fuel tank, owned by the Iliamna Development Corp., collapsed after it was unhitched by a towing vehicle, according to DEC reports.
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/071009/
nat_a115_002.shtml

22. Pebble commentary: Are salmon as precious as gold?
By Laura Sevier
Alaska's long-standing wild salmon-fishing industry could be under threat from large-scale mining development…
http://www.theecologist.org/take_action/campaigns/287489
/are_salmon_as_precious_as_gold.html

23. AP: Failed policies, corruption is leading to overfishing
Government policies have failed to combat overfishing in the world's oceans because most regulations ignore scientific recommendations and are routinely undermined by politics or corruption, according to a study released June 23.

Researchers found that only 7 percent of all coastal states surveyed worldwide based their policies on sound science while fewer than 1 percent have a mechanism that ensures that fishermen adhere to regulations. The study found that none of the countries managed their fisheries' sustainability…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/071009/fis_
imga32_001.shtml

24. National Geographic “the Long Haul” featuring F/V Krusof & the Hubbard family, airs Aug 13 at 3:00 pm Eastern time.
For overview and video clips see http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/the-lo
ng-haul-3434/Overview#tab-Overview

25. NFI Open Letter to Journalists from the Seafood Community on
Errors and Distortions in News Coverage
Over the last several years, the public has been hearing false messages about mercury levels in fish communicated through the mass media. These messages largely come from environmental groups pressing for stronger mercury emission standards and falsely claim women of childbearing age may have unsafe levels of mercury in their blood, putting their unborn babies and young children are at risk for neurological impairment. At the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), we agree discussions about eating fish should be central to our national discourse on nutrition. However, the way this subject is being covered raises troubling issues about the objectivity, accuracy, balance and sourcing of this specialized nutrition issue…
http://www.aboutseafood.com/press/open-letter-journalists

26. Alaskan native brings catch to western Pennsylvania
A native of Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, where her father was a commercial fisherman, Pozonsky runs Internet-based Wild Alaskan Salmon Co. It is in its fifth year of selling freshly caught fish directly to consumers across the United States, and at farmers' markets and restaurants in the Pittsburgh area.
Her goal is twofold. "I want people to realize that when they buy wild Alaskan salmon, they're getting their food from fishermen and women in Alaska who go out with their families and work their butts off to get this awesome fish," she said…
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/
business/s_633487.html

27. 17th Coast Guard District to hold change of command ceremony – July 16, Juneau
JUNEAU, Alaska - The 17th Coast Guard District will hold a formal change of command ceremony Thursday, 10 a.m. at Centennial Hall where Rear Adm. Christopher C. Colvin will relieve Rear Adm. Gene Brooks as Commander, 17th Coast Guard District. Vice Adm. Jody Breckenridge, Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area, will preside at the ceremony…
http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/780/288271/

28. USCG Safety Alert - EPIRB and PLB Registration
This Safety Alert addresses the importance of ensuring your Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) and Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) are properly registered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)…
http://homeport.uscg.mil/cgi-bin/st/portal/uscg_docs/
MyCG/Editorial/20090713/0409.pdf?id
=6c43be1946ac9a80ecf409b07c155a162bc836f9

29. Juneau to forgive half of fishermen's memorial debt
Money will come from city's general operating fund
By Kim Marquis | JUNEAU EMPIRE
A 13-year-old debt to the city by an organization that built the Alaska Commercial Fishermen's Memorial should be partially forgiven, the Assembly Finance Committee said Wednesday.

The committee voted in favor of accepting $43,000 from the nonprofit that built the granite memorial on the downtown waterfront. That's about half of nonprofit's outstanding $81,000 debt and leaves the memorial board with about $10,000 to pay for ongoing maintenance…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/071309/loc_462725543.shtml

30. Barbecue at Ballard marina 7/28 will benefit Seattle Fishermen’s Memorial
On Tuesday, July 28, 7 p.m. at Corinthians Yacht Club at Shilshole Marina there will be a benefit to support the Seattle Fisherman's Memorial, which was dedicated in 1988.
There is a $25 minimum donation at the door for each attendee. A minimum donation entitles all to all you can eat food, beer and wine at the Marina…
http://www.ballardnewstribune.com/2009/07/07/news/barbecue
-marina-will-benefit-fishermen%25E2%2580%2599s-memorial

31. Out the Juneau road, a new research forest and new roads into Cowee Creek
Forest Service will invite long-term studies of climate impacts in Heen Latinee
(and build roads into Juneau’s Cowee creek drainage.)
By Kate Golden | JUNEAU EMPIRE
Tongass National Forest managers recently declared 40 square miles at the end of the Juneau road the newest "experimental forest" of the U.S. Forest Service and given it a central research focus of climate change.

Nationwide, it is only the fourth such forest to be approved in the last 40 years.

The new forest will be one of the largest in a network of more than 80 experimental forests and grasslands nationwide. The Tongass has another at Young Bay on the near side of Admiralty Island, but no one uses because of its limited accessibility. The new forest's lead scientist, Rick Edwards, said he hopes this new forest will become more of a hub for world-class research…
All this activity will require more access than the forest currently has. That means road-building, generally a controversial topic on the Tongass…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/071009/
loc_461807421.shtml

32. Mystery goo floating off North Slope coast
North Slope helicopter crew spots strand of stuff 15 miles long
ANCHORAGE - Something big and strange is floating through the Chukchi Sea off the Alaska coast.
Hunters from Wainwright first started noticing the stuff sometime probably early last week. It's thick and dark and "gooey" and is drifting for miles in the cold Arctic waters, according to Gordon Brower with the North Slope Borough's Planning and Community Services Department…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/071609/
sta_464473582.shtml

33. Scientists Report First Remote, Underwater Detection of Harmful Algae, Toxins
Scientists at NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) have successfully conducted the first remote detection of a harmful algal species and its toxin below the ocean’s surface. The achievement was recently reported in the June issue of Oceanography…
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/
20090713_mbari.html

34. WholeFoods Blog - On the Waterfront features Alaska salmon
The main challenge is the state’s huge size - over twice the size of Texas. How can we cover 34,000 miles of Alaskan coastline seeking out the best salmon the state has to offer? This would take a small army, right? Actually, no! Instead, we created an Alaska Port Buyer position based out of Anchorage and brought in Whole Foods Market Team Member and Ketchikan, Alaska native Keith Harris, who has 25 years of Alaskan seafood buying experience...
http://www.haulinggear.com/2009/07/wholefoods-
blog-on-waterfrontin-alaska.html

35. SE Gillnetters vote down regional marketing assessment, again
Southeast Alaska salmon gillnetters voted 132-80 against self-imposing a 1 percent landings tax to pay for marketing and other initiatives under a regional branding effort called Rainforest Wild (Deckboss, June 6).
It's the second time Southeast gillnetters have rejected the idea.
http://deckboss.blogspot.com/2009/07/juneau-
gillnetters-reject-tax-for.html

36. Louisiana: Branding local seafood like Maine lobster could help fishermen
Branding local seafood like Maine lobster could help fishermen
… As of now, there is no guarantee that seafood sold in Louisiana is actually from Louisiana. With imports from Asia showing up in the state, a new push is underway to create a certified seafood program that would guarantee some of the seafood sold here is caught here…
http://www.wwltv.com/topstories/stories/wwl071109
mlfish.2f5557af.html

37. Massachusetts: States lure consumers with seafood branding
…States are increasingly looking to hook consumers by branding their local seafood specialties, both to help reel in revenue and to give a boost to commercial fishermen struggling with declining stocks and tighter regulations...
"In the marketplace there's a lot of confusion these days about where things come from and how fresh they are," said Edward Barrett, a commercial fisherman and president of the Massachusetts Fisherman's Partnership, who stressed conservation and clean-water efforts in Massachusetts.http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/
ALeqM5jfBbEEjpPhejjr7iWfTNDQKN94FQD99AF5E83

UFA would like to help spread the positive results from the Alaska Fisheries Marketing Board and Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute by utilizing the Saltonstall-Kennedy Fund from seafood import duties to fund regional seafood marketing entities throughout the USA. Read our proposal online at http://www.ufa-fish.org/doc/UFA%20Proposal%20for
%20US%20Seafood%20marketing%20funding%20102408.pdf

38. W.Va. chef headed to Great American Seafood cook-off (no AK or WA?)
CABINS, W.Va. — Ed Fischer of North Fork Mountain Inn will represent the Mountain State at the sixth annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans on July 18. Fischer is among more than 20 chefs from across the nation who will vie for the title of King or Queen of American Seafood…
http://www.times-news.com/local/local_story_186220836.html

West Virginia is the only U.S. State without an Alaska 2008 commercial fishing permit holder. Fifteen States are represented in the cookoff after responding to LA Govermor Jindal’s invitation, but neither Alaska nor Washington State will be represented at the Great American Seafood Cook-Off this year. Our best hope is that Alaska might be represented by some salmon, halibut crab, cukes, geoducks, or one of the many other products that represent more than half of US seafood production.

CORRECTION! –I misread the home page - - Alaska was represented not only through co- host Sig Hansen, but Alaska's Patrick Hoogerhyde, executive chef of WildFin Seagrill in Anchorage, captured third with Wild Alaska King Salmon with cranberry-infused birch syrup molasses and Susitna Valley hash of potatoes nested in Alaska summer greens. I am please to have been incorrect – here’s a story on the 2009 results:
http://www.qsrmagazine.com/articles/news/story.phtml?id=
9003&CFID=852342&CFTOKEN=17233341

Great America Seafood Cookoff home page: http://www.greatamericanseafoodcookoff.com/
(careful – the item below the current story is about the results from 2008)

39. Maine - Nonprofits, state buying fishing rights for fishermen
Permit banks will help Maine boat owners stay in business and keep the industry alive in coastal towns.
Three nonprofit groups announced Tuesday that they have created the state's first "permit banks" by purchasing fishing rights and sharing them with local fishermen. In these cases, the fishing rights – days at sea – are being given out to Down East or midcoast fishermen who help study and rebuild fish populations.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.
php?id=266978&ac=PHnws

40. UK: ‘Out of touch’ Prince Charles condemned for remarks on fish stocks
Prince Charles has come under fire from fishing leaders for suggesting the industry is not doing enough to prevent falling stocks, comparing the campaign to safeguard key species with his own battle to highlight climate change 20 years ago.

During a speech at a Marine Stewardship Council reception in London on Tuesday, he said science had shown that the fishing industry was facing a massive fall in stocks which would have a knock-on effect on feeding people in the world’s poorest countries, and the issue was being neglected.

Scottish fishing leaders condemned the prince’s comments, accusing him of ignoring the country’s efforts to conserve stocks, and said he should listen to experienced fishermen rather than scientists. Some have labelled it a classic case of a member of Royal Family putting their foot in it.
http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/1007622/out-of-touch-prince
-charles-condemned-for-remarks-on-fish-stocks

41. UK: Fish and chip shops accused of selling Vietnamese cobbler as cod
…To connoisseurs they are as divergent as chalk and cheese. Yet in more and more of Britain’s 11,000 fish-and-chip shops they are the cause of a culinary scandal as some unscrupulous friers — albeit a minority — try to pass off the Vietnamese river cobbler as traditional British cod…
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/
food_and_drink/real_food/article6695267.ece
&
Nothing fishy going on in the tasteless basa fillets
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/
food_and_drink/article6694844.ece

42. Scientists Say Farmed Fish May Carry 'Mad Cow' Disease
U.S. scientists are concern about the potential of people contracting Creutzfeldt Jakob disease — the human form of "mad cow disease" — from eating farmed fish who are fed byproducts rendered from cows…
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529385,00.html

More details:
Scientists study risks of contracting fatal brain diseases from eating farmed fish fed rendered cows
http://www.examiner.com/x-7160-Sacramento-Nutrition-
Examiner~y2009m6d28-Scientists-study-risks-of-contracting
-fatal-brain-diseases-from-eating-farmed-fish-fed-rendered-cows

43. Kona Blue's paper - "The Ecological Efficiencies of Farmed Fish"
- can now be found online at: http://kona-blue.com/download/pr_ecologicalefficiencies.pdf
FWW’s rebuttal can be found at: http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/press/releases/Kona.pdf

44. Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
Thursday 7/16/09 Southeast AK salmon fishermen give thumbs down again to RSDA
Wednesday 7/15/09 Chilean farmed salmon shortfall helps AK
Tuesday 7/14/09 Online calculator computes health benefits/risks of favorite seafoods
Monday 7/13/09 Why all the hoopla over sockeye salmon from Bristol Bay?
Friday 7/10/09 Bristol Bay salmon run one of best ever

Listen Online at: http://www.marineconservationalliance.org/
fishradio.htm
& also see Laine Welch's Fish Factor at http://www.kinyradio.com/fishfactor.html

45. Attention Salmon Fishermen: Reward for Returned Radio Tags
If you catch and keep a Fraser sockeye or chinook with a spaghetti tag and with a hole in the adipose fin, remember to look for an antenna coming out of the mouth. Remove the internal transmitter and the spaghetti tag and contact LGL at once at the TOLL FREE phone number listed below.
Individuals returning transmitters to LGL along with information on time and place of capture will be sent the complete tracking history of the fish and their name will be entered into a $1000 lottery once for each transmitter returned…
TOLL FREE: 1-866-221-3444
http://www.psc.org/pubs/TagNotices/tagging_notice_radio_2009.pdf

46. Channel Islands State Marine Park Management Plan meeting July 28, 2009
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation will hold a public scoping meeting on Tuesday, July 28, 2009, at 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the Egan Room, Centennial Hall, Juneau, Alaska. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss development of an initial management plan for the Channel Islands State Marine Park. For more information, contact Jan Caulfield, Project Facilitator at 907-523-4610 or janc@gci.net, or Mike Eberhardt, State Parks Superintendent, at 907-465-2481 or mike.eberhardt@alaska.gov
DNR Public notice: http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7c156e7a
8925672a0060a91b/4dec08a49e8fbc77892575f2007240d4?
OpenDocument

47. Coast Guard imposes $1,000 fines for boaters in Port Valdez ($2K for Commercial)
VALDEZ, Alaska – The Coast Guard Captain of the Port for Prince William Sound increased fines last week for recreational boaters entering local security zones in Port Valdez from $250 to $1,000.

While a $1,000 fine may be surprising to much of the Alaska boating public, the amount is actually the national standard for security zone violations. For commercial vessels, the fine doubles to $2,000. Repeat offenders will immediately receive fines of $5,000 to $10,000, with the potential for a maximum penalty of $32,500.

So far this year, three recreational boaters have been issued fines of $250 by the Coast Guard for entering into the local security zones.

Maps of the security zone locations are available at the Valdez Harbor Master’s office, the Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit, and at many businesses around Valdez which cater to the boating public…

USCG 17th District Press Release: http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/780/289581/

48. 17th Coast Guard District command transfers to Rear Admiral Colvin
http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/780/288271/
We thank Rear Admiral Arthur "Gene" Brooks for his leadership in hightened enforcement of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fisheries; focus on the importance of the Arctic, protection of our marine environment, and especially in the search and rescue operations that have saved hundreds of Alaska fishermen. And we welcome Rear Admiral Christopher Colvin to Alaska.

49. NOAA Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2010
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration publishes this notice to provide the general public with a consolidated source of program and application information related to its competitive grant and cooperative agreement (CA) award offerings for fiscal year (FY) 2010. This Omnibus notice is designed to replace the multiple Federal Register notices that traditionally advertised the availability of NOAA's discretionary funds for its various programs. It should be noted that additional program initiatives unanticipated at the time of the publication of this notice may be announced through subsequent Federal Register notices. All announcements will also be available through the http://grants.gov/ Web site…
Federal Register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-16810.htm

50. BSAI Crab Rationalization zero percent cost recover fee for 2009/2010
NMFS publishes a notification of a zero (0) percent fee for cost recovery under the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization Program. This action is intended to provide holders of crab allocations with the fee percentage for the 2009/2010 crab fishing
year.

DATES: The Crab Rationalization Program Registered Crab Receiver permit
holder is responsible for submitting the fee liability payment to NMFS
on or before July 31, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gabrielle Aberle or Gretchen
Harrington, 907-586-7228.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-16811.htm

51. Deadline Sept 14, 2009 for nominations for NOAA Science Advisory Board
NOAA is soliciting nominations for members of the NOAA Science Advisory Board (SAB). The SAB is the only Federal Advisory Committee with the responsibility to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator on long- and short-range strategies for research, education, and application of science to resource management and environmental assessment and prediction…
Nominations should be sent to the address specified and must be received by September 14, 2009.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-16913.htm

52. Comment by Sept 24, 2009 on draft Marine Mammal Stock Assessment Reports
NMFS reviewed the Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific regional marine mammal stock assessment reports (SARs) in accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act. SARs for marine mammals in the Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific regions were revised according to new information. NMFS solicits public comments on draft 2009 SARs.

DATES: Comments must be received by September 24, 2009…

The 2009 draft stock assessment reports and summaries of them are available in electronic form via the Internet at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/sars/ .
Copies of the Alaska Regional SARs may be requested from Robyn Angliss, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE BIN 15700, Seattle, WA 98115-0070.
Federal register: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-15200.htm

53. NOAA Bans Commercial Harvesting of Krill in WA, OR, CA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) today published a
final rule in the Federal Register prohibiting the harvesting of krill in the Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington. The rule goes into effect on August 12, 2009. Krill are a small shrimp-like crustacean and a key source of nutrition in the marine food web.
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/mediacenter/docs/nr_krill
_final_swr_v1.pdf

Federal Register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-16531.htm

54. Comment by August 28 on Pac. NW salmon and steelhead ESA monitoring guidance
…The National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) Northwest Region has drafted guidance on monitoring the recovery of Pacific Northwest salmon and steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This draft Pacific Northwest monitoring guidance is intended to assist NMFS' recovery partners in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho in
understanding the recovery monitoring needs under the ESA. NMFS' Northwest Region is soliciting public review and comment on the draft Pacific Northwest monitoring guidance.
DATES: All comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. Pacific
Standard Time on [August 28, 2009.
…Copies of the draft Pacific Northwest monitoring guidance are available on the Internet at: http://www.nwr.noaa.gov …

(to go directly to this page use URL: http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/Salmon-Recovery-
Planning/recovery-monitor.cfm )
Federal Register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-15199.htm

55. Comment Deadline on Council Operations extended to Nov 2
NMFS extends the comment period for proposed regulations that address the operations and administration of regional fishery management councils (Councils).
DATES: Comments must be received by November 2, 2009…
…The Councils have now requested that the comment period be extended to allow all Councils to have two meetings during the comment period. NMFS agrees with this request and extends the comment period until November 2, 2009
Federal Register notice:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-15466.htm
&
Previous item – March 27 - proposed Councils operations and admin changes…
NMFS proposes changes to the regulations that address the operations and administration of regional fishery management councils (Councils).
The regulatory changes are needed to implement amendments to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) that, among other things, govern the Council Coordination Committee (CCC), expand the role of the Councils' Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), require that SSC members disclose their financial interests, and provide for training of Council members and staff. Additionally, the proposed rule would make changes to the regulations requiring Councils to provide procedures for proposed regulations, clarifying restrictions on lobbying (by Council members, staff, and contractors), and clarifying timing in the Council member nomination process. The proposed rule would also make technical and minor corrections to the regulations unrelated to the most recent Magnuson-Stevens Act
amendments…
DATES: Written comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. e.d.t. on July 6, 2009…
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-6896.htm

56. Comment Deadline August 3, 2009 on Gulf of Mexico aquaculture plan
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted the FMP for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. The FMP is intended to establish a comprehensive permitting and regulatory framework to manage the development of an environmentally sound and economically sustainable aquaculture industry in the Gulf of Mexico exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The FMP would establish application and permit requirements, aquaculture operational requirements and restrictions, siting requirements and conditions, and recordkeeping and reporting requirements; specify allowable aquaculture species; provide for evaluation and approval/disapproval of proposed aquaculture systems (e.g., cages or net pens); establish restricted access zones around aquaculture facilities; and establish a regulatory framework for modifying certain aquaculture-related management measures consistent with the provisions of the FMP. In addition, the FMP would establish biological reference points and status determination criteria specific to aquaculture in the EEZ.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-13090.htm

57. USDA Rural Development withdraws Value-Added Producer Grant notice
Rural Development is withdrawing the May 6, 2009, Federal Register notice (74 FR 20900), announcing the availability of approximately $18 million in competitive grants for fiscal year 2009 to help independent agricultural producers enter into value-added
activities… Federal Register July 1: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-15533.htm

The Notice of Funds Availability for the FY 2009 Value-Added Producer Grant Program originally Published on May 6, 2009 is in the process of being re-issued.
From the program website at: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm

58. NOAA Research Vessels Conduct Gulf of Alaska Bottom Trawl Survey
NOAA Fisheries NOAA scientists on three vessels chartered by NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center are bottom trawling to survey groundfish and invertebrates in the Gulf of Alaska. The series of surveys started in 1984…
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2009/
trawlsurvey070609.htm

59. NOAA Imposes Fine and Penalty for False Reporting in Alaska Fishery
A hired master, vessel owners and permit holders of the Alaskan fishing vessel Trident have agreed to pay more than $18,000 in penalties and $241,000 worth of sanctions for falsely reporting areas fished by the vessel on five trips during 2006 and 2007…
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2009/
fv_trident_fine_0709.pdf

60. Feds to investigate NMFS enforcement tactics
The inspector general of the federal Department of Commerce this week began planning its investigation into the enforcement practices at NOAA fisheries — a probe requested in contrasting forms by the Massachusetts congressional delegation and the U.S. administrator for oceans and fisheries.
http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local_story
_161232414.html?keyword=secondarystory

61. IPHC Bycatch Workshop Sept. 29 in Seattle, and landing reports

Halibut Commission Bycatch Workshop Preliminary Announcement
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel
/2009/nr20090626.htm

2009 Halibut Landing Report No. 5 (July 14, 2009)
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel
/2009/nr20090714.htm

2009 Halibut Landing Report No. 4 (June 30, 2009)
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel/
2009/nr20090630.htm

2009 Halibut Landing Report No. 3 (June 17, 2009)
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel/
2009/nr20090617.htm

62. Comment deadline August 31 on Fed Fisheries data collection paperwork
The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 31, 2009…
Federal Register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-15681.htm

63. Public asked to weigh in on commercial fishing in the Arctic – by July 27
http://www.capitalcityweekly.com/stories/060309/
bus_446660226.shtml

NOAA Arctic Fisheries home page: http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/
sustainablefisheries/arctic/ .

Federal Register Notice May 26:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-12151.htm

Federal register Notice June 10 – Proposed rule, also for comment by July 27.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-13314.htm

64. NW Trade Adjustment Assistance Center – memo from DCCED’s Kevin O’Sullivan

Hello,
I’d like to bring to your attention the following federal funding opportunity you may wish to share with your membership. I have excerpted the following information from the Northwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center’s web site http://www.nwtaac.org/index.html If you would like to discuss the program , benefits, process, and how to qualify, please contact Patrick Meuleman at 208-343-6855 or
via email at: NWTAAC@nwtaac.org

Northwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (NWTAAC), in cooperation with the Economic Development Administration of the U. S. Department of Commerce works with companies in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.
Working with the Northwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (NWTAAC) benefit businesses in a number of ways:

Eligible companies can receive up to $75,000 in grant funds for a wide range of projects to assist them in maintaining their competitiveness.
Companies have the opportunity to pursue projects that will:

enhance their strategic positioning
improve their overall performance
increase growth and profits
adapt to changing conditions of the market

Grant funds enable companies to develop and complete important projects that they might not have considered without assistance, and to do so in an effective and structured way.
Staff will assist you in every aspect of the process:

initial evaluation
application (petition)
development of the strategic plan (adjustment proposal)
implementation of funded projects as outlined in the plan

Typical Projects
The list below includes examples of the types of projects that have been funded by NWTAAC. These projects can be tailored to your firm’s specific needs. NWTAAC grant funds are typically used to pay for projects that require outside consulting services.

Marketing

Website design
Brochure design
Catalog design
Package design
Trade show booth design
Market research & market feasibility analysis
Design & testing of new products
Development of new markets
Development of sales representative network
Advertising and Sales Promotion
Public Relations Planning and Implementation
Product Planning and Diversification
Product Pricing
Customer Service Analysis
Export Assistance

Manufacturing

Lean manufacturing
Design for manufacturability
Site layout and process control design for new equipment
Re-engineering process layout
Manufacturing equipment design
Printed circuit design
Kaizen training
Inventory Management
Production Planning, Control and Scheduling
Cost Identification and Reduction
Statistical Process Control

Quality Assurance

Development of QA procedures
ISO 9000 preparation
Gap audits
Documentation prep & ISO 9000 certification audit
ISO 14000 environmental standards
Product Certification

Information Systems

E-commerce
Strategic planning
Custom software
Search Engine Optimization