Saving Seafood

Senator Cantwell Statement in Response to Army Corps of Engineers Blocking Pebble Mine

August 25, 2020 — The following was released by The Office of Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA):

Today, Senator Cantwell issued the following statement in response to the Army Corps of Engineers’ decision that the Pebble Mine project in Alaska’s Bristol Bay cannot move forward as proposed due to the substantial adverse environmental impacts the project could have on the Bristol Bay watershed:

“The Trump Administration and the Army Corp of Engineers finally said what scientists, fishermen, sportsmen, Tribal leaders, and restaurateurs have been saying all along — a mine at Bristol Bay would kill too many salmon and is an unacceptable place for mining. There is nothing Pebble Mine can say or do to mitigate an unmitigated disaster.

“I am so glad Alaskan and Washington Senators agree that protecting salmon habitat is critical. Those who care about the northwest economy must be diligent about continuing to fight the Pebble Mine.”

Senator Cantwell has been leading the fight to protect Alaska’s Bristol Bay—one of the largest salmon fisheries in the world—and the fishermen and industries that rely on these salmon.  The seafood sector makes up 60 percent of the 30 billion dollar maritime economy in Washington state, which as a whole supports over 146,000 jobs.

Cantwell has been vocal about the disasters that Pebble Mine would bring to the Pacific Northwest, repeatedlycriticizing various members of the administration for downplaying the threat of the mine. In October of 2017, Cantwell and other members of the Washington state congressional delegation urged President Trump to listen to Washington fishermen and businesses before removing protections from Bristol Bay. In May 2018, Cantwellcalled on the Trump administration to hold public meetings in Washington state on the proposal and increase transparency for the permitting process. In July 2019, Cantwell slammed the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw protections for Bristol Bay. And just last month, Senator Cantwell criticized an environmental analysis released by the Trump administration that said the proposed Pebble Mine would not post a serious environmental threat.

Trump set to block controversial Alaska gold mine

August 24, 2020 — The Trump administration is planning to block the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska early next week, six people familiar with the plans told POLITICO, marking a surprise reversal that could be the death knell for the massive copper and gold project.

Environmentalists and conservation groups have warned that the project would threaten world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery, and the move to block it comes after President Donald Trump faced pressure to nix it from an array of interests, including GOP mega-donor Andy Sabin, Bass Pro Shops CEO Johnny Morris and the his eldest son, Donald Trump, Jr.

“With any government, whether it be Obama or Trump, nothing is certain until it happens and that’s just the nature of this beast,” Sabin, who has spoken directly with Trump about the proposed mine, told POLITICO. “But I’m fairly certain that you’re going to get good news.”

The Army Corps of Engineers office in Alaska is planning to hold a conference call on Monday with groups connected to the proposed mine discuss the decision, three people with knowledge of the call told POLITICO. An administration official confirmed the call with POLITICO.

Read the full story at Politico

Fishing Families and Women in Alaska’s Fisheries

August 24, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Over recent decades, Alaska’s fisheries have undergone many regulatory, environmental, social, and economic changes, which have differentially affected dynamics in fishing families. Researchers from the Alaska Fisheries Science Center explored these changes and their effects on fishing families in a series of focus groups held throughout Gulf of Alaska fishing communities in 2017 and 2018. These focus groups covered three topics examining family roles and gender division of labor; impacts of management, environmental, economic and social conditions on these roles; and, the future of fishing families and women in Alaska’s fisheries. The research demonstrates the integral work of women in fishing families and their dynamic roles in Alaska’s fisheries more broadly. It further showcases how fishing families have, and continue to, adapt to multifaceted conditions in Alaska’s fisheries. This research has resulted in several scientific journal publications and web stories (which are available below), and is an ongoing effort to document novel conditions, adaptations, and resilience.

Thanks to Sarah Marrinan, North Pacific Fishery Management Council staff, for help with conducting these focus groups.

Read the full release here

Northern Dynasty’s U.S. unit denies report Alaska mine project to be blocked

August 24, 2020 — The U.S. unit of diversified Canadian miner Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd on Saturday denied a media report that said the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump plans to block its proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska early next week.

Politico reported here earlier on Saturday that Trump was planning to block the proposed Pebble Mine, which environmentalists argue would damage the surrounding salmon-rich habitat, and the people and wildlife that depend on it.

“We firmly believe that the implication pushed by Politico that the White House is going to kill the project is clearly in error, likely made by a rush to publish rather than doing the necessary diligence to track down the full story”, Pebble Limited Partnership said in a statement.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) office in Alaska is planning to hold a conference call on Monday with groups connected to the proposed mine to discuss its decision, Politico reported, citing people familiar with the plans.

Read the full story at Reuters

Republican push to block controversial Alaskan gold mine gains the White House’s attention

August 21, 2020 — Federal approval of a controversial gold and copper mine in Alaska that would be the largest in North America may be put on hold after a small group of influential Republicans — including the president’s son, Fox News host Tucker Carlson, a wealthy Trump donor and one of the vice president’s former top aides — launched a full-court press to block the project.

The proposed Pebble Mine was on the verge of winning a key permit from the Trump administration despite concerns from environmentalists that it could significantly damage Alaska’s world-renowned sockeye salmon fishery in nearby Bristol Bay.

That also happens to be a fishing spot of Donald Trump Jr., who made an impassioned case against the mine to his father during an early August fundraiser he hosted at his Bridgehampton, N.Y., home. Andrew Sabin, a Trump donor who was at the seaside gathering, also told the president that the mine was a bad idea. And last week, Carlson argued against the proposed mine on his television show.

Read the full story at The Washington Post

Alaska’s salmon are shrinking, and climate change may be to blame

August 21, 2020 — Alaska’s highly prized salmon – a favorite of seafood lovers the world over – are getting smaller, and climate change is a suspected culprit, a new study reported, documenting a trend that may pose a risk to a valuable fishery, indigenous people and wildlife.

The study, led by University of Alaska at Fairbanks (UAF) scientists, found that four of Alaska’s five wild salmon species have shrunk in average fish size over the past six decades, with stunted growth becoming more pronounced since 2010.

Hardest hit is Alaska’s official state fish, the Chinook salmon, also known as king salmon.

Chinooks on average are 8 percent smaller than they were before 1990, according to the study, published on Wednesday in the journal Nature Communications. Also shrinking are Alaska’s sockeye, coho and chum salmon, the report said. The findings are based on data from 12.5 million samples collected over six decades.

Read the full story at Reuters

GINA FRICCERO: Why risk the crown jewel of Alaska’s fisheries?

August 20, 2020 — This year has left a lot of us starving for good news. Well, I’ve got some: Once again, for the sixth year in a row, more than 50 million sockeye salmon returned to Bristol Bay, eclipsing any other wild salmon run on the planet.

What could be better than wild salmon that return in numbers vast enough to sustain the health of thriving Yup’ik, Alutiiq and Dena’ina communities; a $1.5 billion a year commercial fishing industry with 14,000 jobs; world-class sportfishing that people travel from around the world to experience; and a bear viewing industry that injects more than $34 million into the economy each year — especially since, if we can only prevent the destruction of the watershed that makes it possible, those benefits could last forever?

For generations, my family has been blessed to benefit from this incredible natural wonder. I started tendering in Bristol Bay in the summer of 1975. That was the year Limited Entry was going on the ballot. I got lucky and found a boat and permit for a good deal. I met my husband in 1980, we started fishing together in ‘81, and he has been running a boat in Bristol Bay every year since way back then. This season, he, our daughter and the rest of the Bristol Bay fleet again worked tirelessly to provide for our family and for America’s food security.

Read the full opinion piece at the Juneau Empire

Industry must innovate to capture new consumers, High Liner’s Craig Murray says

August 19, 2020 — This moment is a timely opportunity for the seafood industry as a whole, and the wild Alaskan pollock sector in particular, to increase market share and popularity, according to Senior Vice President of Marketing, Innovation, and Quality at High Liner Foods Craig Murray.

Speaking as part of the Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers’ summer webinar series, Murray said the coronavirus pandemic has led a whole new crop of consumers to try new seafood products for the first time.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Alaska Tribal Group Sues Over Commercial Fishing System

August 18, 2020 — An Alaska tribal group has filed a lawsuit against state officials claiming the commercial fishing permit system unfairly prevents local anglers from fishing on their traditional grounds.

The lawsuit filed by the Metlakatla Indian Community asks a federal judge to prevent the state from requiring commercial fishing permits for tribal members, Alaska’s Energy Desk reported Monday.

The tribe named Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy and other administration officials in the lawsuit that says the tribe’s fishing rights are guaranteed by Congress.

The Metlakatla people have lived on Annette Island in southeast Alaska since the late 19th century, when about 820 Tsimshian people migrated with an Anglican missionary from coastal British Columbia to the uninhabited islands south of Ketchikan.

Congress established the Annette Islands Reserve as a permanent, self-sustaining home for the tribe in 1891. Federal authorities set aside waters within 3,000 feet (914 meters) of shore exclusively for the people of Metlakatla in 1916.

Read the full story at U.S. News

Alaska Symphony of Seafood – 2020-21 Changes and Call for Product

August 18, 2020 — The following was released by the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation:

AFDF is proud to announce the 2020-21 Alaska Symphony of Seafood, including the Call for Product (due Oct. 06, 2020), exciting changes to the event and new major sponsor, Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association (BBRSDA). Since 1994, AFDF has hosted and organized the “Symphony”, a competition for value‐added products made from Alaska seafood. The Symphony is an exciting platform that encourages companies to invest in product development, helps them promote those new products and competitively positions Alaska Seafood in national and global markets. Product development is critically important to the entire Alaska Seafood industry and the fishing communities that depend on it. Innovative new products position the industry to remain competitive and relevant to consumers, which is especially important in today’s COVID-19 market.

Previous winners and entrants have leveraged the Symphony platform and continue to see increased sales and market exposure of their products. Bullwhip Hot Sauce, by Barnacle Foods, was a triple winner last year (Retail category, Juneau People’s Choice and Grand Prize). Upon receiving the Grand Prize, Barnacle Foods commented, “When [Alaska] kelp is paired with piri piri pepper, tomatoes, and fresh garlic, the delicious flavor makes you want to put this sauce on everything! The Alaska Symphony of Seafood encourages all seafood processors to prioritize innovation in product development.”

Read the full release here