Saving Seafood

US seafood industry gets $300 million in coronavirus relief, hopes for more protections

April 1, 2020 — The U.S. seafood industry received a $300 million assist from the $2 trillion COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress on March 27, and a wide coalition of industry stakeholders is hoping for more.

Fishery recipients in the relief bill include tribes, persons, communities, processors, aquaculture and other related businesses. SeafoodNews.com reports that those eligible for relief must have “revenue losses greater than 35 percent as compared to the prior 5-year average revenue, or any negative impacts to subsistence, cultural, or ceremonial fisheries.”

The funds will be provided on a rolling basis within a fishing season through Sept. 30, 2021. Two percent can be used for administration and oversight activities.

The package follows a bipartisan letter sent on March 23 to Congress by Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markie of Massachusetts and Alaska’s Republican Sens. Murkowski and Sullivan. They asked, among other things, that fishermen be able to collect unemployment insurance, get help with vessel loan payments and ensure that the global pandemic does not compromise management of U.S. fisheries.

Read the full story at the Anchorage Daily News

April 4-10, 2020 PFMC Meeting Webinar Information

April 1, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC or Council) and its advisory bodies will meet April 4‐10, 2020 by webinar only, to address issues related to groundfish, salmon, Pacific halibut, coastal pelagic species, and administrative matters.

Information on how to access the Council meeting live stream is now available on our April 4-10, 2020 Council meeting webpage.

Please note that the evolving public health situation regarding COVID‐19 may further affect the conduct of the April Council and advisory body meetings. Pacific Council staff will continue to monitor COVID‐19 developments and will determine if there is a need for additional measures. If such measures are deemed necessary, Council staff will post notice of them prominently on our website (www.pcouncil.org). Potential meeting participants are encouraged to check the Pacific Council’s website frequently for such information and updates.

Rep. Pallone Statement on House Passage of Third Coronavirus Pandemic Response Legislation

March 31, 2020 — The following was released by The Office of Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ):

Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) issued the following statement today after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 748, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the third major legislation passed by Congress to respond to the coronavirus pandemic:

“Today, more help is on the way. The CARES Act provides essential assistance to the American people, health care workers, hospitals, small businesses and state and local governments that have been seriously impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.  This legislation provides much needed financial relief to laid-off or furloughed workers through increased and extended unemployment insurance so they will continue to receive a paycheck in the weeks and months ahead. It also puts money in the pockets of struggling Americans, and provides grants and loans to small businesses to help them better weather the ongoing economic storm.

“As the coronavirus pandemic overwhelms our health care workers and hospitals, the legislation includes $100 billion to our hospitals and $16 billion for personal protective equipment and other resources for our courageous health care workers so they can safely treat patients. Health care professionals are on the front lines, and we must continue to work to ensure they are protected and have the resources they need to safely do their jobs.

“I’m pleased that this package contains $300 million in funds specifically designated to help fishing communities who have incurred significant economic losses as a result of this pandemic. In my district in New Jersey, the recreational and commercial fishing industry is vital to our coastal communities up and down the Jersey Shore.

“Finally, I’m glad to see that Democrats were successful in removing a provision in the initial draft of the Senate bill that would have provided a $3 billion bailout to the oil and gas industry. This provision had no place in this legislation.

“The CARES Act takes a significant step in protecting the health of all Americans and providing peace of mind during this time of economic uncertainty, but there is a lot more work to do. In future legislation, we must ensure affordable treatment for all, expand distance learning programs and access to the internet for low-income Americans, protect consumers from price gouging and prevent critical services from being shut off during this crisis.”

The CARES Act includes key provisions that give:

$260 billion in Dramatically Expanded Unemployment Benefits: The bill includes numerous provisions to improve unemployment benefits including providing an additional $600 per week for the next four months, providing an additional 13 weeks of federally funded benefits, and expanding eligibility to include workers in the gig economy and self-employed workers.

Immediate Direct Cash Payments to Lower and Middle-Income Americans:  The bill provides for immediate, direct cash payments to lower-and middle-income Americans of $1,200 for each adult and $500 for each child, beginning to phase out at an annual income of $75,000 for an individual and $150,000 for a household.  These payments will provide individuals with the cash they need right now to survive with much of the economy currently shut down.

Read the full release here

US shrimp importers forced to unscramble COVID-19 Rubik’s Cube

March 31, 2020 — Like the product they specialize in selling, US importers of warmwater shrimp are “frozen” on how to sort out the market puzzle created recently by the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, according to Travis Larkin, president of the Seafood Exchange, in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Foodservice establishments around the country have been ordered to stay closed altogether or are operating under strict limitations, while retail businesses — by contrast — are scrambling to replace their shrimp inventory after a few weeks of panic buying.

“What are importers to do in response?” Undercurrent News asked.

“I don’t think anybody really knows,” answered Larkin, a longtime industry veteran who joined Seafood Exchange in 1997. “You would think that with something of this magnitude, there would be some drastic outcome that we all would predict will come to pass. But I think this is so stunning and so preposterous compared to what we ever thought could happen, that it almost feels like everything is frozen in time and I really haven’t seen any direction in any sense.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Global airline slump has seafood firms opting for expensive air cargo

March 31, 2020 — Australia’s largest producer of Western rock lobster is the main contributor to the country’s half-billion-dollar live exports of the shellfish, but it faces a stark choice; export its live product to China using expensive cargo planes or export no live rock lobster at all.

It is the harsh reality facing seafood companies around the globe as commercial passenger airlines are grounded by the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’ve seen [passenger freight] capacity drop very significantly over the last few weeks, to the point where on Wednesday we had the last direct flight to China,” Matt Rutter, CEO of Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative (GFC), told Undercurrent News on Thursday (March 26).

“In fact, the last available for charter is through Japan. That last flight flies on Monday [March 30],” he said.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

MAINE: Elver season opens with new safety measures in place

March 31, 2020 — Yes, Virginia, there will be an elver season this year after all.

Last Thursday, the Department of Marine Resources announced that the 2020 elver fishing season would open at 8 a.m. on Monday, March 30. Originally slated to open on Sunday, March 22, the season was delayed by DMR Commissioner Patrick Keliher because of concerns about the spread of COVID-19. At the time, Keliher said he was concerned that some elements of the fishery, “as traditionally practiced,” made it difficult to adhere to social distancing recommendations from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those include maintaining 6 feet of separation between people, in order to reduce the spread of this disease.

The announcement last week described a fishing season unlike any other in recent years.

For the first time, licensed elver harvesters will be allowed to fish for and sell the elver quota of other licensed harvesters instead of just their own quota. Dealers also have agreed to limit the number of transactions with harvesters during the season substantially by setting a minimum purchase quantity of 1 pound of elvers.

“Our objective is to reduce the population of harvesters congregating on the shores and at dealers’ shops,” Keliher said in a statement last Thursday. “Key to achieving this objective will be to allow those who are the most vulnerable to remain at home and have another harvester catch the elvers for them.”

Read the full story at The Ellsworth American

Fish aid 2 weeks away

March 31, 2020 — Specific eligibility criteria and distribution details for the $300 million in federal assistance to the U.S. seafood industry probably won’t be available for at least another two weeks, Gloucester Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken estimated on Monday.

Romeo Theken, who spent much of last weekend on conference calls discussing the economic and health implications of the novel coronavirus pandemic,  said she urged state and federal officials to move quickly in getting the money into the hands of fishermen, charter operators, aquaculturists, processors and other shoreside businesses financially wounded by health crisis.

“We’re fighting this invisible war and everyone has to work together or no one is going to survive this” Romeo Theken said. “The plan is very complex and very broad because, unlike previous fishery disaster assistance, this touches everybody in the commercial fishing industry from Alaska to Massachusetts.”

The mayor said she anticipates the federal funds will be distributed by the Commerce Department through NOAA Fisheries to individual regions and states, which then would manage the disbursement of funds to seafood industry stakeholders.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

COVID-19 hits Louisiana’s $2 billion seafood industry hard, leaders urge public to buy local

March 31, 2020 — A whopping 80% of shrimp caught in Louisiana is sold to restaurants, but restaurants across the country are shutting their doors due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Now Louisiana’s $2 billion seafood industry is struggling.

“These are all very small family-owned businesses, and they are very dependent on local sales,” Twin Parish Port Commissioner Wendell Verret said.

Larger seafood businesses will also be hurt.

As demand for seafood goes down, they’ll be stuck with too much inventory. When businesses stop buying seafood from fishermen, the effects could be disastrous.

“Once the fishermen are impacted and they cannot continue to fish, they lose their boats. They lose their equipment. They lose their shop, and it’s very hard to get back into that business,” Verret added.

Read the full story at KLFY

New England Council Operations: Current Status of Office, Staff, Mail, and Meetings

March 31, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council has closed its Newburyport, MA-based office until further notice in response to Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker’s order requiring all businesses and organizations “that do not provide COVID-19 Essential Services” to close their physical workplaces and facilities.  The Council also is abiding by additional guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on travel restrictions and social distancing.

IS THE COUNCIL STAFF STILL WORKING:  Yes.  The Council staff is teleworking full time.  All staff members are responding to emails and phone calls from home.  Phones calls that come into the Council’s telephone system are being forwarded to staff members.  Here is the Staff Directory.
 
WHAT ABOUT MAIL:  The U.S. Postal Service continues to deliver mail.  During this period of teleworking, designated Council staffers will pick up and monitor mail every few days.
 
IS THE COUNCIL HOLDING MEETINGS:  Yes.  The Council held several advisory panel and committee meetings in March by webinar and will continue to do so in April and beyond if needed based on state and federal guidance.  Visit the Council’s calendar to see the schedule.
 
FULL NEW ENGLAND COUNCIL:  The full Council will meet April 14-15, 2020 by webinar.  Here is the detailedagenda, and here is the Council Members Directory.
 
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:  The Council and its partners will continue to closely monitor important developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Visit the CDC’s Coronavirus Disease 2019 website at What’s New for the latest government reports.

PNA suspends observer coverage requirement for tuna fleet amid COVID-19 pandemic

March 31, 2020 — The requirement to have 100 percent observer coverage on all purse-seiners fishing in Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) member waters has been temporarily suspended to avoid disrupting fishing operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a circular letter on 27 March, PNA CEO Ludwig Kumoru notified all purse-seine vessel owners and fishing companies operating in PNA waters that the decision to allow fishing without observers is in response to the struggles tuna fishermen are facing as a result of COVID-19. In granting the request, Kumoru said the temporary suspension of the observer coverage requirements will be in place until 31 May, 2020.

Read the full story at Seafood Source