Welcome new Executive Director Frances Leach
Please set director@ufa-fish.org in your approved senders list if you use email filtering.
The Spring 2018 UFA meeting will be held February 27- March 1 at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center. UFA meetings are open to current members and invited guests.
Help support UFA today! Visit ‘Become a Member’ on our website to see the various membership levels and benefits.
Support UFA Business members on our website HERE.
We have sent letters to convey the positions the UFA board took during our Fall annual meeting in September. Most are posted on our website / current issues tab.
Thanks to new UFA lifetime member Dale Bartelds of Sitka!
Contents:
Inclusion of an item does not mean that UFA endorses or agrees.
Statewide
- Board of Fisheries Southeast & Yakutat Shellfish & Finfish Actions Posted
- Board of Fisheries – revised Call for Proposals for 2018/2019 cycle –deadline April 10
- Board of Fisheries applications open
- Notice of public meeting of the Alaska Boards of Game and Fisheries Joint Board Committee
- Turning the Tide: How can Alaska address the ‘graying of the fleet’and loss of rural fisheries access?
- Governor Applauds Unified Effort to Achieve Long-Sought King Cove Road
- Come 2018, the state plans to dispose of F/V Akutan
- February 2018 NPFMC to meet in Seattle Feb 5 – 12
- International Pacific Halibut Commission Completes 94th Annual Meeting
- Fish Factor: US-Canadian impasse a first for halibut allocations
- Deadline February 28 for IPHC nominations
- Murkowski, Sullivan Seek Emergency Relief for Communities Affected by Fisheries Disasters
- D17 (Alaska) USCG Training Handouts and GuidanceUpdated
- Coast guard dockside safety exams Febuary 2-9, 2018 in Petersburg
- Reminder – USCG Vessel Documentation cost $26 – beware of official looking solicitations to pay more
- Deadline February 26 for CF Safety Advisory Committee applications – public, surveyor and manufacturer seats
- US appeals court: Feds erred in Hawaii fishery expansion
Marketing
- Fish Factor: Seafood trimmings have huge uncaptured value
- Danger and Routine: An Inside Look at Alaska’s Fishing and Crabbing Industry
- ASMI Seafood Technical Committee to meet Feb. 6 in Girdwood
- ASMI hosts International Women of Seafood Mission to Dutch Harbor
January 30 – February 4
- Comment deadline March 19 on Commerce Trusted Trader Program (IUU / SIMP)
- Walmart deal makes for year-round processing jobs in Anchorage
- New research on ocean acidity raises red flags for Alaskans
- Murkowski Introduces Bill to Address Ocean Acidification
- Salmon habitat advocates submit signatures for ballot item
- In reversal, EPA deals setback to controversial gold mining proposal in Alaska
- Comment deadline February 20 on Pebble exploration activities
- New Book: Bristol Bay Alaska – Natural Resources of the Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems
- Comment deadline February 13 on Donlin Mine wastewater discharge and waste management plans
- WA –Cypress Island Atlantic salmon spill investigative report and related bills (six items)
- Alaska Turns to the Sea for its Newest Cash Crop
- NCCOS Supports Development of Alaska Mariculture Siting Tool
- NOAA Fisheries Aquaculture News Winter Newsletter
- Sea Grant announces $9.3 million for aquaculture research and industry support
- Sea Grant invites proposals for aquaculture projects – deadline March 2
- Curious by Nature: Do hatchery fish hamper wild king and coho?
- Fed Subsistence RAC application deadline extended to February 16, 2018
- Secretary of the Interior appoints members to Federal Subsistence RACs
- 2017-2019 Federal Subsistence Fish and Shellfish Regulations now available
- Federal Subsistence Board January work session postponed
- Was Your Seafood Caught With Slave Labor? New Monterey Bay Aquarium Database Helps Retailers Combat Abuse
- Help wanted: CDFU Executive Director
- Comment deadline March 19 on NIOSH Research Agenda for Ag, Forestry and Fishing
- IFISH 5 International Fishing Industry Safety & Health
- Alaska Sea Grant News for January
- Upcoming AMSEA Trainings
- Laine Welch’s Fish Radio – Recent Items
Inclusion of an item does not mean that UFA endorses or agrees.
Statewide
- Board of Fisheries Southeast & Yakutat Shellfish & Finfish Actions Posted
The Meeting Summary of actions taken has been posted on the Board of Fisheries Sitka meeting page.
Here’s a sampling of news coverage:
- Alaska Board of Fisheries navigates ‘uncharted territory’ for Southeast’s king salmon (APRN)
- Alaska Board of Fisheries gets earful on herring, salmon proposals (KTOO)
- Among 100+ Proposals, Sitka’s Sac Roe Herring Fishery a Top Issue (KCAW)
- Outcome of Board of Fisheries decisions on Southeast salmon, herring (KTOO)
- Fish Board cuts king salmon fishing (Juneau Empire)
- Divers keep pushing for changes to Southeast sea otter plans (AK Journal of Commerce)
BOF Southeast finfish meeting page:
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fisheriesboard.meetinginfo&date=01-11-2018&meeting=sitka
- Board of Fisheries – revised Call for Proposals for 2018/2019 cycle –deadline April 10
The Alaska Board of Fisheries is revising its 2018/2019 Call for Proposals to include the Bering Sea area in the Alaska Peninsula, etc. meeting. The proposal deadline date remains the same.
The Alaska Board of Fisheries calls for proposed changes in the subsistence, personal use, sport, guided sport, and commercial fishing regulations for the Bristol Bay finfish, Arctic / Yukon / Kuskokwim finfish, Alaska Peninsula / Aleutian Islands / Bering Sea / Chignik finfish areas, and Statewide finfish areas.
Proposal deadline – Tuesday, April 10, 2018
The Alaska Board of Fisheries (board) is accepting proposed changes to the subsistence, personal use, sport, guided sport, and commercial fishing regulations for the Bristol Bay, Arctic–Yukon–Kuskokwim; Alaska Peninsula / Aleutian Islands / Bering Sea / Chignik, and Statewide finfish management areas. Finfish includes salmon, herring, trout, other freshwater finfishes, and groundfish, including Pacific cod, for consideration by the board in its 2018-19 meeting cycle. The board may also consider subsistence proposals for other topics (including other areas) under the subsistence proposal policy, 5 AAC 96.615, if proposals are submitted within this deadline and the board determines they meet the criteria in either 5 AAC 96.615(a)(1) or (2).
To ensure the proposal book is finished in advance of the board meetings, the board sets Tuesday, April 10, 2018, as the proposal deadline.
Proposals may be submitted online, email, mail or fax at:
Online: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fisheriesboard.forms
Email: dfg.bof.comments@alaska.gov (Adobe PDF documents only)
Mail: ADF&G, Boards Support Section, P.O. Box 115526, Juneau, AK 99811-5526
Fax: (907) 465-6094
Proposals must be received by Tuesday, April 10, 2018 at the Boards Support Section office in Juneau. A postmark is NOT sufficient for timely receipt.
Interested parties are encouraged to submit proposals at the earliest possible date. The Board of Fisheries proposal form, including the on-line proposal form, is available at the Boards Support website, http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fisheriesboard.forms. Proposal forms are also available at any Boards Support office. Proposals must be submitted on the current approved form. Any additional information provided with the form, such as tables, Internet web links, or charts, will not be included in the proposal book.
The completed proposal form must contain a contact telephone number and mailing address. Email addresses are also appreciated. Please print or type the individual’s or organization’s name as appropriate.
All proposals are reviewed prior to publication. Language that is emotionally charged detracts from the substance of the proposal and may draw opposition not germane to the element(s) of the proposal. Such language may be edited or deleted prior to publication. Proposals that do not meet the call will not be accepted. Proposals must pertain to the region, species, and uses in this call. If duplicative proposals are received by the same individual or group only one will be included in the proposal book…
For more information, please contact the Alaska Board of Fisheries Executive Director, (907) 465-4110.
Online Public Notice:
- Board of Fisheries applications open
The Office of Boards and Commissions is accepting applications for the Public seats on the Board of Fisheries. Please submit your application online at:
http://gov.alaska.gov/services/boards-and-commissions/apply-for-a-board-appointment/
You may attach your resume to the online application or email your resume to: boards@alaska.gov
Online public notice 1/30/18: https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=188611
- Notice of public meeting of the Alaska Boards of Game and Fisheries Joint Board Committee
The Alaska Board of Fisheries (BOF) and Board of Game (BOG) will convene a teleconference meeting of its Joint Board Committee (committee) at 10:00am, Wednesday, February 7, 2018. The purpose of the committee meeting is to discuss and make a recommendation for the necessity of holding a full Joint Board meeting during the 2018/2019 meeting cycle.
To facilitate the committee’s discussion and recommendation on the scope of regulatory topics for a future Joint Board meeting, the committee has requested an informal solicitation of comments or preliminary proposals from local fish and game advisory committees and the public concerning potential changes if a Joint Board meeting is scheduled. The committee will review the comments and report back to each board a recommendation for the need of a Joint Board meeting and the topics for the Call for Proposals. The deadline for submittals for the committee’s review is Friday, February 2, 2018…
Online public notice (December 27)
- Turning the Tide: How can Alaska address the ‘graying of the fleet’ and loss of rural fisheries access?
A report by Paula Cullenberg, Alaska Sea Grant, University of Alaska Fairbanks Rachel Donkersloot, Alaska Marine Conservation Council Courtney Carothers, University of Alaska Fairbanks Jesse Coleman, University of Alaska Fairbanks Danielle Ringer, University of Alaska Fairbanks…
Funding for this project provided by: North Pacific Research Board and Alaska Sea Grant…
Online at:
http://fishermen.alaska.edu/turning-the-tide
- Governor Applauds Unified Effort to Achieve Long-Sought King Cove Road
WASHINGTON – Governor Bill Walker applauded the U.S. Interior Department for finally listening to the countless Alaskan leaders who have long demanded that a single-lane gravel road be built in a narrow stretch of the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, giving King Cove residents reliable access to life-saving health facilities in nearby Cold Bay.
Governor Walker press release (January 22)
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Secretary Zinke Approves Initial Plan to Build a Life-Saving Road for Alaska Native Village of King Cove
Department of the Interior press release
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Environmental coalition sues Interior over King Cove road deal
- Come 2018, the state plans to dispose of F/V Akutan
By Zoë Sobel, Alaska’s Energy Desk – Unalaska – December 26, 2017
After months sitting abandoned in Unalaska, the state announced Friday its intention to dispose of the fishing vessel Akutan.
The processor was abandoned in Unalaska’s Captains Bay in September following a disastrous fishing season in Bristol Bay where the ship’s owner went broke, the crew went unpaid and its 158,000 pound haul of salmon was declared unfit for human consumption.
The state is looking for buyers interested in the vessel. If there are two or more prospective buyers, they will conduct a public auction, or the Akutan will be donated for scrap or destroyed…
https://www.alaskapublic.org/2017/12/26/come-2018-the-state-plans-to-dispose-of-fv-akutan/
National
- February 2018 NPFMC to meet in Seattle Feb 5 – 12
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council will meet the week of February 5-12, 2018 at the Renaissance Hotel, 515 Madison Street, Seattle, WA. The Agenda and Schedule are available as well as a list of review documents and the dates they are available.
Submit comments at our NEW eComment Portal comments.npfmc.org by 5:00 pm (AST) February 2, 2018
&& December NPFMC Newsletter: https://www.npfmc.org/npfmc-newsletters/
NPFMC home page: https://www.npfmc.org/
Federal Register announcement: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2018-00763
- International Pacific Halibut Commission Completes 94th Annual Meeting
The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) completed its 94th Annual Meeting in Portland, OR, U.S.A. on 26 January 2018. More than 200 Pacific halibut stakeholders attended the meeting, with approximately 100 more participating in web broadcasts of the meeting. Annual Meeting information, documents, and presentations are available at the IPHC website (https://iphc.int).
The IPHC did not agree on new Pacific halibut catch limits for 2018, and therefore the catch limits adopted by the IPHC in 2017 remain in place. Both Contracting Parties, Canada and the United States of America, indicated their intention to pursue lower catch limits for 2018 via domestic regulatory processes.
The IPHC approved a fishing period (season) of 24 March – 7 November 2018 for the Canadian and U.S. quota-share fisheries. The treaty tribal commercial fisheries and the incidental Pacific halibut fisheries in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A will occur within these dates. In IPHC Regulatory Area 2A, seven 10-hour fishing periods for the non-treaty directed commercial fishery are recommended: 27 June, 11 July, 25 July, 8 August, 22 August, 5 September, and 19 September 2018.
A subsequent IPHC News Release will provide more details of the 94th Annual Meeting, including the meeting report, regulatory changes, and other actions taken by the IPHC.
IPHC press release (Jan 26, 2018):
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New IPHC website launched (December 19, 2017) https://iphc.int/library/documents/post/iphc-news-release-2017-33-br-new-iphc-website-launched
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North Pacific Halibut and Sablefish IFQ Cost Recovery Programs – Notice of standard prices and fee percentage…The fee percentage for 2017 is 2.2 percent.
IPHC home page: https://iphc.int/
- Fish Factor: US-Canadian impasse a first for halibut allocations
By: Laine Welch
As expected, catches of Pacific halibut will decrease for this year, and likely into the foreseeable future.
Following an increase in catches last year for the first time in several decades, the International Pacific Halibut Commission on Jan. 26 set a “suggested” coastwide catch for 2018 at 28.03 million pounds, a 10.7 percent reduction.
Alaska’s share could be 20.52 million pounds, a drop of 2.1 million pounds from 2017.
The numbers could decline further, as the six commissioners (three each from the U.S. and Canada) were not able to agree on catch allocations for the eight halibut fishing regions for the first time in memory since the IPHC began its oversight of the stocks in 1923.
Halibut catch limits are based on summer surveys at more than 1,200 stations from Oregon to the Aleutians.
“There was agreement that the general halibut stock is in decline, but no consensus on what the catches should be. Due to this impasse, the commissioners made suggestions for 2018 for their own countries,” said Tom Gemmell, executive director of the Juneau-based Halibut Coalition…
Alaska Journal of Commerce story (January 31)
- Deadline February 28 for IPHC nominations
NOAA is soliciting nominations for two individuals to serve as U.S. Commissioners to the IPHC. This action is necessary to ensure that the interests of the United States and all of its stakeholders in the Pacific halibut fishery are adequately represented. Nominations are open to all qualified individuals and may include current Commissioners.
DATES: Nominations and any supporting documentation must be received by February 28, 2018.
Federal Register (Jan. 30): https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2018-01629
- Murkowski, Sullivan Seek Emergency Relief for Communities Affected by Fisheries Disasters
Alaska Fisheries Disaster Totaling $150 Million Direct Losses
As Congress considers a relief package for U.S. communities impacted by hurricanes and wildfires, Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, along with a bipartisan group of senators representing Washington, Oregon, and California, called on their colleagues to also include disaster funding for coastal communities affected by longstanding and ongoing fisheries disasters…
Senator Murkowski press release (January 12, 2018)
- D17 (Alaska) USCG Training Handouts and GuidanceUpdated
(Forwarded from Steve Ramp, USCG Commercial Fishing Vessel Examiner)
All, I have finished the 2018 update for the electronic files that F/V Examiners in Alaska carry during exams (includes new Coast Pilots/Light Lists/Current Tables) and they have now been uploaded to the following public site (thanks Dan Hardin):
http://www.fishsafewest.info/Training.asp (files are at the bottom of the page).
One of the newer files is a “how to” document I created a few months ago on how to obtain an FCC Ship Station License, complete with screen shots from the FCC website. Early reports from fishermen are positive on this document
being helpful to them….Please feel free to share the website and/or the individual electronic files
widely with anyone involved with commercial fishing vessels, both within the Coast Guard and in industry.
For comments/suggestions contact Steve Ramp, Commercial Fishing Vessel Examiner, USCG Marine Safety Detachment
1480 Seward Avenue – Sitka, AK 99835… (907) 966-5620
- Coast guard dockside safety exams Febuary 2-9, 2018 in Petersburg
Exams will emphasize the importance of vessel stability…
Coast Guard Commercial Fishing Vessel Examiners will be conducting dockside examinations for Commercial Fishing Vessels in Petersburg from 2-9 February 2018… Voluntary dockside examinations are free. They take about an hour and help foster public awareness of fishing vessel safety, regulations and safety carriage requirements.
Anyone interested in receiving a dockside examination may sign-up at the Petersburg Harbormaster’s Office or contact Jim Paul at (907) 617-2523.
With recent stability related incidents the Coast Guard Commercial Fishing Vessel Examiners will make a scale available at the crane dock to weigh your crab pots. During similar crab pot weighing operations our data has shown weight discrepancies between old and replacement crab pots. Additionally, AMSEA will be conducting a Stability Awareness Course on February 6th and Onboard Drill Conductor Training February 7th and 8th …to register call AMSEA at 907-747-3287 or register at www. amsea.org.
Please checkout our new vessel specific checklist generator located at www.fishsafewest.info. This awesome tool will allow you to print out a list of all safety requirements for your vessel prior to your exam.
Mandatory exams are now required for all commercial fishing vessels that operate beyond 3 miles from shore. Please take advantage of this chance to get your exam now prior to the busy fishing season.
- Reminder – USCG Vessel Documentation cost $26 – beware of official looking solicitations to pay more
This Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB) is being published to inform mariners how to differentiate between official, U.S. Coast Guard’s National Vessel Documentation Center correspondence and commercial entities that manage documentation processes on behalf of the vessel owners for a fee. Background – Many mariners have received Certificate of Documentation Courtesy Renewal Notices from a commercial entity that closely resembles U.S. Coast Guard’s National Vessel Documentation Center notices. The U.S. Coast Guard’s National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC), located in Falling Waters, West Virginia, is the only entity authorized to issue Certificates of Documentation (CODs), Form CG-1270, valid for a period of one year from date of issuance. This document is required for vessels engaged in Commercial trade and is optional for vessels five net tons and over engaged in recreational use/activities. Persons interested in conducting business directly with NVDC should visit the official Coast Guard website at: http://www.uscg.mil/nvdc/ The NVDC is aware that there are commercial entities that offer to manage the certification/renewal process on behalf of vessel owners for a fee. The Coast Guard does not endorse any of these companies, and the companies do not operate on behalf of the Coast Guard in any way. Any fees charged or agreements offered by such companies are in no way associated with the NVDC certification process.
Marine Safety Information Bulletin #01-17
- Deadline February 26 for CF Safety Advisory Committee applications – public, surveyor and manufacturer seats
The U.S. Coast Guard seeks applications for membership on the Commercial Fishing Safety Advisory Committee. The Commercial Fishing Safety Advisory Committee provides advice and makes recommendations to the Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security on various matters relating to the safe operation of commercial fishing industry vessels. Both positions were previously advertised under Docket No. USCG-2017-0829 but no applications for either of the two positions were received.
…Completed applications should be submitted to the U.S. Coast Guard on or before February 26, 2018… seats open:
(a) An individual who represents the general public, a marine surveyor who provides services to vessels to which Chapter 45 of Title 46 U.S.C. applies (oneposition);
(b) An individual who represents manufacturers of equipment for vessels to which Chapter 45 of Title 46, U.S.C. applies (one position)…
Federal Register December 27, 2017: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2017-27886
- US appeals court: Feds erred in Hawaii fishery expansion
HONOLULU (AP) — Federal agencies were wrong to allow Hawaii’s longline swordfish industry to expand fishing efforts while allowing the hooking or entangling of more endangered sea turtles, a U.S. appeals court ruled.
The panel of judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled this week that the National Marine Fisheries Service failed to consider scientific data that showed the loggerhead turtle population would significantly decline when it set limits for the industry.
The judges also said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service illegally allowed the industry to kill protected migratory birds…
Marketing
- Fish Factor: Seafood trimmings have huge uncaptured value
State seafood marketers are rebranding fish parts as “specialty” products and mapping a path for millions more dollars in sales.
Alaska’s fisheries produce more than 5 billion pounds of seafood each year. When all the fish is headed and gutted or filleted and all the crab legs are clustered, it leaves about 3 billion pounds of trimmings. Some is turned into meal and oil, but for the most part, the “gurry” is ground up and discharged into local waterways.
“Whether that’s heads or guts, milt, or meal or oil or something else, it should be held in high regard,” said Andy Wink, a seafood economist formerly with the McDowell Group. “These are products that are out of our normal range but they are specialty items serving niche markets.”
A new Analyses of Alaska Seafood Specialty Products report compiled for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute takes a look at uses for fish heads, oil, meal, internal organs, crab products, roe, herring fillets, arrowtooth flounder, spiny dogfish and skates.
AK Journal of Commerce story (January 17)
- Danger and Routine: An Inside Look at Alaska’s Fishing and Crabbing Industry
Food & Wine magazine photo essay…
Earlier this fall, photographer Zandy Mangold joined fishing and crabbing crews in Unalaska and Seward to document the lives of fishermen and processors that make it all possible. Mangold’s photo essay here highlights a combination of the intense and unforgiving conditions of Alaskan nature as well as everyday rituals experienced by people who work to harness it all into a vibrant, sustainable industry…
http://www.foodandwine.com/travel/alaska-fishing-king-crabs
- ASMI Seafood Technical Committee to meet Feb. 6 in Girdwood
A meeting of the ASMI Seafood Technical Committee will be held Feb 6, 2018 at Alyeska Resort, 1000 Arlberg Ave, Girdwood, AK 99587; beginning at 4:00PM AKST. For more information about this event, please contact Michael Kohan at (907) 465-5560 or mkohan@alaskaseafood.org. Individuals requiring auxiliary aids please call 1(206) 352-8920, 1(800) 478-2903 or use a TDD by calling 711. This meeting is open to all persons without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age or disability.
Online public notice: https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=188519
- ASMI hosts International Women of Seafood Mission to Dutch Harbor
January 30 – February 4
ASMI is proud to be hosting an International Women of Seafood mission to Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Eight women, seven European buyers and one Chinese health blogger, will spend January 31-February 2 in Dutch Harbor touring processing facilities and fishing vessels, meeting Alaska seafood suppliers, and learning about Alaska fisheries management. The trip will focus on pollock, cod, and crab.
Some participants will spend an additional day in Seattle on February 4 to conduct store visits.
For more information about the mission please contact Alice Ottoson-McKeen at aottoson-mckeen@alaskaseafood.org
Thank you to the Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) for their help with the mission
- Comment deadline March 19 on Commerce Trusted Trader Program (IUU / SIMP)
NOAA Fisheries has announced the opening of a 60-day public comment period on a proposed rule to establish a voluntary Commerce Trusted Trader Program for U.S. importers –a valuable complement to the U.S. Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP).
SIMP established permitting, data reporting and recordkeeping requirements for the importation of certain priority fish and fish products that have been identified as being particularly vulnerable to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and/or seafood fraud. SIMP provides the federal government the information needed to prevent illegally caught and/or misrepresented seafood from entering the U.S. market.
The Commerce Trusted Trader Program is designed to maintain the effectiveness of SIMP in achieving these objectives while streamlining the reporting and recordkeeping requirements for U.S. importers who commit to establishing internal traceability and auditing measures. It is intended to reduce costs to both the government and industry, and streamline processing of import entries.
NOAA Fisheries is seeking public and seafood industry input and guidance regarding the extent to which the Commerce Trusted Trader Program as proposed is likely to achieve the objectives of preventing illegally caught and/or misrepresented seafood from entering the U.S. market; establish secure seafood supply chains; reduce costs to both the government and industry; and streamline processing of import entries.
The public will have 60 days to comment on the proposed rule. NOAA Fisheries will be scheduling a number of public listening sessions. Details will posted below on this webpage:
March 12, 2018, Seafood Expo North America
(We don’t see anything about it at this time but expect this means a listening session may be planned as part of the Boston Seafood Show)
Written comments must be received by March 19, 2018.
From National Ocean Council Committee on IUU Fishing and Seafood Fraud Actions and Announcements: Recommendations 14 & 15
Federal Register January 17, 2018: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2018-00653
Regulations.gov docket folder:
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=NOAA-NMFS-2016-0165-0001
- Walmart deal makes for year-round processing jobs in Anchorage
By: Naomi Klouda, Alaska Journal of Commerce
Copper River Seafoods highlighted its emerging role as a mainstay in the Alaska economy in a short ceremony Jan. 8 that celebrated selling 250,000 pounds of fish per year to Walmart and Sam’s Club.
Even in winter, the plant on the shores of Ship Creek is filled with 100 employees cutting frozen fillets into portions that go out the door destined for plates in Alaska and the Lower 48.
About 30,000 to 40,000 pounds of sockeye and kita, or chum salmon, per week continue to be processed throughout the winter, according Copper River Seafoods CEO Scott Blake.
Plants like Copper River Seafoods in Anchorage are maximizing seafood jobs in the state’s economy and the blue ocean economy framework, said Alyssa Rodrigues, economic development manager at the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development.
“Copper River is able to sustain 100 year-round jobs when most of our seafood jobs aren’t year-round,” Rodrigues said at the event, which included brief comments by Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, Blake and Walmart officials…
AK Journal of Commerce story (January 10)
Environmental
- New research on ocean acidity raises red flags for Alaskans
By UFA President Jerry McCune – ADN Opinion
Fishing families and businesses across Alaska are veterans at keeping an eye out for change — day-to-day and season-to-season. The largest single employer in the state of Alaska, and a food source for millions, the successes of Alaskan seafood harvests rise and fall with a dynamic marine food web. New research is shedding light on a big change within that system — ocean acidification — and Alaska’s salmon fishermen are watching closely.
Researchers from NOAA and the University of Washington have found that wild salmon runs may be affected by rising ocean acidity — a well documented global trend that is particularly pronounced in the cold-water, carbon-rich waters off Alaska’s vast coastline…
https://www.adn.com/opinions/2018/01/02/new-research-on-ocean-acidity-raises-red-flags-for-alaskans/
- Murkowski Introduces Bill to Address Ocean Acidification
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) recently introduced the Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2017 to identify and assess communities, including island communities, low-population rural communities, and subsistence communities, that are most dependent on coastal and ocean resources that may be impacted by ocean acidification. This bipartisan bill was introduced with Senators Cantwell (D-WA), Collins (R-ME), Peters (D-MI), and Whitehouse (D-RI).
“Alaska’s culture and economy thrive on so many resources that come from the ocean. This proactively addresses a very real issue and will help us all gain a deeper understanding of how ocean acidification is affecting our coastal and subsistence communities throughout Alaska,” said Senator Murkowski. “This is significant legislation for those living in a state or community whose livelihood greatly depends on the health of our oceans.”
Senator Murkowski press release (Dec 19, 2017)
See S.2229 and House companion bill H.R.2719 for more information and tracking.
- Salmon habitat advocates submit signatures for ballot item
ANCHORAGE (AP) — Supporters of a proposed ballot measure aimed at protecting Alaska salmon habitat near development projects have submitted about 50,000 signatures to the Division of Elections.
http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2018-01-18/salmon-habitat-advocates-submit-signatures-ballot-item
Alaska Division of Elections home page for initiative #17FSH2:
http://elections.alaska.gov/Core/initiativepetitionlist.php#17FSH2
Initiative Language: http://elections.alaska.gov/petitions/17FSH2/17FHS2%20Bill.pdf
(This is still subject to appeal)
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- In reversal, EPA deals setback to controversial gold mining proposal in Alaska
By Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis, Washington Post, January 26 at 7:20 PM
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt announced late Friday that he will not scrap the agency’s 2014 determination that a large-scale mining operation could irreparably harm Alaska’s Bristol Bay watershed.
His decision, which falls short of blocking a proposed gold and copper mine in the region outright, represents a surprising twist in a years-long battle that has pitted a Canadian-owned mining company against commercial fishing operators, native Alaskans and conservationists determined to protect the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery…
On Friday, after receiving more than a million public comments and consulting with tribal governments and others, the EPA said it will leave the previous administration’s determination in place while it takes additional comments. The announcement said the decision “neither deters nor derails the application process” for the mine.
“It is my judgment at this time that any mining projects in the region likely pose a risk to the abundant natural resources that exist there,” Pruitt said in a statement. “Until we know the full extent of that risk, those natural resources and world-class fisheries deserve the utmost protection.”
Federal Register pre-publication notice
Governor Bill Walker thanks EPA, Administrator Pruitt for respecting process and environment
- Comment deadline February 20 on Pebble exploration activities
APMA A20186118 – A Hard Rock Exploration and Reclamation Permit Application within the Bristol Bay Mining District – Pebble Project
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has received a Multi-Agency Application for Permits to Mine in Alaska – APMA A20186118 for Hard Rock Exploration and Reclamation in the Bristol Bay Mining District near the town of Iliamna. This is an application to continue exploration activities only. The activities requested in this application include the drilling of geotechnical and exploratory boreholes, re-activation of an acid rock drainage test site, and continued reclamation and maintenance activities. The exploration related activity is located within Township 005 S, Range 036 W, Seward Meridian. A complete listing of legal descriptions can be found in the application. The USGS 1:250,000 Quadrangle is Iliamna. DNR authorizations requested include Water Use Authorizations, Miscellaneous Land Use Permits (MLUPs), and Reclamation Plan Approval for exploration and/or care and maintenance operations.
The Mining Section of the Division of Mining, Land and Water proposes to issue a MLUP pursuant to 11 AAC 96.010 for exploration activity on state mining claims as well as reclamation approval on state lands. Winter cross country travel on state lands not within state mining claims may also be authorized.
Other State Agencies which use this application include the Departments of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Fish and Game (ADF&G) and Revenue (DOR). Federal Agencies include the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), and U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) also reviews this application. Agencies adjudicate this application for the permits they require for mining related activities. Their adjudication may include additional separate notice and there may be opportunity to comment on the same activity to each of the agencies. Mining Fact Sheets about the Agencies which receive the application can be found at http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/mlw/factsht/mine_fs/apmathru.pdf and http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/mlw/factsht/mine_fs/fed_permits.pdf. A more detailed discussion of the agencies that use this application is given in the application itself http://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/forms/18apma/index.cfm
A copy of the application may be obtained from DNR by request via email at dnr.anc.mining@alaska.gov, or by mail to 550 W. 7th Ave., Suite 900B, Anchorage, AK 99501. You may also find a copy of the application as an attachment to this notice.
Comments on this application must be received by 5:00 p.m. (Alaska Standard Time), February 20th, 2018 and must be mailed to the Division of Mining, Land and Water, attention Hollie Chalup, at the above address or emailed directly to dnr.anc.mining@alaska.gov. Comments must be submitted by paper format or by email and attachment (e.g., pdf, word document, etc.) only. DNR will not consider comments or content located on the Web, cloud or other file sharing system as written comments. The Division will consider all timely written comments. Individuals or groups of people with disabilities, who require special accommodations, auxiliary aids or services, or alternative communication formats, please contact the Public Information Center at (907) 269-8400, or TDD (907) 269-8411 (5 days before end of comment period).
DNR reserves the right to waive technical defects in this publication.
Online public notice:
https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=188476
- New Book: Bristol Bay Alaska – Natural Resources of the Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems
Edited by Carol Ann Woody
About the Item
Bristol Bay, Alaska, supports a wide diversity of globally significant natural resources—from the world’s most valuable wild salmon fishery to one of the world’s largest untapped copper deposits. With contributions from leading scientific experts, this comprehensive, one-of-a-kind book is essential to understanding what is known regarding the extraordinary array of natural resources found within the Bristol Bay ecosystem. This reference will aid policy makers, resource managers, scientists, stakeholders, students, and the public in the discussion, debate, and decision making surrounding the future of this world treasure…
http://www.jrosspub.com/bristol-bay-alaska.html
- Comment deadline February 13 on Donlin Mine wastewater discharge and waste management plans
Few Alaskans even know of it, but the world’s biggest “pure” gold mine is being planned by two Canadian companies near Crooked Creek, a tributary 10 miles from the Kuskokwim River.
The state plans to issue two draft permits for waste water discharges and waste management for the project and is taking comments now. According to KYUK in Bethel, one permit would allow 4,500 gallons per minute of treated wastewater to be dumped into Crooked Creek for the life of the mine.
It also lays out the levels of contamination that would be allowed in the water. The other permit would regulate where other wastes from the mine would be stored. The draft permits also specify how that waste would be monitored.
An environmental impact statement says that Crooked Creek and connecting tributaries are classified as essential fish habitat for five species of salmon and 12 other fish species.
The Donlin mine, expected to operate for 27 years and yield nearly 40 million ounces of pure gold, would have a footprint of about 25 square miles. The open pit would be over two miles long, one mile wide and nearly 2,000 feet deep.
A 30-mile road would be built to the site and include housing and offices, an airstrip, a barge terminal at Bethel, a water treatment plant and a port on the Kuskokwim for offloading.
To power the mine, a 40-million gallon tank farm would be built on site for diesel fuel to be delivered via a 315-mile pipeline from Cook Inlet, including along the Iditarod trail from Skwentna to Finger Lake.
The pipeline would cross streams for anadromous and resident fish species at 77 locations.
Waste materials from the mine, called tailings, would be stored in a manmade pond held back by a 475-foot main dam and a 345 foot high upper dam. The pond will cover 1,356 acres and hold 110 million tons of waste materials forever.
The above is from he second item in Laine Welch’s Fish factor from January 31
AK DEC online public notice: https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=188122
DNR Large Mines Donlin Mine page: http://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/mining/largemine/donlin/
- WA –Cypress Island Atlantic salmon spill investigative report and related bills:
New bill could put Washington salmon farms in jeopardy
OLYMPIA – A Senate committee is considering a bill that could bring an end to some of Washington state’s largest salmon farms.
Senate Bill 6086, heard in committee on Tuesday, Jan. 9, is sponsored by 11 Democratic senators and calls for a ban on the use of Atlantic salmon and other non-native fish in marine aquaculture… Bainbridge Review article
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SB 6086 – info & tracking: http://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6086&Year=2017
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Opinion – Phase out Atlantic fish farming in Washington waters
By Kurt Beardslee, Executive director, Wild Fish Conservancy.
Puget Sound’s fish farming industry poses unacceptable levels of risk to our environment, heritage, and culture — all while a viable, sustainable alternative exists in the form of land-based aquaculture…
https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/ban-atlantic-fish-farming-in-washington-waters/
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-Fish farm caused Atlantic salmon spill near San Juans, then tried to hide how bad it was, state says
Cooke Aquaculture Pacific vastly underrepresented the scope of a catastrophic Atlantic salmon net-pen spill at its Cypress Island farm in August and misled the public and regulators about the cause, according to a new report by state investigators that blames the pen collapse on company negligence…
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-WA State investigation finds Cooke’s negligence was primary cause of Atlantic Salmon net pen collapse
Department of Ecology News Release – January 30, 2018
https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/News/2018/Jan30-Joint-release-for-net-pen-fine
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WA Department of Ecology Report: 2017 Cypress Island Atlantic Salmon Net Pen Failure: An Investigation and Review: https://www.dnr.wa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/aqr_cypress_investigation_report.pdf?vdqi7rk&ilbalo
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WA sport fishers: Wild Fish Conservancy wants to sample your Atlantic salmon
If you catch an escaped Atlantic, send an email to info@wildfishconservancy.org
with the subject ‘Angler Caught Atlantic salmon’ or call their office at (425) 788-1167.
Enhancement / Aquaculture / Mariculture
- Alaska Turns to the Sea for its Newest Cash Crop
The state’s nascent seaweed industry is commercializing an ancient tradition, but concerns have been raised about the impact on indigenous kelp harvests…
Alaska’s newest marine industry is a twist on an ancient tradition.
Seaweed, for centuries a staple in the diet of Indigenous peoples of Alaska’s coastal regions, has emerged as a promising consumer product in a state more famous for its huge commercial fish harvests.
A few entrepreneurs have found lucrative markets, and state officials are hoping their successes can be replicated.
Among them are Matt Kern and Lia Heifetz, owners of Barnacle Foods, now known regionally for their kelp salsa sold to locals and tourists from their Juneau shop – located conveniently near the site where huge cruise ships dock in summer. They got into the business almost accidentally…
Alaska Governor’s Mariculture Task Force home page: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=amtf.main
- NCCOS Supports Development of Alaska Mariculture Siting Tool
NCCOS provided technical support to coastal managers and a team of Alaska scientists who are developing the Alaska Mariculture Map, a planning tool that will inform mariculture expansion in Alaska. The support included an evaluation of the types, sources, and relevance of various spatial data for aquaculture and an overview of best practices for the design of state-level mariculture spatial planning tools.
The Alaska Mariculture Map will provide industry, regulators, and the public with mapping applications and data relevant to siting mariculture industries in Alaska state waters. The project, funded by NOAA Sea Grant, aims to use spatial planning to increase production of farmed shellfish and seaweed; increase profits in Alaska from mariculture; support continued expansion of new and existing sites; and increase public awareness about the economic, cultural, and environmental benefits of mariculture.
Project partners include the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, Alaska Sea Grant, and the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands Community Development Association.
NOAA National Center for Coastal Ocean Science news release (January 24)
- NOAA Fisheries Aquaculture News Winter Newsletter
… Looking forward to 2018, priorities for NOAA from the new Administration include: weather ready nation, improve responsiveness to extreme weather events, and expand blue economy opportunities. As many of you are aware, Secretary Ross has expressed great interest in reducing America’s reliance on seafood imports, expand export opportunities, and increase domestic seafood production through aquaculture and fisheries. Admiral Tim Gallaudet, the new Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Conservation and the Acting NOAA Administrator has a particular focus on the blue economy and aquaculture. My staff and I meet regularly with leadership within NOAA, DOC, USDA, and the seafood and aquaculture community and beyond to highlight the opportunities marine aquaculture presents and to plan a path forward to make aquaculture a vital part of U.S. seafood production. In the coming year we seek your ideas and help in fostering marine aquaculture around the nation. Some of these ideas include a national seafood or aquaculture initiative, regulatory streamlining, federal legislation, building public private partnerships for aquaculture R&D, and telling the story of aquaculture…
NOAA Fisheries Aquacultue Winter Newsletter online
- Sea Grant announces $9.3 million for aquaculture research and industry support
NOAA Sea Grant announces the award of $9.3 million in grants for 32 projects to advance the development of a sustainable marine and coastal aquaculture industry in the U.S.
The grants were awarded through two aquaculture funding competitions–Integrated Projects to Increase Aquaculture Production and Addressing Impediments to Aquaculture Opportunities–to help spur the development and growth of shellfish, finfish and seaweed aquaculture businesses…
Alaska Projects include:
Assisting Alaska Shellfish Managers to Avoid Emergency Rainfall Closures, Alaska Sea Grant, $94,535
Summary: This proposal seeks solutions to increasingly problematic fecal coliform levels in remote shellfish growing areas, building on continuing discussion between ADEC, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, and shellfish farmers. The overarching goals of the research are to: 1) Better understand the overlapping effects of rainfall events and associated freshwater outflows on fecal bacteria levels on shellfish farms and geoduck harvest areas; and 2) Apply approved NSSP laboratory tests, in conjunction with comparative analyses of a real-time tool to predict elevated numbers of fecal bacteria.
Geoduck spawning, nursery techniques, seed security and technology transfer for Alaska,
Alaska Sea Grant, $149,974
Summary: This project will provide Alaska geoduck farmers with Native Alaska geoduck seed to provide farmers with access to seed to grow and expand their farms. Broodstock for the hatcheries will be provided by Alaskan divers. The spawning and nursery project will take place on land based facilities that will not impact the environment. The seed produced will be planted by farm sites that have already been approved by the State of Alaska.
Mariculture Map – Development of a GIS Tool to Inform Mariculture Expansion, Alaska Sea Grant, $139,503
Summary: Development of mariculture in Alaska has been restricted to date by a lack of information needed to assess the profitability of mariculture investments, which depends upon key environmental and social variables. This project will define and prioritize parameters important to mariculture development, identify existing data sets related to these parameters, and collect, analyze/process and layer existing data into a GIS tool which can be used by investors and regulators to better inform and focus investment in mariculture development in Alaska.
For more info and other projects see Article from NOAA Aquaculture newsletter above.
- Sea Grant invites proposals for aquaculture projects – deadline March 2
Researchers are welcome to apply for grants to advance the aquaculture industry in Alaska and nationwide. The deadline for proposals is March 2, 2018.
National Sea Grant expects to have available $7 million to $11.5 million over fiscal years 2018, 2019 and 2020 as part of the Sea Grant National Aquaculture Initiative. The organization recently announced a request for proposals.
“The Alaska aquaculture industry has tremendous potential, so we look forward to working with researchers and the aquaculture industry to develop their proposals,” said Ginny Eckert, Alaska Sea Grant associate director for research. “Alaska’s aquaculture industry includes shellfish farming, salmon ranching, and new seaweed farms.”
According to some, mariculture (sea aquaculture) has the potential to provide much-needed diversity for the weak Alaska economy. Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation director Julie Decker and others are backing a plan to grow Alaska mariculture to a $1 billion industry in the next 30 years…
https://alaskaseagrant.org/2018/01/19/2116/
- Curious by Nature: Do hatchery fish hamper wild king and coho?
Record-low king salmon returns on the Taku River have readers rightly looking for answers. Spend any time around fishermen and you’ll hear plenty, with concerns about the state of Alaska’s hatchery programs a recurring theme.
So how do hatchery fish interact with wild king and coho salmon? Do they compete for food? With the Board of Fisheries meeting this week and next in Sitka to address king salmon conservation, among other issues, it’s timely to answer Gray’s question…
…Curious by Nature answers reader-submitted questions about Mother Nature in Juneau and Southeast Alaska. Submit your question to outdoors@juneauempire.com .
Subsistence
- Fed Subsistence RAC application deadline extended to February 16, 2018
The deadline for submission of applications to fill seats on the 10 Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils has been extended. Applications must be postmarked by February 16, 2018. Council membership appointments are typically for 3-year terms. There are 41 seats open for appointment among all Councils.
The Councils meet at least twice a year and provide critical advice to the Federal Subsistence Board on subsistence management issues. Council meetings serve as a forum for regional public involvement in Federal subsistence management. Council members must be knowledgeable about the uses of fish and wildlife resources in their region.
Individuals may apply for membership themselves, or an individual or organization may nominate someone for Council membership. The application form and information about the application process and the Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils is available on the Federal Subsistence Program’s website: www.doi.gov/subsistence/regions. The application form and additional information is also available by contacting the Office of Subsistence Management at (800) 478-1456 or (907) 786-3888.
FSB Announcement (Jan 25, 2018)
- Secretary of the Interior appoints members to Federal Subsistence RACs
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke has made the 2017 appointments to the 10 Federal Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils. The Councils advise the Federal Subsistence Board on subsistence management regulations and policies and serve as a forum for public involvement in Federal subsistence management in Alaska.
For lists of RACs with new members see announcement (January 25, 2018)
- 2017-2019 Federal Subsistence Fish and Shellfish Regulations now available
The April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2019 Federal subsistence fish and shellfish regulations book is now available online at https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/fisheries. The regulations book contains the Federal subsistence seasons, customary and traditional use determinations, harvest limits, permit requirements, and methods of taking fish and shellfish from Federal public waters in Alaska…
Office of Subsistence Management announcement (January 24, 2018):
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Federal Register notice January 23, 2018: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2018-00461
- Federal Subsistence Board January work session postponed
January, 2018 – This work session has been postponed, and will be rescheduled as soon as possible. Additional information will be posted here when available. Work Session at the Gordon Watson Room, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage. (View Agenda and Meeting Materials; addition to Section 3 of materials; Supplemental)
Federal Subsistence Board home page: https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/board/
Federal Subsistence Board Meeting page: https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/archives
& News – for more news and specific fishery updates:
https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/news/general/subsistence/news/fsb
Other
- Was Your Seafood Caught With Slave Labor? New Monterey Bay Aquarium Database Helps Retailers Combat Abuse
The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, known best for its red, yellow and green sustainable seafood-rating scheme, is unveiling its first Seafood Slavery Risk Tool on Thursday. It’s a database designed to help corporate seafood buyers assess the risk of forced labor, human trafficking and hazardous child labor in the seafood they purchase.
The tool’s release comes on the heels of a new report that confirms forced labor and human rights abuses remain embedded in Thailand’s fishing industry, years after global media outlets first documented the practice.
The 134-page report by Human Rights Watch shows horrific conditions continue. That’s despite promises from the Thai government to crack down on abuses suffered by mostly migrants from countries like Myanmar and Cambodia — and despite pressure from the U.S. and European countries that purchase much of Thailand’s seafood exports. (Thailand is the fourth-largest seafood exporter in the world).
For U.S. retailers and seafood importers, ferreting slavery out of the supply chain has proved exceedingly difficult. Fishing occurs far from shore, often out of sight, while exploitation and abuse on vessels stem from very complex social and economic dynamics.
“Companies didn’t know how to navigate solving the problem,” says Sara McDonald, Seafood Watch project manager for the Slavery Risk Tool.
The new Seafood Watch database, which took two years to design, assigns slavery risk ratings to specific fisheries and was developed in collaboration with Liberty Asia and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership. Like Seafood Watch’s color-coded ratings, the Seafood Slavery Risk Tool aims to keep it simple — a set criteria determines whether a fishery will earn a critical, high, moderate or low risk rating…
So far we see no U.S. or Alaska fisheries identified as at risk in this tool that is still in development.
- Help wanted: CDFU Executive Director
Job posting:
http://cdfu.org/2018-executive-director-position-posting/
- Comment deadline March 19 on NIOSH Research Agenda for Ag, Forestry and Fishing
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announces the availability of a draft NORA Agenda entitled National Occupational Research Agenda for Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing for public comment. To view the notice and related materials, visit https://www.regulations.gov and enter CDC-2018-0007 in the search field and click “Search.”
…Electronic or written comments must be received by March 19, 2018.
Federal Register January 17: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2018-00647
Regulations.gov docket: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=CDC-2018-0007-0001
- IFISH 5 International Fishing Industry Safety & Health
June 10-13, St. John’s New Brunswick, Canada
Registration is now open for IFISH 5, the largest global gathering of researchers, safety and health professionals, instructors, workers and industry experts, ergonomists, governmental and regulatory representatives, and other professionals in the fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing industries…
IFISH 5 will showcase over sixty hours of presentations, workshops, panels, and activities for you to choose from:
- The latest in occupational safety and health research
- Explorations of current fisheries policy and regulations
- Best practices for keeping workers safe and healthy
Keynote speakers will provide an overview of advances in the field and priorities for the future, highlighting success stories in research, training, and industry collaboration. In the evenings and between events, attendees will have a chance to network with the many organizations and professionals representing over twenty countries and a wide-variety of expertise…
You can learn more about the conference program and register to attend at https://ifishconference.ca/registration/.
- Alaska Sea Grant News for January
New items include:
-Scholarship supports women in science
-Kodiak residents heed tsunami warning
-Alaska Sea Grant awards over $1 million for research
-Sea Grant invites proposals for aquaculture projects (see item above under aquaculture)
- Upcoming AMSEA Trainings
February 6 – 10, 2018 – Seattle, Washington Marine Safety Instructor Training (MSIT)
February 5, 2018 – Petersburg, Alaska – Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor
February 6, 2018 – Petersburg, Alaska – Fishing Vessel Stability Awareness:
Upright & Watertight!
February 10, 2018 – Juneau, Alaska – Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor
February 14-16, 2018 – Fairbanks, Alaska – Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor
CLOSED ENROLLMENT
April 19 & 20, 2018 – Dillingham, Alaska – Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor
April 24-29, 2018 – Seward, Alaska – Marine Safety Instructor Training (MSIT)
September 30, 2018 – Sitka, Alaska – Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor
…and many more in lower 48 states – see right side bar on the AMSEA home page at http://www.amsea.org/
- Laine Welch’s Fish Radio – Recent Items
-Tanner crab fishery will test the waters at Prince William Sound
-Pebble Mine developer shares drop more than 20% – partner pressured to pull out
-Brake makers phase out copper to protect salmon in WA, CA; program is going nationwide
-Permit leasing bill aims to boost Alaska fishing futures
These items and more, online at http://www.alaskafishradio.com/
Inclusion of an item does not mean that UFA endorses or agrees.
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Compiled by staff of United Fishermen of Alaska
ufa@ufa-fish.org
PO Box 20229
Juneau AK 99802
(907) 586-2820