Saving Seafood

ALASKA: Northern Lights: Processing in a pandemic

January 11, 2021 — Fishing seasons are never the same. Variables make yearly swings the norm, and unpredictability means processing plants must be well-staffed and ready for any eventual harvest. But even for an industry used to volatility, 2020 has been a year like no other.

Seafood processors saw the costs of doing business skyrocket early this year as the covid-19 pandemic created widespread health and safety concerns. The disruption came just as the industry was preparing to hire for the summer salmon season.

Thousands of workers come to Alaska each year to process the catch, and most arrive in the spring and summer. The summer salmon harvest is the state’s highest-value and most labor-intensive. The first surge comes in June as processing employment doubles from about 6,000 jobs in recent years to 12,000 or 13,000. The job numbers peak in July between 20,000 and 21,000.

Because processing takes place as close to the harvest as possible, remote worksites with no local workforce are common. Some processors hire workers from around Alaska, but most of their employees are from out of state or are foreign workers under the H-2 visa program. For every Alaskan working in the plants, processing companies import three from outside the state.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

New round of PPP loan funding now available from federal government

January 11, 2021 — The latest round of federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans became available on Monday, 11 January, 2021, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s website.

The funding became available through the passage of the USD 900 billion (EUR 739.6 billion) COVID-19 relief bill Congress approved last month. Up to USD 284 billion (EUR 233.4 billion) be available to small businesses and other eligible entities through the federal program.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Webinars Set: Cooperative Research Challenges During COVID-19

January 11, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

On behalf of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Cooperative Research Branch, I am pleased to invite you to attend the “Cooperative Research: Facing the Challenges of COVID-19” workshop series.  

Two 90-minute WebEx virtual workshops for researchers, industry partners, and field scientists will be held on February 25 and March 4, 2021.

The first webinar will focus on how cooperative research field work was adapted to ensure safe operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The second webinar will focus on how fishermen worked with researchers to independently collect scientific data during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it may be used to bridge data gaps.

These virtual workshops are designed to foster a dialogue about how cooperative research has adapted and continued during the COVID-19 pandemic, including exchanging experiences from the field.

Each workshop will include brief presentations by organizations and industry partners involved in cooperative research across the region, and discussions moderated by the NEFSC Cooperative Research Branch Chief, Dr. Anna Mercer.

No RSVP is needed. On the days of the events, login to the Webex platform using the credentials found on our Event Page.  I look forward to having you join with other community partners to take a close look at how operations changed in 2020.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in touch.

Sincerely,

Giovanni Gianesin, NEFSC/Cooperative Research Branch

Looking Ahead: NOAA Fisheries Science and Management Priorities for 2021

January 8, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, we are sharing two messages from our leadership team that wrap up 2020, recognize some of the successes and challenges we encountered, and look ahead at both our science and management priorities for 2021.

  • Look Ahead at Science Priorities and Challenges by Cisco Werner, Director of Scientific Programs and Chief Science Advisor. “If we’ve learned any lessons, we’ll likely hold on to some newly-discovered efficiencies, such as using uncrewed technologies for survey work, cooperative research with the fishing industry, the inclusivity of virtual meetings, and more.”
  • Look Ahead at Management Priorities and Challenges by Sam Rauch, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs. “Despite the anticipated challenges of COVID-19 through 2021, we will continue our commitment to our core mission as we balance changes to safety protocols with getting the job done.”

Questions?

Contact Allison Ferreira, Regional Office, 978-281-9103

ALASKA: UniSea Under Partial Lockdown While City Determines If COVID-19 Positives Indicate Community Spread

January 8, 2021 — UniSea is under partial lockdown and has shut down all non-essential work after four employees of the processing plant tested positive for COVID-19 Tuesday.

Four “non-quarantined” individuals complained of not feeling well and were taken to the Iliuliuk Family and Health Services clinic where they tested positive, according to UniSea President and CEO Tom Enlow.

“This raised our risk level to ‘high’ and we sent everyone to their housing quarters and basically shut down non-essential work,” he told KUCB in a statement Wednesday. “We have restricted movement outside of our campus to only essential travel, such as to the clinic or for supplies.”

The processing plant worked with clinic staff on contact tracing, and identified roughly 50 close contacts who are being tested at the clinic Wednesday, according to Enlow. He said they are working to determine if the virus was contained to a “small group” that gathered to celebrate the New Year or whether the positive cases are indicative of more widespread community transmission. All four of the people who later tested positive attended the New Year gathering.

Read the full story at KUCB

COVID-19 vaccines expected to boost foodservice, hospitality industries – but full recovery could be years away

January 7, 2021 — Restaurants are expected to be somewhat buoyed as more Americans receive COVID-19 vaccines, however, experts predict that 2021 will still be a rough year for the foodservice and hospitality industries.

Around 10 to 12 percent of United States restaurants – representing 65,000 to 80,000 eateries – will be forced to close down by February, Darren Tristano, the CEO of foodservice consulting and research firm FoodserviceResults, told SeafoodSource. But Tristano said many of those restaurants could reopen after COVID-19 vaccines are widely distributed.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Cooperative Research: Facing the Challenges of COVID-19

January 7, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

About

The novel coronavirus has presented many challenges to researchers and fishermen, who often work in close quarters at sea and shore-side. However, some of our cooperative research partners have developed strategies to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and continue their work safely. To share what has been learned, the NEFSC Cooperative Research Branch is hosting two, 1.5 hour WebEx virtual workshops on February 25 and March 4, 2021. The first webinar in this series will focus on how cooperative research field work was adapted to ensure safe operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second webinar in this series will focus on  how fishermen worked with researchers to independently collect scientific data during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it may be used to bridge data gaps.

More Information

In August and September 2019, the NEFSC Cooperative Research Branch (CRB) hosted a series of stakeholder engagement sessions in eight ports along the Mid-Atlantic and New England seaboard. Regional partners identified priorities and challenges for scientific research conducted in collaboration with commercial fishermen. In response to recommendations made during those sessions, CRB planned to host two summits in 2020 to facilitate regional coordination of cooperative research and development of new partnerships. These summits have been postponed as part of the national effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. In the interim, the Cooperative Research: Facing the Challenges of COVID-19 virtual meetings will carry on the conversation among the network of researchers and industry partners, focused on contemporary challenges.

Read the full release here

Fall Gulf of Maine Bottom Longline Survey Wraps Up

January 7, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The COVID-19 pandemic and typical fall weather conditions were challenges, but the Cooperative Gulf of Maine Bottom Longline Survey team and industry partners wrapped up a successful season in early November.

“Every single person on the bottom longline survey team worked incredibly hard to get the survey completed this fall,” said Anna Mercer, chief of the Cooperative Research Branch. “From building new software to installing new camera systems, from repeated COVID-19 testing to careful quarantining, from new work flows to new hardware, it was a true team effort.”

The survey targets groundfish at 45 stations across the Gulf of Maine using tub-trawl bottom longline gear. The survey plan focuses on rocky bottom habitat, where fish are difficult to sample with trawl gear.

New Data Collection System Used

This year’s survey is the first to use a new data collection system developed by the branch. This next generation of software and hardware significantly upgrades digital data collection and catch processing at sea.

A tablet-based application replaces paper logs for most data types, improves operational efficiency, consistency, and data quality control for recording catch data and biological samples. Digital scales, electronic fish measuring boards, and barcode scanners now wirelessly communicate with the tablets. This keeps the system compact and agile for use on small commercial fishing vessels.

Both vessels were also newly equipped with electronic monitoring cameras. Adding cameras provides a way to get detailed information on the condition of bait or fish on hooks as the vessel retrieves the gear. This “hook status” information gives analysts a measure of hook availability—how available the hook is to fish that the gear encounters—which will improve understanding of catch rates.

Read the full release here

Massachusetts Delegation Pleased With Additional Fisheries Disaster Funds in COVID Relief Package

January 6, 2021 — A Massachusetts delegation led by Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Representatives William R. Keating (MA-09) and Seth Moulton (MA-08) supported the inclusion of $300 million in national fisheries disaster assistance as part of the $900 billion coronavirus relief legislation.

In the last COVID relief package, the state received 28 million in fisheries assistance via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act.

Read the full story at Seafood News

ALASKA: Some Fishermen on Edge After Rough Year in North Pacific

January 6, 2021 — Some fishermen in the North Pacific Ocean are on edge ahead of a traditionally fruitful winter fishing season, following a rough 2020 that saw catch rates fall below long-term averages.

The coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of some research surveys, making it more difficult to determine how many fish are in the Bering Sea off Alaska, the Seattle Times reported Monday.

The Seattle-based Alaska Fisheries Science Center canceled five of six research missions that help scientists measure fish stocks because of fears of virus outbreaks at sea.

Fishermen have begun their two-week coronavirus quarantines ahead of the Jan. 20 start of the fishing season and aren’t sure what they’ll find once ships largely based in Washington state make their way to the Bering Sea.

“This is the best time of year,” said Kevin Ganley, who captains a 123-foot (37-meter) boat called American Beauty. “If (the fish) are not there, we’re in trouble.”

Read the full story from the Associated Press at U.S. News