Support UFA Business members on our website HERE.
UFA Fish Calendar: https://www.ufafish.org/calendar/
Help support UFA today! Visit ‘Become a Member’ on our website to see the various membership levels and benefits.
Thank you to new UFA lifetime member Ruel Homlberg of Everett, WA.
Brief Legislative Report:
Governor Walker called the State Legislature back for the fifth special session of the 29th Legislature, beginning Monday July 11, and introduced six bills, including
HB 5002 – Omnibus tax bill
HB 5003 – Individual income tax
HB 5004 – Sales tax – 3% (this had not been previously introduced)
We were pleased that for the first time, the Administration’s personal income tax bill no longer included defining fishermen/crew as employers/employees and requiring withholding of estimated tax payments. The 3% sales tax bill was clear that purchase of fish for resale, and food for human consumption off premises would have been exempt from sales tax.
UFA comments to Governor Walker on Fishery Taxes for fifth special session (June 23, 2016)
Last week the Senate declined to accept the invitation of the House for a joint session to consider overrides of Governor Walker’s vetoes of budget items and reduction of the permanent fund 2016 distribution to $1000, which would have required a 75% vote of the combined bodies. Friday 7/15 the House adjourned without hearing or taking action on any measures.
The Senate met Monday July 18 at 11 A.M. to consider citations and other business, and adjourned from the fifth special session.
We will continue to monitor the legislature if there is another call for special session or other actions…
#Vote while you fish
Voting registration deadline was yesterday to be eligible to vote in the August 16 primary. You can still register or update your registration for the November 6 General Election.
If you won’t be home during the primary and want to vote early or absentee, request an absentee ballot right now – see:
Early voting begins August 1.
See UFA #Vote while you fish page at https://www.ufafish.org/vote-while-you-fish/ for key dates, links for absentee voting and how to register to vote in Alaska, and downloadable Vote While you Fish poster.
Statewide
- House adjourns without deficit fix; Alaska has 36 months of savings remaining
- Alaska Senate adjourns special session, leaving budget reforms to wait
- Bristol Bay harvests 2 billionth salmon
- Deja vu in Bristol Bay? Big red salmon run resembles last year’s
- ADFG Inseason Summary & Salmon Bluesheet
- CFEC & AO 279 – State hopes court will dismiss lawsuit affecting fisheries commission reorganization
- Salmon sharks contribute to chinook decline
- Southeast Conference begins AMHS strategic planning effort
- An Outdoor View: Saving the Kenai kings
- Kenai, East Forelands setnets open for first period
National
- Comment deadline Sept. 19 on USCG FV Safety rules from 2010 and 2012 Congress
- Sullivan, Cantwell, Murkowski Applaud Committee Passage of Alternate Safety Compliance Program Legislation
- F/V Safety: Beware government navigation publication faulty “knock offs”
- Senate passes Sullivan-Schatz-Markey international fisheries bill
- NOAA Amendment 109 to increase CDQ BSAI Groundfish small boat opportunity
- SBA Convenes Council on Underserved Communities Advisory Board Meeting
- USDA Expands Access to Capital for Rural Businesses
- NMFS posts BSAI Crab Rationalization cost recovery fee for 2016/2017 – 1.6%
- NPFMC June 2016 newsletter- items from the June meeting
- NPFMC Stock Structure and Spatial Management public workshop – July 21, Seattle
- NPFMC Electronic Monitoring Workgroup meeting July 28, Anchorage
- Comment by July 25 on NOAA sec. 404 draft Fisheries Research Report to Congress
- Comment by August 8 on Observer Coverage Requirements for BSAI Trawl Catcher Vessels
- NOAA posts BSAI pollock and flatfish trawl three year MMPA & ESA incidental take permit
- NOAA Whale Alert Smartphone App – Now live in Alaska!
- Comment deadline July 18 on Amendment 103 GOA Groundfish Chinook bycatch Regulations
- Comment deadline July 25 on Amendment 103 GOA Groundfish FMP Chinook bycatch Reapportionment
- NMFS final rule on Bycatch Management in the Bering Sea Pollock Fishery
- NOAA maintains ESA Threatened listing for Snake River Fall Chinook
- NFWF Announces $1.19 Million in Grants to Support Sustainable Fisheries in the U.S.
- Pacific Salmon Commission Restoration and Enhancement Fund Announcements applications due September 1
- Murkowski Works to Support Alaska’s Fisheries and Critical Nutrition Programs
- Anglers (CCA) Applaud Gulf Governors’ Stance on Red Snapper Bill
- NOAA Regional Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy Implementation Plans
- Comment deadline August 1 on NMFS AK Saltwater Sport Fishing Economic Survey
Marketing
- Senators Pass Bill out of Committee to Give Fishermen Voice in Grant Process, Boost U.S. Seafood
- Seafood lovers get another taste of herring
- Beyond Roe: The Alaska Herring Development Project
- AK Fisheries Science Center: Where do Alaska Fish Go?
- Everything we love to eat is a scam – (except Alaska seafood and some others)
- GSSI recognizes the Alaska Responsible Fisheries Management Certification Program
- ASMI – Comment deadline August 4 on Alaska RFM Fisheries Standard Version 2.0
- Bristol Bay sockeye prices predicted as ‘better but not great’
- Brexit causes uncertainty for Alaska seafood exports to UK, EU
- Fish Out of Water: How One Prairie Town Built an Alaskan Seafood Pipeline
- Global Per Capita Fish Consumption Rises Above 20 Kilograms a Year
Fish Farm & Environmental
- Alaskan and Canadian Groups Petition Secretary of the Interior to Investigate Mines in British Columbia
- Feds push ahead with draft plan for Cook Inlet oil and gas leasing – comment deadline Sept. 6 on Draft EIS
- UW backs fishery professor Ray Hilborn in research dispute with Greenpeace
- Hilborn: Closing parts of the ocean to fishing not enough to protect marine ecosystems
- Board of Forestry to meet August 10-11, Palmer
- Forest Service moves forward with Tongass second-growth transition
- Comment deadline July 21 on Metlakatla & Denali Pesticide General Permit
Aquaculture / Enhancement
- WA – Long outlawed, salmon ranching might make a comeback
- Ketchikan mariculture group struggles due to stock loss
Subsistence
- Ninilchik Traditional Council sues for speedy approval of gillnet
- 2016 Yukon River Summer Salmon Fishery News Release # 62, 61
- Title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act
- Comment by August 8 on Tongass Submerged Lands not transferred to AK
Other
- Feasting Southeast style – Southeast Feast Juneau July 25
- Help Wanted: ADF&G Federal Fisheries coordinator
- Administration looks to fill CFEC vacancy
- Help Wanted – Alaska Seafood Cooperative Manager –apply by July 20.
- Fish Biz- Financial and business tools for Alaska commercial seafood harvesters
- FishLines Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program newsletter for June 2016
- AMSEA Upcoming safety classes
- Laine Welch’s Fish Radio – Recent Items
Inclusion of an item does not mean that UFA endorses or agrees.
Statewide:
- House adjourns without deficit fix; Alaska has 36 months of savings remaining
By James Brooks, Morris News Service-Alaska/Juneau Empire, 07/15/2016
The Alaska House of Representatives has adjourned the fifth special session of the 29th Alaska Legislature.
At 2:31 p.m., lawmakers agreed to leave Juneau after five days. House members held no committee hearings or votes on resolving Alaska’s $3 billion budget deficit, and they also failed to muster enough support to override any of the $1.3 billion in budget vetoes signed by Gov. Bill Walker on June 29.
“Alaska’s indeed in a fiscal crisis. It’s epic. It’s huge, and we’re all in shock of it,” said Rep. Wes Keller, R-Wasilla, speaking on the floor before adjournment.
While the Alaska Senate passed a measure to partially resolve the deficit by spending a portion of the earnings of the Alaska Permanent Fund, the House failed to even vote upon the approach, which failed in the House Finance Committee.
As a result, at present rates of spending, the state of Alaska will run out of financial reserves in 36 months, according to an analysis presented Thursday by Walker…
Alaska Journal of Commerce:
- Alaska Senate adjourns special session, leaving budget reforms to wait
The Alaska Senate on Monday officially ended the special legislative session called by Gov. Bill Walker, formally gaveling out before noon after just a handful of hearings and without votes on any of the deficit-reduction bills that Walker proposed….
- Bristol Bay harvests 2 billionth salmon
BETHEL, Alaska (KTUU) – A fisherman last week landed the 2 billionth salmon to be caught in Bristol Bay’s 133-year commercial fishing history, according to harvest statistics by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Bristol Bay’s 2 billionth salmon milestone was surpassed on Wednesday July 6. That’s 38 years after salmon number 1 billion was caught in the Nushagak River district on June 28, 1978, according to Fish and Game. About 93 percent of the salmon caught in Bristol Bay are Sockeye.
The 2 billionth salmon was among hundreds of thousands of fish caught by commercial fishing vessels in Bristol Bay that day. A symbolic salmon was selected from the multitude and awarded to longtime local fisherman Howard Knutsen, 86, who has fished Bristol Bay for decades.
Knutsen, captain of the Sea Hunter 2, accepted the prestigious fish on board the Lady Helen fishing tender in the Ugashik fishing district near Pilot Point, according to local commercial fisherman Lindsey Bloom.
Bloom says the community plans to send the salmon to Governor Bill Walker in Juneau early this week…
http://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Bristol-Bay-surpasses-2-billion-salmon-milestone-386216371.html
- Deja vu in Bristol Bay? Big red salmon run resembles last year’s
Molly Dischner, Bristol Bay Times & Alaska Dispatch News…
The much-anticipated 2016 Bristol Bay sockeye salmon run is taking shape, and it’s something like the movie “Groundhog Day,” where history seems to repeat itself again and again.
Through Wednesday, some 32 million salmon had returned to the bay. About 23 million had been harvested, including 2 million fish that day alone.
That’s remarkably similar to last year’s run through July 13, 2015, when the fleet had harvested 22.8 million fish, including 1.8 million that day — putting the total run at 33.7 million.
Michael Link, a scientist with the Bristol Bay Science and Research Institute, said the run is shaping up much like last year – when the run arrived late and ended up as the second largest since 1995…
- ADFG Inseason Summary & Salmon Bluesheet
Weekly summary: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyfisherysalmon.bluesheetsummary
&
Commercial Fisheries Commercial Salmon Harvest Bluesheet: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyfisherysalmon.bluesheet
- CFEC & AO 279 – State hopes court will dismiss lawsuit affecting fisheries commission reorganization
Gov. Walker sued in March after ordering functions of CFEC be moved to ADFG • Oral arguments on motion to dismiss case in court Tuesday… By Lisa Phu, Juneau Empire
An attempt by the state of Alaska to dismiss a lawsuit against itself and Gov. Bill Walker is scheduled to have its day in court Tuesday.
The outcome could affect a state agency that’s been under fire the past few years.
When Walker put out an administrative order in February that would transfer many functions of the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission into the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Jerry McCune was not happy. McCune is a commercial fisherman, and board president and lobbyist for United Fisherman of Alaska — one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
“We feel like by splitting up and having two agencies, we’re not going to have a voice as strong as CFEC to look out for us, and they’ve done a really good job over the years,” he said during a phone interview Wednesday…
Because ADFG manages different kinds of fisheries, including sport, personal use, subsistence and commercial, McCune is also worried about a conflict of interest if the administrative order goes through.
McCune said the UFA board voted in April to join a lawsuit originally filed by fisherman and lobbyist Robert Thorstenson Jr. in March. UFA, a commercial fishing trade association, represents about 500 commercial fishermen, according to the complaint.
“CFEC makes a profit and pays for itself and that’s all on the backs of commercial fishermen, and they all say they want to keep it where it’s at,” McCune said.
Previous story: State seeks dismissal of lawsuit over governor’s admin order
http://www.ktoo.org/2016/04/29/state-seeks-dismissal-lawsuit-governors-admin-order/
Governor Walker’s AO-279
For case documents see Court View at http://www.courtrecords.alaska.gov/eservices/home.page.2 , click on search cases, and enter Case number 1JU-16-00569CI.
Oral arguments are scheduled for 3:30 pm tomorrow, Tuesday July 19 in Juneau,
- Salmon sharks contribute to chinook decline
Is the warm belly of the salmon shark the answer to the decline of the king salmon in western Alaska? Fisheries biologist Andy Seitz likes to think it is, based on astonishingly high temperatures transmitted from electronic tagging devices attached to the chinooks.
From somewhere in the Bering Sea where the highest temperatures are around 50 degrees Fahrenheit and often close to freezing, came readings between 70 and 75 F, comfortable room temperature, but a mysterious “tropical oasis” in the famously frigid waters.
And those are the same warm temperatures found in the digestive systems of salmon sharks, he said…
http://www.thebristolbaytimes.com/article/1628salmon_sharks_contribute_to_chinook_decline
What Happened To All The Chinook Salmon? New Research Points To Potential Predators
- Southeast Conference begins AMHS strategic planning effort
RFP release marks beginning of process to insure AMHS viability and sustainability
Southeast Conference issued a Request for Proposals today that takes the first step toward a comprehensive operational and business plan for the Alaska Marine Highway System. Phase One will focus on the governance structure that is best suited to operate the AMHS in an economically optimal way that meets the user’s needs.
“For over 50 years, the Alaska Marine Highway System has served as a critical transportation link for Alaska’s coastal communities,” said Governor Walker during the May 19th signing of the MOU with Southeast Conference. “The ferries are a lifeline in many communities, and the economic benefits are felt throughout the state.”
This project will have a formal kickoff with a stakeholders’ summit in late summer. “This first phase of statewide stakeholder involvement and governance modeling is a small but significant step toward insuring the system’s long-term viability”, stated Garry White, Board President for Southeast Conference. “The current fiscal challenges require that transformational changes be made to have a responsive and sustainable ferry system for the next generation”.
http://www.sitnews.us/0616News/061416/061416_amhs_sec.html
MOU between State of Alaska and Southeast Conference
McDowell Group report on economic benefits of AMHS
Southeast Conference website: www.seconference.org
- An Outdoor View: Saving the Kenai kings
Kenai Peninsula Clarion: July 7, 2016 – 5:38pm By Les Palmer
Unless you’ve been in a coma for the past several years, you’ve heard that the so-called early run of Kenai River king salmon is in trouble…
I, along with many others, want to be able to continue to harvest some of the early-run kings, but for that to happen, some changes are in order. The best idea I’ve seen to date is in a proposal to the Alaska Board of Fisheries by the Kenai Area Fisherman’s Coalition.
Quoting from the proposal:
“On the Kenai Peninsula for many decades fishing for chinook salmon has only been allowed in the lower reaches of most streams open to fishing for chinook salmon. The Kenai River is the one exception to that protective management practice. In the Kenai River fishing for chinook salmon is open for fifty river miles. This area includes major spawning areas for both early run and late run fish. While there are closed areas around stream mouths to protect some components of early run fish those protected areas do not protect mainstem spawners. We propose limiting fishing for chinook salmon to downstream from 300 yards below Slikok Creek.”…
http://peninsulaclarion.com/outdoors/2016-07-07/an-outdoor-view-saving-the-kings
- Kenai, East Forelands setnets open for first period
Elizabeth Earl, Kenai Peninsula Clarion (July 11)
The setnetters in the Kenai and East Forelands sections wet their gear for the first time this season Monday. Their counterparts in the Kasilof section have been fishing since June 23, and the drift gillnet fleet has been fishing since June 20. The setnet fisheries in the Kasilof, Kenai and East Forelands will be open until Aug. 15 unless closed earlier by emergency order…
http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2016-07-11/kenai-east-forelands-setnets-open-for-first-period
National
- Comment deadline Sept. 19 on USCG FV Safety rules from 2010 and 2012 Congress
The Coast Guard proposes to align its commercial fishing industry vessel regulations with the mandatory provisions of 2010 and 2012 legislation passed by Congress that took effect upon enactment. The alignments would change the applicability of current regulations, and add new requirements for safety equipment, vessel examinations, vessel safety standards, the documentation of maintenance, and the termination of unsafe operations. This rule only proposes to implement these legislative mandates, would exercise no Coast Guard regulatory discretion, and would promote the Coast Guard’s maritime safety mission. It does not reflect any provision of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015, but the preamble to this document discusses its likely impact where appropriate. That Act will be the subject of future Coast Guard regulatory action…
Comments and related material must be submitted … on or before September 19, 2016. Comments sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on the proposed collection of information must reach OMB on or before September 19, 2016…
Federal Register June 21, 2016: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-14399
Regulations.gov docket folder: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=USCG-2012-0025
FishSafeWest F/V safety page: www.FishSafeWest.info
We have sent in a letter requesting an extension of the comment period to allow fishermen an opportunity to review and comment…the only comment shown as of yet on the docket. we hope that other fishing organizations might also make the same request, but fear we’re all too busy fishing – good for you! …And shame on the Coast Guard for ignoring the fact that you have to make a living with their poor timing of this complicated and confusing set of regulations.
- Sullivan, Cantwell, Murkowski Applaud Committee Passage of Alternate Safety Compliance Program Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – (June 29) Today, S. 3088, legislation to provide increased fishing industry consultation and to ease the deadline for compliance with the pending Coast Guard Alternate Safety Compliance Program, introduced by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), passed unanimously out of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
The 2010 and 2012 Coast Guard Authorization bills imposed a number of new safety requirements on fishing vessels. One of these new provisions required the Coast Guard to develop a program by 2017—the Alternate Safety Compliance Program—that would apply to certain fishing vessels in 2020.
However, the fishing industry is concerned by the impending deadline and their ability to meet the requirements in time and in a cost effective manner. To help mitigate their concerns, S. 3088 would ease the burdensome compliance timelines, and encourage greater coordination between the Coast Guard and the commercial fishing industry. This legislative effort builds upon a recent letter to the Coast Guard led by Senators Cantwell and Sullivan, and Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX).
Senator Sullivan press release: http://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-cantwell-murkowski-applaud-committee-passage-of-alternate-safety-compliance-program-legislation
- F/V Safety: Beware government navigation publication faulty “knock offs”
Some fishing vessel safety required knock-off publications being sold by Amazon are showing up on regulated commercial fishing boats according to Coast Guard examiners. For example, in the Gulf of Mexico the Coast Guard found Coast Pilot Volume 5’s that were missing over half the book. They recognized that the books were not authentic and did not meet carriage requirements. It is now doubted if any of the 9 volumes of the Coast Pilot they are knocking-off meet carriage requirements so vessel owners need to be on the lookout for fake charts and pubs.
A different problem is that the Amazon subsidiary responsible for the knock-offs (CreateSpace) is alleged to be using copyrighted photographs, trademarked logos and ISBN numbers.
According to the Coast Guard, electronic versions of required publications such as Coast Pilots, light lists etc. are allowed to meet carriage requirements for commercial fishing vessels if they are available on at least two electronic devices or on paper. NOAA charts and Coast Pilots can be found at http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/nsd/cpdownload.htm Online resources from the US Coast Guard such as www.navcen.uscg.gov can be used for Light Lists, Notice to Mariners, Corrections and other required and useful documents…
Thanks to Jerry Dzugan and www.AMSEA.org for this heads up.
- Senate passes Sullivan-Schatz-Markey international fisheries bill
Bipartisan Legislation Will Implement Pacific and Atlantic Fisheries Treaties
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Senate unanimously passed S.1335, the Ensuring Access to Fisheries Act. The bipartisan legislation, introduced by U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), will implement treaties ratified by the Senate last year to better manage certain fisheries in the North and South Pacific and the North Atlantic.
“The Ensuring Access to Fisheries Act will rightfully give the United States a voice and assert our influence in both the fisheries management and conservation decisions in the high seas areas covered by these treaties,” said Senator Sullivan. “Doing so will provide opportunities for our fishermen in the future, and help to protect their current activities for generations to come.”
…Together with other existing treaties S.1335 would bring all high seas fisheries in the Pacific Ocean under international management bodies to ensure access for U.S. fishermen, and responsible management of ocean resources. The bill will also implement updates to the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Convention to better manage international North Atlantic fisheries…
S. 1335 on Thomas.gov
Senator Dan Sullivan press release (May 18)
- NOAA Amendment 109 to increase CDQ BSAI Groundfish small boat opportunity
NMFS issues a final rule to implement Amendment 109 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP). This final rule amends regulations governing the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program to support increased participation in the groundfish CDQ fisheries (primarily Pacific cod) by catcher vessels less than or equal to 46 feet (ft) (14.0 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line gear. Specifically, this final rule exempts operators of registered catcher vessels greater than 32 ft (9.8 m) LOA and less than or equal to 46 ft LOA using hook-and-line gear from the requirement to obtain and carry a License Limitation Program (LLP) license when groundfish CDQ fishing. This final rule also reduces observer coverage requirements for catcher vessels less than or equal to 46 ft LOA when groundfish CDQ fishing, and implements new in-season management and catch accounting requirements to properly account for the harvest of groundfish and halibut and the accrual of halibut prohibited species catch in these fisheries. In addition to the regulations necessary to implement Amendment 109, this final rule removes from the regulations a table and some explanatory text that are no longer necessary. This final rule is intended to facilitate increased participation by residents of CDQ communities in the groundfish fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI), and to support economic development in western Alaska. This final rule also is intended to promote the goals of the CDQ Program, the goals and objectives of the BSAI FMP, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, and other applicable laws…
Effective June 3, 2016.
Federal Register notice (May 4): https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-10356
- SBA Convenes Council on Underserved Communities Advisory Board Meeting
Diverse new membership appointed to examine obstacles facing small businesses; recommend policy changes to bolster SBA programs and services…
Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), recently convened a meeting of the Council on Underserved Communities (CUC) Advisory Board.
Created in 2011, the CUC Advisory Board provides advice and counsel on initiatives to strengthen support for small businesses in underserved communities, examines the obstacles that small businesses in underserved communities currently face, and delivers perspectives from underserved groups regarding the efficacy of SBA programs and services.
In making the announcement, Administrator Contreras-Sweet said: “The Council on Underserved Communities is an important part of our ongoing effort to expand SBA services in order to better reach underserved communities and rural areas, as well minorities, women, veterans, and people with disabilities. The work of the Council helps inform our mission and move our agency forward, particularly for socially, economically and geographically disadvantaged small business owners. I look forward to working with this highly qualified and impressive group of new members and appreciate their willingness to serve.”
Small Business Administration press release:
https://www.sba.gov/content/sba-convenes-council-underserved-communities-advisory-board-meeting
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Small Business Workshops
Check out the wide variety of workshops offered by the Alaska Small Business Development Centers around the state. Several workshops are now also offered in the form of webinars. Some are free, others do have a cost.
Upcoming workshops include:
Anchorage: Starting a Business -July 31 (also available “on demand” via webinar);
Wasilla: Starting a Business –July 20, Aug 2, 17
http://aksbdc.org/small-business-workshops/
We look forward to hearing from the SBA about opportunities for fishing businesses in underserved communities at the Fall UFA board meeting in Anchorage, September 26-28.
- USDA Expands Access to Capital for Rural Businesses
BLOOMINGTON, Ill., June 3, 2016 – USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service Administrator Sam Rikkers today unveiled new rules to expand access to capital for rural businesses.
“Access to capital is one of the most important needs for businesses,” Rikkers said. “USDA is partnering with the Treasury Department and other agencies to ensure that rural businesses have the resources they need to prosper and grow. The regulatory changes I am announcing today will help businesses expand their operations and create jobs.”
The changes, published in today’s Federal Register, make it easier for rural businesses to qualify for loans in USDA’s Business & Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan Program.
They allow businesses to use the New Markets Tax Credit as a form of equity, and allow, for the first time, employees of a business to qualify for loan guarantees to purchase stock in a business by forming an Employee Stock Ownership Plan or worker cooperative.
Other improvements include:
- New, loan application scoring criteria, including priority for loans to businesses that will create quality jobs, such as those with health care benefits;
- Reduced paperwork requirements to refinance loans;
- Strengthened eligibility criteria for non-regulated lenders (such as privately owned finance companies) to participate in the B&I program;
- Expanded loan eligibility, including in urban areas, for projects that process, distribute, aggregate, store and/or market locally or regionally produced foods.
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/06/0137.xml&contentidonly=true
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USDA Rural Business and Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loanmaking and Servicing – Forum & webinar July 29
The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), an Agency within USDA Rural Development, is holding a forum to introduce the updated Business and Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loanmaking and Servicing Regulations, as published in the Federal Register Friday, June 3, 2016. Major changes to the program include strengthened criteria for non-regulated lender participation, provisions for New Markets Tax Credit and Cooperative Stock Purchase Program, and modified loan scoring criteria.
Speakers from the Agency will discuss the new rule to educate lenders and borrowers on changes to program eligibility and servicing. The National Stakeholder Forum can be attended via webinar or in person…
National Stakeholder Forum: The National Stakeholder Forum will be held on Friday, July 29, 2016, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
Registration: It is requested that you register by 12 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time Wednesday, July 27, 2016, to attend the forum in person. See the Instructions for Attending the Meeting section of this notice for additional information. If you wish to participate via webinar, you must register for the webinar at https://cc.readytalk.com/r/njphkhxlsyvr&eom prior to or during the webinar.
The B&I Guaranteed Loan Program is authorized by the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act and provides loan guarantees to banks and other approved lenders to finance private businesses located in rural areas…
Federal Register July 18: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-16921
USDA Business and Industry program home page: http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/business-industry-loan-guarantees
- NMFS posts BSAI Crab Rationalization cost recovery fee for 2016/2017 – 1.6%
NMFS publishes notification of a 1.60 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 2016/2017 crab fishing year so they can calculate the required payment for cost recovery fees that must be submitted by July 31, 2017…
Federal Register July 14: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-16655
NOAA BSAI Crab page: https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/crab
- NPFMC June 2016 newsletter- items from the June meeting:
The Council Newsletter is now available online. Documents, handouts, and motions are still available through links on that meeting’s Agenda..
-GOA Trawl Bycatch Management
-Observer Issues
-Appointments
-Tanner Crab Custom Processing Exemption
-Crab Management & 10-year review
-Stock Structure & Spatial Management
and save the date – The Council is scheduling a celebration and banquet DECEMBER 8 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the MSA and the Fishery Management Councils…
NPFMC home page: http://www.npfmc.org/
- NPFMC Stock Structure and Spatial Management public workshop – July 21, Seattle
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Stock Structure and Spatial Management public workshop will meet July 21, 2016…at the Alaska Fishery Science Center, 4600 Sand Point Way NE., Building 4, Seattle, WA 98115…
Federal Register July 1: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-15656
- NPFMC Electronic Monitoring Workgroup meeting July 28, Anchorage
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Electronic Monitoring Workgroup (EMWG) will hold a public meeting on July 26, 2016…
The meeting will be at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 26, 2016, and end at 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 28, 2016…
The meeting will be held in the Susitna Room, at The Coast International Inn, 3450 Aviation Avenue., Anchorage, Alaska 99502. Teleconference number is (907) 271-2896…
NPFMC Observer Program page: http://www.npfmc.org/observer-program/
Federal Register July 11: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-16308
- Comment by July 25 on NOAA sec. 404 draft Fisheries Research Report to Congress
NMFS is releasing the draft Report to Congress on Fisheries Research in accordance with section 404 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) for public review and comment. Additional information, including the draft Report for download, may be found at: http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/strategic-plan/MSA-Section-404-Report-2016/msa-section-404-report-to-congress-2016… NMFS must receive comments on the draft Report by July 25, 2016…
Federal Register June 24: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-15026
- Comment by August 8 on Observer Coverage Requirements for BSAI Trawl Catcher Vessels
Proposed Rule; Request For Comments…
NMFS is proposing regulations to modify observer coverage requirements for catcher vessels participating in the trawl limited access fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). If approved, this proposed rule would allow the owner of a trawl catcher vessel to request, on an annual basis, that NMFS place the vessel in the full observer coverage category for all directed fishing for groundfish using trawl gear in the BSAI in the following calendar year. This action is necessary to relieve vessel owners who request full observer coverage of the reporting requirements and observer fee liability associated with the partial observer coverage category. In addition, this proposed rule makes minor technical corrections to observer program regulations…
Submit comments on or before August 8, 2016…
Federal Register July 7: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-15912
- NOAA posts BSAI pollock and flatfish trawl three year MMPA & ESA incidental take permit
In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), we, NMFS, hereby issue a permit for a period of three years to authorize the incidental, but not intentional, taking of individuals from three marine mammal stocks listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) pollock trawl and BSAI flatfish trawl fisheries: The Western North Pacific (WNP) stock of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae); Central North Pacific (CNP) stock of humpback whales; and Western U.S. stock of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus)…
Federal Register June 23: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-14866
- NOAA Whale Alert Smartphone App – Now live in Alaska!
Whale Alert is a free smartphone application for fishermen, recreational boaters, industry partners and volunteer networks to share real-time whale sightings. The smartphone app automatically sends whale sightings to a website used by whale biologists and resource managers to better understand whale feeding and migration patterns, and to increase situational awareness to avoid whale and vessel collisions. Everyone is welcome to report sightings, but only mariners with registered cruise ship or ferry accounts can view sightings through the website.
See whalealert.org for more information and to download the smartphone apps.
https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/pr/whale-alert
- Comment deadline July 18 on Amendment 103 GOA Groundfish Chinook bycatch Regulations
NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 103 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). If approved, Amendment 103 and this proposed rule would allow NMFS to reapportion unused Chinook salmon prohibited species catch (PSC) within and among specific trawl sectors in the Central and Western Gulf of Alaska (GOA), based on specific criteria and within specified limits. This proposed rule would not increase the current combined annual PSC limit of 32,500 Chinook salmon that applies to Central and Western GOA trawl sectors under the FMP…
Federal Register June 16 : https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-14237
Regulations.gov docket folder: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NOAA-NMFS-2016-0023
- Comment deadline July 25 on Amendment 103 GOA Groundfish FMP Chinook bycatch Reapportionment
Notice Of Availability Of Fishery Management Plan Amendment; Request For Comments…
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council has submitted Amendment 103 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). If approved, Amendment 103 would allow NMFS to reapportion unused Chinook salmon prohibited species catch (PSC) within and among specific trawl sectors in the Central and Western Gulf of Alaska (GOA), based on specific criteria and within specified limits. Amendment 103 would not increase the current combined annual PSC limit of 32,500 Chinook salmon that applies to Central and Western GOA trawl sectors under the FMP. Amendment 103 would provide for more flexible management of GOA trawl Chinook salmon PSC, increase the likelihood that groundfish resources are more fully harvested, reduce the potential for fishery closures, and maintain overall Chinook salmon PSC use in the Central and Western GOA within limits established under the FMP.
Comments on the amendment must be received on or before July 25, 2016…
Federal Register May 26: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-12467
NPFMC GOA Chinook bycatch page: http://www.npfmc.org/goa-trawl-bycatch-management/
- NMFS final rule on Bycatch Management in the Bering Sea Pollock Fishery
NMFS issues this final rule to implement Amendment 110 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (FMP). Amendment 110 and this final rule improve the management of Chinook and chum salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery by creating a comprehensive salmon bycatch avoidance program. This action is necessary to minimize Chinook and chum salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery to the extent practicable while maintaining the potential for the full harvest of the pollock total allowable catch (TAC) within specified prohibited species catch (PSC) limits…
Federal Register June 9: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-13697
NPFMC Bering Sea Chinook bycatch page: http://www.npfmc.org/salmon-bycatch-overview/bering-sea-chinook-salmon-bycatch/
- NOAA maintains ESA Threatened listing for Snake River Fall Chinook
12-Month Finding on a Petition To Delist the Snake River Fall-Run Chinook
We, NMFS, announce a 12-month finding on a petition to delist the Snake River fall-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) (Snake River fall-run Chinook) Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Snake River fall-run Chinook ESU was listed as threatened under the ESA in 1992. We have completed a comprehensive review of the status of the species in response to the petition. Based on the best scientific and commercial data available, we have determined that delisting of the Snake River fall-run Chinook ESU is not warranted at this time…
Federal Register May 26: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-12453
- NFWF Announces $1.19 Million in Grants to Support Sustainable Fisheries in the U.S.
Washington D.C., (July 12, 2016) — The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced the sixth round of grant awards from its Fisheries Innovation Fund, a program launched in 2010 to foster innovations that support sustainable fisheries in the United States. The grants announced today will aid in the development of diverse, collaborative strategies to strengthen fishing communities, bolster economic development, and support the next generation of fishermen throughout the country.
The goal of the Fisheries Innovation Fund is to sustain fishermen and fishing communities while simultaneously rebuilding fish stocks. The 11 grants for 2016 total $1.19 million, and will be matched by over $1.3 million in additional support from the grantees, for a total conservation impact of more than $2.5 million…
NFWF press release: http://www.nfwf.org/whoweare/mediacenter/pr/Pages/fif_16-0712.aspx
Project list pdf is online at http://www.nfwf.org/fisheriesfund/Documents/fif_2016grants_16-0712.pdf
Alaska Projects include:
Expanded Marketing Opportunities for the Bristol Bay Salmon Fishery through Fair Trade Certification (AK)
Wildfish Marketing…
Wildfish Marketing will apply the Fair Trade model to Bristol Bay salmon to expand market opportunities and support local fishing communities. Project will create demand with a well recognized label and provide structure to guide fishermen and processors through pricing premiums and preseason purchasing commitments.
Building the Alaska Young Fishermen’s Network – Alaska Marine Conservation Council
The Alaska Marine Conservation Council will develop the Alaska Young Fishermen’s Network, a coalition of young Alaskan fishermen that are educated and empowered to operate successful, sustainable fishing businesses. Project will build the leadership capacity of next generation fishermen through the growth of a structured support network…
Local Fish Fund: Removing Barriers to Entry for Young Fishermen in the Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Fishery
(AK)
Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust
Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust will grow the Local Fish Fund to facilitate transfer of fishing rights from
established to emerging fishermen. Project will redress financial barriers to entry in the Gulf of Alaska
groundfish fishery, increasing the number of young, local fishermen with access rights tied to sustainable
fishing practices.
- Pacific Salmon Commission Restoration and Enhancement Fund Announcements applications due September 1
For application info and Northern and Southern priorities, see:
http://fund.psc.org/news_fund.htm#NF
- Murkowski Works to Support Alaska’s Fisheries and Critical Nutrition Programs
Secures Mandatory “Frankenfish” Labeling Provision
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2017 appropriations bill, sending it to the full Senate for consideration. The bill contains a number of priorities U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) secured for Alaska, including provisions that will both protect American consumers and support Alaska’s vital fishing industry. These provisions include a labeling mandate for genetically engineered (GE) salmon, recommendations for nutritional advice on seafood, assistance for Alaska’s farmers, and support for critical food assistance programs.
“Genetically engineered salmon pose a serious threat to the livelihoods of fisherman and the health and well-being of Americans across the nation. Alaska is known around the world for our sustainably-caught, wild, delicious seafood. Requiring labeling of genetically engineered salmon helps us to maintain Alaska’s gold-standard reputation for years to come, and protects consumers,” said Murkowski. “I thank my colleagues on the Senate Appropriations Committee for recognizing the importance of making sure people know what they are buying for their dinner table. I am certainly not going to serve it to my family, because I don’t think we should experiment with food safety and food security.”
GE Salmon: After the FDA’s decision last year to approve GE salmon for human consumption, Senator Murkowski promised to fight back for the health of both consumers and Alaska’s fisheries. Murkowski successfully included a provision in the Agriculture appropriations bill that requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to mandate labeling of GE salmon.
Click here for audio of Senator Murkowski discussing her GE salmon labeling amendment…
Senator Murkowski press release (May 20)
- Anglers (CCA) Applaud Gulf Governors’ Stance on Red Snapper Bill
Coastal Conservation Association and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation are applauding the governors of Texas and Mississippi for letters to the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives in support of HR 3094, a bill that would shift management of the Gulf red snapper fishery away from the federal government and replace it with a coordinated Gulf States partnership. HR 3094, sponsored by Congressman Garret Graves (LA), was approved by the House Committee on Natural Resources earlier this month and represents the best opportunity to deliver a robust fishery that is more accessible to the public…. Outdoorwire 06/30/16..
http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/story/14673372152yz99szfbb6
H.R.3094…Gulf States Red Snapper Management Authority Act
This bill amends the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to direct the Department of Commerce to establish a Gulf States Red Snapper Management Authority (GSRSMA) that consists of the principal fisheries manager of each of the five Gulf of Mexico coastal states: Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The GSRSMA must:
- establish a deadline for each Gulf coastal state to submit to the GSRSMA a fishery management plan for the long-term sustainability of Gulf of Mexico red snapper,
- review those plans and approve them if they meet the requirements of this bill,
- provide standards for each Gulf coastal state to use in developing fishery management measures to sustainably manage the Gulf of Mexico red snapper in the coastal waters adjacent to the state, and
- provide an opportunity for public participation before approving a plan.
For three years, Commerce must continue to manage the commercial sector of the Gulf of Mexico red snapper fishery in coordination with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.
The bill establishes a plan certification process. After the three-year period and once a plan is certified, Commerce must transfer management of the Gulf of Mexico red snapper to the GSRSMA. Each Gulf coastal state must then implement and enforce approved plans for the fishery in the coastal waters adjacent to it.
If the Gulf of Mexico red snapper in the coastal waters adjacent to a Gulf coastal state is experiencing overfishing or is subject to a rebuilding plan, the state must certify to the GSRSMA that it has implemented the necessary measures to end overfishing or rebuild the fishery and has implemented a harvest monitoring program. A process is established for closing a red snapper fishery within the waters adjacent to the state territorial waters of the Gulf coastal state if those measures have not been implemented.
Commerce must provide all federal funding to the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission for all necessary stock assessments, research, and management for the red snapper fishery. The Commission shall be responsible for administering federal funds to each of the Gulf coastal states for management of the fishery.
We are extremely wary of the erosion of the MSA & council process at the instigation of groups that have proven to be dedicated to putting fishermen out of business.
- NOAA Regional Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy Implementation Plans
The Regional Implementation Plans identify specific activities that will be undertaken by our regional offices and science centers in 2016 and 2017. The plans capture the unique nature of marine recreational fishing across the U.S. and outline activities to tackle specific regional needs. Collectively, these activities support the core tenets of the NOAA Fisheries mission and our national recreational fishing policy.
Alaska Region plan: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/management/recreational/documents/ak-imp-plan.pdf
NOAA Regional Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy Implementation Plans page:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/management/recreational/policy/regional-imp-plans.html
- Comment deadline August 1 on NMFS AK Saltwater Sport Fishing Economic Survey
Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Alaska Saltwater Sport Fishing Economic Survey..
This request is for a reinstatement, with changes, of a previously approved data collect (OMB Control Number 0648-0639).
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) previously collected survey data in 2007 and 2012 for conducting economic analyses of marine sport fishing in Alaska. These surveys were necessary to understand the factors that affect the economic value of marine recreational fishing trips and improve estimates of fishing trip values that can aid fishery managers evaluate management options pertaining to sport fisheries. The proposed survey is an update of the previously conducted surveys and is needed to improve estimates of fishing trip values potentially affected by recent changes in federal recreational fisheries off Alaska, most notably the Halibut Catch Sharing Plan (76 FR 44156) which went into effect in 2014 for the Pacific halibut fishery. Several questions in the survey have been updated to better reflect these recent fishery management changes…
The economic information provided from the survey will help inform fishery managers about the economic values of Alaska marine sport fisheries and the changes to participation in these fisheries with proposed regulations…
Written comments must be submitted on or before August 1, 2016…
Federal Register June 1: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-12808
Related – North American Journal of Fisheries Management 2012 article: Economic Values for Saltwater Sport Fishing in Alaska: A Stated Preference Analysis
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02755947.2012.681012
Marketing
- Senators Pass Bill out of Committee to Give Fishermen Voice in Grant Process, Boost U.S. Seafood
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 29) – Today, S. 3087, the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act, introduced by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), passed unanimously out of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee…
The Saltonstall Kennedy (SK) Act, enacted in 1954, provides funding for fisheries research and development. These funds are derived from a portion of fishery import duties. To inform how these funds are allocated, Congress authorized a group of experts from different segments of the fishing industry to advise on commercial fishing problems and needs. Following a 1972 law, the original American Fisheries Advisory Committee was disbanded.
As part of the S-K Act, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) administers a grant program. In the Committee’s absence, the National Marine Fisheries Service decides, by its own criteria, who receives grants. In some cases, the priorities of the fishing industry do not match those of NMFS. The American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act would bring back the board of experts, with members chosen regionally and across all sectors of the fishing industry, to bring the industry back into the process of identifying needs and funding priorities…
Senator Sullivan press release:
UFA letter – Support for American Fisheries Advisory Committee
Also – Congressman Don Young has introduced similar legislation in the House – H.R. 5775 To establish the American Fisheries Advisory Committee to assist in the awarding of fisheries research and development grants and for other purposes…
- Seafood lovers get another taste of herring
There’s more to Alaska herring than roe and bait.
To prove the point, nearly 40 fine Seattle restaurants and retailers will celebrate Northwest Herring Week as a way to reintroduce the tasty fish to the dining scene.
“There’s more herring eaten all over the world than you can imagine. Some years there’s as much as 4 million tons harvested in the world. You can have a year when the herring fishery is as large as the whole Bering Sea pollock fishery,” said Bruce Schactler of Kodiak, a longtime fisherman and director of the food aid program for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. He is helping coordinate the event as part of the ASMI’s Alaska Herring Development Project…
Alaska Dispatch News June 17:
- Beyond Roe: The Alaska Herring Development Project
By Bruce Schactler
Six years ago, the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI), with the help and support of United Fishermen of Alaska (UFA) and the State of Alaska, undertook the Alaska Herring Development Project with the goal of helping the Alaska seafood industry create a viable, sustainable market for Alaska herring as a human food product.
Alaska herring has historically been harvested primarily for the Japanese roe market and for bait used to catch other species such as halibut and crab and even reduced for oil. The need for herring oil was made obsolete 60 years ago with the development of petroleum and with the introduction of lower-cost oil from Peruvian anchoveta. The roe market has been in a steep decline for the last 15 years, due to changing tastes among Japanese consumers, to a point where it is nearing non-viability.
A key component of the project has been the purchase of several essential pieces of equipment that were non-existent in Alaska, or the USA, until now. This equipment has been used to develop and refine the processes needed to produce various consumer products from springtime (spawning) Alaska herring, namely herring fillets, and canned herring.
UFA members – see the complete article in your forthcoming issue of National Fisherman…
- AK Fisheries Science Center: Where do Alaska Fish Go?
The Alaska Fisheries Science Center, the McDowell Group and the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission have produced a new publication examining how federally managed groundfish and crab stocks caught in Alaskan waters end up on dinner plates around the world.
“We look at where Alaska seafood goes once it leaves U.S. processors,” said Ben Fissel, primary editor for the new report. “For instance, for a species like Atka mackerel, where Alaska is the largest producer, supply increases or reductions have a significant effect on world prices.”
http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/News/Where_do_Alaska_fish_go.htm
Report
- Everything we love to eat is a scam – (except Alaska seafood and some others)
By Maureen Callahan, NY Post – July 10, 2016
Among the many things New Yorkers pride ourselves on is food: making it, selling it and consuming only the best, from single-slice pizza to four-star sushi. We have fish markets, Shake Shacks and, as of this year, 74 Michelin-starred restaurants.
Yet most everything we eat is fraudulent.
In his new book, “Real Food Fake Food,” author Larry Olmsted exposes the breadth of counterfeit foods we’re unknowingly eating. After reading it, you’ll want to be fed intravenously for the rest of your life.
Corruption in the seafood industry is so rife that in 2014, President Obama formed the Presidential Task Force on Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Seafood Fraud. In the meantime, Olmsted has some suggestions.
Look for the reliable logos MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) for wild-caught fish and BAP (Global Aquaculture Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices) for farmed, he says.
The most trusted logo is “Alaska Seafood: Wild, Natural, Sustainable.” Alaska’s system mandates complete supervision of chain of custody, from catching to your grocery store.
Perhaps most surprising of all: Discount big-box stores such as Costco, Trader Joe’s, BJ’s Wholesale Club and Walmart are as stringent with their standards as Whole Foods.
“When customers walk into a store, they don’t expect to have to pay a premium for safe food,” Walmart exec Brittni Furrow said in 2014. “Safety isn’t a niche.”
http://nypost.com/2016/07/10/the-truth-behind-how-were-scammed-into-eating-phony-food/
- GSSI recognizes the Alaska Responsible Fisheries Management Certification Program
On July 12, 2016, the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) Steering Board announced its recognition of the Alaska Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) Certification Program. GSSI’s recognition shows that the Alaska RFM Program (Fisheries Standard V 1.3, effective January 1, 2016) meets the FAO Guidelines for the Ecolabelling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine Capture Fisheries. Through the benchmark process, the Alaska RFM Program has demonstrated alignment with all 143 applicable Essential Components of GSSI’s Global Benchmark Tool (version 1.0, effective 8 October 2015). The Tool consists of performance areas related to scheme governance, operational management and applied wild-capture fisheries audit standards…
http://www.alaskaseafood.org/gssi-recognizes-alaska-rfm/
- ASMI – Comment deadline August 4 on Alaska RFM Fisheries Standard Version 2.0
June 6, 2016 — The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) is conducting a 60-day Public Comment Period for the Alaska Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) Certification Fisheries Standard Version 2.0 (V 2.0). This is the first full review and reissue of the Standard since it launched in 2011.
The Public Comment Period begins Monday, June 6, 2016 and closes on August 4, 2016.
All comments will be presented for review to the Alaska Fisheries Standard Committee (formerly the Conformance Criteria Committee). The Committee will take into consideration all relevant comments before releasing the final version of Fisheries Standard V 2.0…
ASMI notice: http://www.alaskaseafood.org/60-day-public-comment-period-now-open/
- Bristol Bay sockeye prices predicted as ‘better but not great’
Factors that have historically boosted Bristol Bay sockeye salmon prices — lower harvests, higher farmed prices, a weaker dollar — have returned, auguring well for some price rises in 2016.
However, according to an economic analysis of the fishery recently published by the McDowell Group, the price movement could represent an upswing that will take time to develop and possibly won’t be fully felt until 2017, Andy Wink, senior seafood analyst with the group, told Undercurrent News.
“Conditions for ex-vessel pricing look better going into this year and a lot of that’s supply driven,” he said.
The group’s spring 2016 market analysis, produced for the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association, advised fishermen to have “tempered expectations” about this season’s prospects. Despite “positive developments,” several factors indicate that 2016 will be “better, but not great,” for fishermen, it added…
McDowell Group report for BBRSDA – sockeye market analysis 2016
- Brexit causes uncertainty for Alaska seafood exports to UK, EU
By: Laine Welch – Fish Factor/For the Journal, 07/06/2016
The United Kingdom’s recent exit from the European Union — dubbed “Brexit” — has turned seafood trading on its head.
For 43 years the UK has been a major part of the 28-country E.U., and what the pullout means for longstanding business arrangements is anyone’s guess. Last year the U.K. imported over $90 million dollars of Alaska seafood.
“It’s still speculative, but anything that has a negative effect on currency values relative to the dollar hurts exports. I do expect we will continue to be strong trading partners with both with the U.K. and the E.U., I guess separately now,” said Tyson Fick, Communications Director for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
Following the vote to leave the E.U., the value of the Euro, British Pound and the Yen all dropped significantly against the U.S. dollar, making our products more expensive for overseas customers.
The hit could be especially hard on canned salmon sales, which make up nearly 70 percent of Alaska exports to the U.K. Canned sales last year were valued at $23 million for sockeyes and nearly $9 million for canned pinks. Alaska also saw big increases in sales of frozen pinks to the U.K. last year. The pull out also affects other Alaska seafood besides salmon…
- Fish Out of Water: How One Prairie Town Built an Alaskan Seafood Pipeline
Sitka Salmon Shares brings sustainable salmon to the Midwest with a community-supported fishery.
You may know about community supported fisheries (CSFs)—sustainable, transparent supply chains of ethically sourced or captured fish that promote care, craft, and consciousness from dock to dish. They’re intimate food systems that create a community of responsibility and reverence for the product on which so many livelihoods are built.
CSFs are about local food at its most local, focused on getting the freshest product from the boat to the consumer as quickly as possible.
Or maybe not. Maybe the local aspect of the CSF is negotiable. Maybe you can have the intimacy and care and responsibility along with a supply chain that extends, say, 2,264 miles.
Totally possible, say the founders of Sitka Salmon Shares, a CSF based in Galesburg, Illinois, a landlocked prairie town of weathered, vacant factories and empty, weed-dotted parking lots…
- Global Per Capita Fish Consumption Rises Above 20 Kilograms a Year
Global per capita fish consumption has risen to above 20 kilograms a year for the first time, thanks to stronger aquaculture supply and firm demand, record hauls for some key species and reduced wastage, according to a new FAO report.
Yet despite notable progress in some areas, the state of the world’s marine resources has not improved – the UN agency’s report says that almost a third of commercial fish stocks are now fished at biologically unsustainable levels, triple the level of 1974.
FAO Report: The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) 2016:
http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/2c8bcf47-2214-4aeb-95b0-62ddef8a982a/
Fish Farm & Environmental:
- Alaskan and Canadian Groups Petition Secretary of the Interior to Investigate Mines in British Columbia
Juneau, AK —(ENEWSPF)–June 27, 2016. A coalition of conservation and Alaska Native groups today formally invoked Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell’s duties under a federal law to investigate six hard-rock mines in British Columbia, and their expected impacts on transboundary watersheds shared by the United States and Canada. The petition asks Jewell to join with other federal agencies in calling for a referral of the controversy over these mines to the International Joint Commission, the governing body of the Boundary Waters Treaty between the two countries…
&&
Alaska’s Republican Congressional Delegation Urges U.S. State Department Protections for Southeast Alaska Rivers
http://www.salmonbeyondborders.org/press-releases/alaskas-republican-congressional-delegation-urges-us-state-department-protections-for-southeast-alaska-rivers
Return to Contents
- Feds push ahead with draft plan for Cook Inlet oil and gas leasing – comment deadline Sept. 6 on Draft EIS
The U.S. Interior Department is moving forward with a plan to offer oil and gas leases in federal waters of Cook Inlet, an area that has drawn little industry interest in the past.
Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on Friday released a draft environmental impact statement for a lease sale tentatively scheduled to be held a year from now.
Cook Inlet Lease Sale 244, part of the bureau’s five-year offshore leasing program, would be the sixth auction of oil and gas leases in federal waters of the Southcentral Alaska inlet. Other lease sales were held in 1977, 1981, 1982, 1997 and 2004, according to bureau records…
Alaska Dispatch News article: http://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2016/07/15/interior-issues-draft-plan-for-cook-inlet-oil-and-gas-leasing/
&&&
…The Notice of Availability of the draft EIS will publish in the Federal Register on Friday, July 22, opening a 45-day public comment period which will close Sept. 6. During this time, BOEM will hold public meetings and accept comments online which will be used to inform preparation of the final EIS…
From BOEM Press release: http://www.boem.gov/press07152016/
BOEM Lease Sale 244 – documents: http://www.boem.gov/ak244/
Meetings Scheduled:
Anchorage: Aug. 15, 5pm-8pm (Dena’ina Center | 600 W 7th Ave)
Homer: Aug. 17, 5pm-8pm (Islands & Ocean Visitor Center | 95 Sterling Hwy)
Kenai: Aug. 18, 5pm-8pm (National Guard Armory | 105 S Forest Dr)
Docket folder: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=BOEM-2014-0001
BOEM Alaska home page: http://www.boem.gov/Alaska-Region/
- 49. UW backs fishery professor Ray Hilborn in research dispute with Greenpeace
The University of Washington, in a review launched by a Greenpeace complaint, has found that fishery professor Ray Hilborn did not violate university policies when he took money from the seafood industry for research published in academic journals.
The University of Washington, in a review launched by a Greenpeace complaint, has found that fishery professor Ray Hilborn did not violate university policies when he took money from the seafood industry for research published in academic journals…
- Hilborn: Closing parts of the ocean to fishing not enough to protect marine ecosystems
A University of Washington fisheries professor argues this week that saving biodiversity in the world’s oceans requires more than banning fishing with marine protected areas, or oceanic wilderness areas. In a three-page editorial published this week in the journal Nature, he argues that this increasingly popular conservation strategy is not as effective as properly managing recreational and commercial fisheries. ..
http://phys.org/news/2016-07-ocean-fishing-marine-ecosystems.html
Paper in journal Nature: http://nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/535224a
- Board of Forestry to meet August 10-11, Palmer
The Board of Forestry will meet in Palmer and by teleconference on Thursday, August 11 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to discuss statewide forestry issues. The public is invited to attend the meeting.
Topics for the Board meeting will include:
- FY2017 forestry, forest practices, and monitoring budgets and options for alternative funding sources for FRPA implementation;
- Status of 2016 state and federal legislative and regulatory proposals related to forest operations in Alaska, including small negotiated sales under 11 AAC 71.045(e) and state fees;
- Coastal forest management issues including reports on national forest planning, Roadless Rule implementation, the Mental Health Trust land exchange, The Working Forest Group, the Conversion to Young Growth project; and the Southeast State Forest Management Plan;
- Status of forest planning on state land, including the Southeast State Forest and Mat-Su forest planning, and timber sale projects and appeals;
…for complete agenda see Online public notice:
https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=182097
- Forest Service moves forward with Tongass second-growth transition
The U.S. Forest Service moved forward Thursday with plans to transition to second-growth harvest on the Tongass National Forest within 16 years. The draft record of decision represents a compromise that won’t leave anyone completely happy…
http://www.ktoo.org/2016/06/30/forest-service-moves-forward-tongass-second-growth-transition/
USFS TongassNational Forest – Land and Resource Management Plan Amendment page:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tongass/landmanagement/?cid=STELPRD3801708
Federal Register July 1: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-15353
- Comment deadline July 21 on Metlakatla & Denali Pesticide General Permit
Proposed Permit: ADEC proposes to reissue an APDES Pesticide General Permit For Discharges from the Application of Pesticides to regulate source discharges of pollutants associated with the application of biological pesticides or chemical pesticides that leave a residue. This permit is commonly called the Pesticide General Permit (PGP). The PGP would apply statewide except for lands within the Metlakatla Indian Reserve and the Denali National Park Preserve.
The PGP covers point source discharges of pollutants associated with the application of biological pesticides or chemical pesticides that leave a residue from the following use patterns: 1) mosquito and other flying insect pest control; 2) aquatic weed and algae control; 3) aquatic nuisance animal control; and 4) forest canopy pest control. The proposed 2016 PGP will remain largely unchanged from the 2011 PGP that was previously issued by EPA in 2011, from which Alaska assumed transfer of program responsibilities in October 2012 as part of the APDES program. The 2011 PGP expires on October 31, 2016. No mixing zone is proposed in the PGP.
Permit Number: AKG870000
Review Period: 07/07/2016 to 07/21/2016
Permit documents can be accessed from the ADEC Wastewater Discharge Authorization Program website under the Notice of Review section.
DEC online public notice: http://notice.alaska.gov/182095
Aquaculture / Enhancement
- WA – Long outlawed, (AK style) salmon ranching might make a comeback
By Tristan Baurick of the Kitsap Sun
OLYMPIA — A long-prohibited method of salmon farming is gaining support among state fisheries managers.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is dusting off the idea of allowing private companies to raise and release salmon for commercial harvests. Known as salmon ranching, the practice boomed in the Northwest during the 1970s. It went bust in Oregon and was outlawed in Washington but continues to thrive in Alaska. Norway and Japan are world leaders in the business, producing huge quantities of ranched salmon, lobster, cod and other species.
As wild salmon runs decline and government hatchery production wanes, some Fish and Wildlife leaders believe the private sector could have a role in boosting the supply of fishable salmon…
Alaskan salmon ranching could serve as a model for Washington, according to Fish and Wildlife staff. Alaska allows private nonprofit ranches that are partly supported by revenues from a commercial fishing tax. In operation since the 1970s, Alaska’s salmon ranches account for about 40 percent of the state’s salmon harvest…
- Ketchikan mariculture group struggles due to stock loss
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) – A Ketchikan mariculture nonprofit that previously secured funding from the Ketchikan Gateway Borough is struggling after water quality led to losses of stock.
Nonprofit shellfish hatchery OceansAlaska aims to support its operations by selling oyster and geoduck seeds, but water issues led to only $4,704 worth of shellfish seed being sold in 2015, the Ketchikan Daily News reported (http://bit.ly/29xp2kQ). OceansAlaska has since sold seed worth $23,100 in 2016 but is facing a funding gap.
“Yes, OceansAlaska can survive, and yes, it can survive on seed sales, but it is going to need to find alternate finance and that’s what we’re working on right now,” outgoing hatchery manager Ron Zebal said at an informational meeting with the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly…
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jul/10/ketchikan-mariculture-group-struggles-due-to-stock/
Subsistence
- Ninilchik Traditional Council sues for speedy approval of gillnet
By: DJ Summers, Alaska Journal of Commerce, 07/13/2016
As part of an ongoing lawsuit against the Secretaries of the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, Ninilchik Traditional Council is asking that the authorities give it a community subsistence sockeye salmon gillnet permit before the sockeye runs peaks.
NTC filed for a preliminary injunction on shortened time on July 13.
The group said it is necessary to have an approved license in the next few weeks, as the sockeye run on the Kenai River will peak soon… http://www.alaskajournal.com/2016-07-13/ninilchik-traditional-council-sues-speedy-approval-gillnet#
- 2016 Yukon River Summer Salmon Fishery News Release # 62, 61
Subdistricts 5-A, 5-B, and 5-C Subsistence Fishing Schedule
Districts Affected: Upper Yukon Area
As of July 14, the sonar project near Pilot Station has estimated a cumulative passage of approximately 173,000 Chinook salmon. This cumulative passage estimate is above average for this date, but below average for years with early run timing. Chinook salmon passage estimates at the sonar project near Eagle are promising. As of July 14, the sonar project near Eagle has estimated a cumulative passage of approximately 21,600 Chinook salmon. This cumulative passage estimate is above average for this date, but it is still too early to confidently determine the strength of the Canadian-origin Chinook salmon run. The majority of the Chinook salmon run will have passed Tanana and Rampart as of July 19, however, summer chum salmon are still present in this area…
https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/regions/yukon/2016-yukon-river-summer-salmon-fishery-news-release-62
This and previous releases… Subdistrict 5-D Subsistence Fishing Schedule…are online at https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/news
- Title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act
An Overview of the Statute that Created the Federal Subsistence Management Program
Kenneth M. Lord, J.D., Ph.D., U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Regional Solicitor
1.3 mb Powerpoint presentation online at:
- Comment by August 8 on Tongass Submerged Lands not transferred to AK
RAC Meetings scheduled for this Fall…
The U.S. District Court for Alaska in its October 17, 2011, order in Peratrovich et al. v. United States and the State of Alaska, 3:92-cv-0734-HRH (D. Alaska), enjoined the United States “to promptly initiate regulatory proceedings for the purpose of implementing the subsistence provisions in Title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) with respect to submerged public lands within Tongass National Forest” and directed entry of judgment. To comply with the order, the Federal Subsistence Board (Board) must initiate a regulatory proceeding to identify those submerged lands within the Tongass National Forest that did not pass to the State of Alaska at statehood and, therefore, remain Federal public lands subject to the subsistence provisions of ANILCA.
Following the Court’s decision, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the USDA-Forest Service (USDA-FS) started a review of hundreds of potential pre-statehood (January 3, 1959) withdrawals in the marine waters of the Tongass National Forest. In April and October of 2015, BLM submitted initial lists of submerged public lands to the Board. This proposed rule would add those submerged parcels to the subsistence regulations to ensure compliance with the Court order. Additional listings will be published as BLM and the USDA-FS continue their review of pre-statehood withdrawals…
Public comments: Comments on this proposed rule must be received or postmarked by August 8, 2016.
Public meetings: The Federal Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils (Councils) will hold public meetings to receive comments on this proposed rule on several dates between September 28 and November 2, 2016, and make recommendations to the Federal Subsistence Board. The Board will discuss and evaluate proposed regulatory changes during a public meeting in Anchorage, AK, in January 2017…
The Federal Subsistence Board, through the Councils, will hold public meetings on this proposed rule at the following locations in Alaska, on the following dates:
Region 1—Southeast Regional Council, Petersburg, October 4, 2016
Region 2—Southcentral Regional Council, Anchorage, October 18, 2016
Region 3—Kodiak/Aleutians Regional Council, Cold Bay, September 28, 2016
Region 4—Bristol Bay Regional Council, Dillingham, October 26, 2016
Region 5—Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Regional Council, Bethel, October 12, 2016
Region 6—Western Interior Regional Council, McGrath, October 11, 2016
Region 7—Seward Peninsula Regional Council, Nome, November 1, 2016
Region 8—Northwest Arctic Regional Council, Selawik, October 5, 2016
Region 9—Eastern Interior Regional Council, Fort Yukon, October 25, 2016
Region 10—North Slope Regional Council, Barrow, November 1, 2016
Federal Register June 8: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-13374
Regulations.gov docket folder: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?rpp=100&so=DESC&sb=docId&po=0&D=FWS-R7-SM-2015-0159
Other
- Feasting Southeast style – Southeast Feast Juneau July 25
Salmon Beyond Borders and The Rookery are hosting the first-ever Southeast Feast on Saturday, July 23 at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center from noon-4 p.m.
Southeast Feast is the unified dream of award-winning Juneau chef, Beau Schooler of The Rookery Café, and Salmon Beyond Borders.
Capital City Weekly: http://juneauempire.com/art/2016-07-06/feasting-southeast-style
Salmon Beyond Borders Southeast Feast page:
http://www.salmonbeyondborders.org/southeast-feast.html
- Help Wanted: ADF&G Federal Fisheries coordinator
The Federal Fisheries Coordinator acts as liaison for the Commissioner with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and sits as the State of Alaska’s alternate at Council meetings. With the direction of the Commissioner, this position supervises the analysis and development of fisheries policies at state and federal levels that impact groundfish, Bering Sea/Aleutian Island (BSAI) king and Tanner crab, scallops, and halibut fisheries, as well as species taken as bycatch in federal fisheries…
This position is still open – see Job Announcement or contact the commissioner’s office at (907)465-4100.
- Administration looks to fill CFEC vacancy
By Molly Dischner • May 31, 2016
The governor is looking for a third member of the state’s Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission…
Governor Bill Walker is looking for another person to serve on the state’s Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission after a year-long vacancy.
The commission has had two members since the state Legislature voted not to confirm his last nominee in April 2015.
ited to begin filling the vacancy until now to see how that administrative order played out. There’s no set timeline for filling the vacancy, said spokeswoman Katie Marquette.
The commission decides who get permits when participation in a fishery is limited, and the commissioners are responsible for hearing appeals of those decisions, among other duties…
http://kdlg.org/post/administration-looks-fill-cfec-vacancy#stream/0
To submit your resume for consideration contact the Governor’s office of Boards and Commissions.
- Help Wanted – Alaska Seafood Cooperative Manager –apply by July 20.
The Alaska Seafood Cooperative manager will be leaving in August…here is direct url to the full posting on the AKSC website…. http://alaskaseafoodcooperative.org/wp-content/uploads/AKSC-job-description_Final.pdf
- Fish Biz- Financial and business tools for Alaska commercial seafood harvesters
…brought to you by the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program
http://fishbiz.seagrant.uaf.edu/
- FishLines Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program newsletter for June 2016
Students Awarded Marine Policy Fellowships in DC
Students Train via Alaska Sea Grant 2016-2018 Research Projects
Alaska Sea Grant Staff Changes
Marine Mammal Guidebook Wins Award
…and more, online at https://seagrant.uaf.edu/news/fishlines/2016/june.php
- AMSEA Upcoming safety classes
AMSEA home page & upcoming classes schedule: http://www.amsea.org/
- Laine Welch’s Fish Radio – Recent Items
Onboard net washer is latest quality tool from Cordovan
Alaska’s Responsible Fisheries Management Program first to get global OK
Dock prices for over 50 Alaska fish species
Global fish consumption soars; so does antibiotics use in farmed salmon
Trollers ‘very likely’ to get August Chinook opener=Correction!
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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