Saving Seafood

NOAA: Overfished cod not on target to rebuild by 2024

October 10, 2019 — Cod stocks in the area remain overfished and are not on target to be rebuilt by 2024, according to new federal data. In its latest stock status for the Gulf of Maine Atlantic cod, NOAA Fisheries also reported that “overfishing is occurring” among an already-depleted population. The status is unchanged from NOAA’s 2017 assessment.

“The Gulf of Maine Atlantic cod shows a truncated size and age structure, consistent with a population experiencing high mortality,” researchers wrote in a 208-page report released Wednesday. “Additionally, there are only limited signs of incoming recruitment, continued low survey indices, and the current spatial distribution of the stock is considerably less than its historical range within the Gulf of Maine.”

The cod assessment is part of an operational assessment, updated through 2018, of 14 Northeast groundfish stocks by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Cod was identified as a stock that is experiencing overfishing, and the report categorizes eight groundfish stocks as having been overfished.

Read the full story at The Daily News

All Hands: Alaska determined to overcome tariff troubles

October 9, 2019 — The theme coming out of Alaska seafood’s annual meeting is — no surprise — tariffs.

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute opened its All Hands On Deck meeting today in Anchorage with annual updates from its program directors, followed by public meetings for species committees and the Responsible Fisheries Management program.

International Program Director Hannah Lindoff opened her update with a slide detailing the current state of U.S./China tariffs.

“This is the most up to date information,” said Lindoff. “But if anyone is on Twitter and something changes, please let me know.”

Although most products in Alaska’s portfolio are exempted from U.S. tariffs on Chinese exports — salmon, pollock and Pacific cod — competition in the global marketplace makes tariffs disadvantageous for any fisheries affected by additional duties.

For example, Alaska contributes 10 to 15 percent of the global supply of red king crab. Russia supplies about 70 percent. Alaska’s red king crab quota is down 12 percent for 2020. Golden king crab and snow crab quotas are up 13 and 23 percent, but the tanner/opilio fishery is shut down for the year.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

US to get a little more fish in catch pact with Canada

October 3, 2019 — American fishermen are expected to get a little more fishing quota under terms of an agreement with Canada.

The countries are home to fisheries for economically important species that cross international boundaries, such as cod and haddock. They reach agreement every year about how to divide catch on eastern Georges Bank, a critical fishing area off New England and Canada.

The New England Fishery Management Council says the U.S is scheduled to get 29% of the 1.4 million pound total allowable catch of cod on eastern Georges Bank in 2020. It’s also slated for 54% of the 66 million pound total allowable catch of haddock in the area.

Read the full story at the Associated Press

ALASKA: Adak Based Fish Processor Fears for Future Without Restored Cod Allocations in 2020

September 27, 2019 — SEAFOOD NEWS — In 2016, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council enacted amendment 113 as a way to give onshore fish processors in Western Aleutian communities like Adak and Atka a fighting chance. AM113 carves out a portion of 5,000 metric tons of Pacific cod to be delivered to these facilities as part of an effort to prevent fish factory “motherships” from taking in the bulk of the harvest for processing.

In Adak, Golden Harvest Seafood is one of the processors that depends on cod deliveries to maintain is operations. The company currently has an arrangement with Costco, providing fresh Alaska-caught seafood to its stores.

But the amendment designed to protect these smaller processors isn’t without opposition from large processors, such as the Groundfish Forum, a trade organization representing five companies operating 19 trawl catcher-processor vessels in the region.

Initially, the Groundfish Forum and the Katie Ann LLC, United Catcher Boats & B&N Fisheries filed legal complaints over AM113. Washington D.C. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly Judge ruled against amendment 113, citing the Magnuson-Stevens Act, a set of federal rules that are meant to encourage the sustainable and optimal exploitation of U.S. coastal fisheries.

The City of Adak, the Aleut Corporation and several other parties of interest have appealed the ruling. B&N Fisheries has subsequently dropped from the lawsuit.

The judge’s decision has caused some to call the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s ability to protect Alaska communities into question.

Meanwhile, affected communities are looking for some relief from the federal government over the potential revenues that were lost when AM113 was struck down.

Steve Minor, a spokesman for Golden Harvest Seafood, told KTUU on Monday that the U.S. Secretary of Commerce has denied a petition requesting emergency action regarding the cod allocation at the start of the new year. The petition asked for relief from January 20 through March 15, 2020 on the grounds of recent and unforeseen events and the time needed to process said petition.

According to the petition, the events listed below qualify as “recent and unforeseen” circumstances that form the basis of the request:

“Event 1: On March 21, 2019 the United States District Court for the District of Columbia issued an opinion that vacated Amendment 113 to the Bering Sea Aleutian Islands Groundfish FMP, and remanded the Amendment to the Service (NMFS) for reconsideration consistent with the opinion.

Event 2: In January, 2019 the Aleutian Islands CV Trawl Pacific cod fishery nearly closed before the fishery ever began because of the race for fish in the Bering Sea.”

Golden Harvest Seafood has invested millions in the processing operations on Adak, becoming the primary employer in a community that sees anywhere from 50 to 200 residents depending on the time of year. Locals are concerned that the plant’s closure would result in the closing of the local school, which currently serves less than 20 students.

KTUU has reached out to multiple members of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council seeking comment on its stance on AM113, as well as the council’s interest and ability to continue seeking assistance for Western Aleutian fish processors. At the time of this article’s publishing publishing, we are still awaiting an official response.

This story was originally published on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

Cod fishing off New England shut down for months

September 27, 2019 — The federal government is shutting down recreational cod fishing in the Gulf of Maine for several months.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says possession of Gulf of Maine cod will be prohibited from Oct. 1 to April 30. The Gulf of Maine touches Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire and is a hotbed of a recreational and commercial fishing.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Portland Press Herald

Recreational Fishermen: Gulf of Maine Cod Season Closes September 30

September 26, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The Gulf of Maine cod season closes after September 30, 2019.

Beginning on Tuesday, October 1, possession of Gulf of Maine cod is prohibited for the remainder of the fishing year (October 1-April 30). Recreational anglers can still fish for and retain Gulf of Maine haddock, up to 15 fish per person per day.

If you have a mobile device, you can use the FishRules app to check recreational fishing regulations.

Read the full release here

MSC urges countries to adapt to climate change as it suspends North Sea cod certification

September 24, 2019 — The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has announced the suspension of the North Sea cod fishery certification due to stocks of the fishery dropping below safe biological levels.

The suspension comes after the latest scientific advice revealed that the stock – once thought in good health – appears to be in decline despite industry initiatives, such as avoiding catching juvenile fish that are critical to the reproduction cycle. The root cause of the decline is unclear, but scientists suggest that climate change could be an overarching cause.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Massive Alaska cod merger is all lined up

September 20, 2019 — Alaska’s Bristol Bay Native Corp. is set to take over a large chunk of the state’s freezer longline Pacific cod quota with the pending purchase of a newly merged Clipper Seafoods and Blue North Fisheries.

Last week, the Department of Justice approved the merger, and the corporation is expected finalize on Sept. 30 the purchase of a majority share of the new company.

“It’s exciting for us. When the opportunity presented itself about a year ago, we had already been looking for seafood investments for a couple of years. Having an opportunity to acquire these businesses and what they represent is a big deal for BBNC,” said Jason Metrokin, the president and CEO of Bristol Bay Native Corp.

The DOJ reviewed the merger to ensure it would not create a monopoly in Alaska’s freezer-longline Pacific cod fishery. The two processors control 37.4 percent of the total allowable catch in the fishery, with Clipper managing 20 percent of the harvest, and Blue North handling 17.4 percent.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

New Study Shows Arctic Cod Development, Growth, Survival Impacted by Oil Exposure

September 18, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, a team of U.S. and Norwegian scientists published new laboratory research findings that show how an Arctic fish species can be seriously affected by small amounts of crude oil released into surface waters. For Arctic (Polar) cod in its early stages of development, crude oil can be lethal if exposure is high enough. Some exposed Arctic cod eggs die not long after hatching due to toxicity. At lower exposure levels, others experience developmental issues affecting their survival when they become larvae and juveniles.

“With the warming ocean and sea ice decline in the Arctic, ship traffic is on the rise. As a result, cod and their habitats are at increasing risk to oil spills,” said Ben Laurel, research fisheries biologist, Alaska Fisheries Science Center and lead author of a new paper published this week in iScience.“Since Arctic cod are one of the most abundant circumpolar forage fish, they play a key role in the marine ecosystem. We really need to better understand how an oil spill will affect keystone species and the ecosystem as a whole.”

For this study, NOAA teamed up with Oregon State University, SINTEF Ocean, and Norway’s Institute of Marine Research. The multi-disciplinary team had expertise in toxicology, fish biology, energetic studies, embryology and chemistry. They conducted one of the first laboratory studies of oil impacts on this coldwater fish species.

Read the full release here

Bristol Bay Native Corporation acquiring Blue North and Clipper

September 17, 2019 — Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC) is planning to acquire Blue North Fisheries and Clipper Seafoods, making it a major player in the Bering Sea longline cod fishery. The acquisition also gets BBNC, former owner of Peter Pan Seafoods, back into the industry.

The acquisition will close on 30 September, and Blue North and Clipper Seafoods will be organized under Bristol Bay Alaska Seafoods, a newly-formed subsidiary of BBNC.

Read the full story at Seafood Source