Saving Seafood

Marylanders warned to avoid Venezuelan crab meat after nine sickened by Vibrio bacteria

July 9, 2018 — State health officials are warning consumers to avoid unpasteurized Venezuelan crab meat because they believe it has sickened nine people in Maryland with infections of Vibrio bacteria.

They have not pinpointed a single source of the contaminated meat. Illnesses have been traced to crab dishes prepared at homes and in restaurants, and the cases are spread around the state.

Two of the people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.

Symptoms of food-borne Vibrio infection include watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills.

Venezuelan crab meat was already a concern for many Maryland watermen, but not for health reasons — the imports are major competitors to local seafood. The United States has imported more than 1,000 pounds of Venezuelan crab meat so far this year, fourth-most from any country after Indonesia, China and the Philippines, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Read the full story at The Baltimore Sun

Alaskans fret as Chinese, US tariffs go into effect

July 6, 2018 — The next phase of the Chinese-U.S. trade war kicked into effect on Friday, 6 July, as each country imposed USD 34 billion (EUR 28.9 billion) worth of tariffs on a range of goods that, on the Chinese side, include a variety of seafood products.

According to a list issued from the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China, more than 170 seafood products are subject to the new tariffs, which went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on 6 July. However, confusion remains as to exactly which products are subject to the tariffs – especially amongst those engaged in sending seafood to China for reprocessing and re-export.

That’s a big question for many involved in the seafood industry in Alaska, which relies heavily on Chinese labor to complete the difficult task of removing pinbones from much of its catch. In fact, in large part due to the seafood industry, China is Alaska’s largest trading partner, with hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of salmon, flatfish, and cod heading to China for reprocessing and re-export.

Glenn Reed, president of the Pacific Seafood Processors Association, which represents companies operating onshore processing plants for Alaska salmon, crab, and pollock, as well as Pacific cod, said there is still uncertainty on the issue.

“We’re watching the situation closely. We know we this could affect us all from fishermen, processors, support business, communities, the state, etc. We just don’t have good info at this point,” he told SeafoodSource via email. “We may not know the impact until after 6 July.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

North Coast crabbers haul in above average catch in 2017-18 season worth $42 million

July 5, 2018 — The North Coast had a significantly improved Dungeness crab season this year, hauling in 14.3 million of the 19.4 million pounds of Dungeness crab landed in California so far this season, according to preliminary state data provided to the Times-Standard on Tuesday.

While there were a few obstacles, Trinidad crab fisherman Mike McBrayer said Tuesday that he had a much improved season thanks to a great crew and good weather that permitted him to get out on the water more days.

“And there were crabs, and that’s always a good thing,” McBrayer said.

Preliminary catch data provided by the state shows Trinidad hauled in more than 804,000 pounds of crab worth $2.5 million and Eureka hauled in 4.5 million pounds worth $13.4 million.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife environmental scientist Christy Juhasz said the North Coast region — which also includes Crescent City and Fort Bragg — had an above average year for catch with 14.3 million in landings reported worth about $42 million. Humboldt County ports brought in about $16 million, according to the data.

Read the full story at the Eureka Times-Standard

Huffman Applauds Allocation of $29 Million in Fisheries Disaster Relief Funds

June 21, 2018 — North Coast Congressman Jared Huffman announced today that the federal government has allocated $25.8 million in disaster assistance to those affected by the 2015-2016 closure of California’s commercial Dungeness and rock crab fisheries and another $3.9 million to the Yurok Tribe stemming from the collapse of the fall Chinook fishery in 2016.

“For far too long, the North Coast has been waiting for this federal support to relieve the economic burden from several disastrous fishing seasons,” Huffman said in a statement. “I know that the path to recovery for our fishing communities is long but I’m grateful to see some help is finally on the way.”

The federal allocation from Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross comes after Congress passed a bipartisan budget deal in February that provided $200 million in fishery disaster relief.

Read the full story at the North Coast Journal

Climate Change May Be Creating A Seafood Trade War, Too

June 15, 2018 — One of the grand challenges that I find as a climate scientist is conveying to the public the “here and now” of climate change. For many people, it is still some “thing” that seems far off in time or distance from their daily lives of bills, illness, kids, and their jobs. Ironically, climate change touches each of those aspects, but the average person does not often make the connections. People eat seafood and fish, but most people will not make any connections between tonight’s dinner of flounder, lobster or mackerel to climate change as they squeeze that lemon or draw that butter.

A new Rugters University study caught my eye because it is a good example of a “here and now” impact. Climate changes is causing fish species to adjust their habitats at a more rapid pace than the how the world policy’s allocate fish stocks. Many species of flounder, lobster, mackerel and crab are migrating to find colder waters as oceans warm.  The study suggests that such shifts may lead to international conflict and reductions in fish supply. Seafood is a pawn in the trade chess game.

Researchers at Rutgers University say that an obsolete and out-dated regulatory system has not kept pace with how the ocean’s waters are warming and shifting fish populations. I actually wrote a few years ago in Forbes about how warming waters were shifting crab populations in the North Pacific and was affecting fishers as well as one of my favorite TV shows, The Deadliest Catch. This new study published in one of the top scientific journals in the world, Science, has provided new insight that has implications for our food supply and potential international conflict.

Read the full story at Forbes

SAFMC: Upcoming Meetings Will Address Federal Fisheries Management Issues

Advisory panels provide grassroots input; Cobia Stock ID Workshop; Scientists convene in May

April 3, 2018 — NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Fishermen and others interested in federal fishery management issues will want to mark their calendars for upcoming meetings that may affect fishing for snapper, grouper, black sea bass, mackerel, cobia, rock shrimp, and golden crab as well as policies affecting essential fish habitat and ecosystem-based management. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold several advisory panel meetings as well as a meeting of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) in the coming weeks. A workshop to address stock boundaries for cobia is also scheduled as part of a benchmark stock assessment for cobia.

The Council’s advisory panel members, representing recreational fishermen, charter captains, commercial fishermen, seafood dealers and others knowledgeable about fisheries issues, provide grassroots input into the fishery management process. The Council’s SSC is responsible for reviewing the scientific basis of Council management plans and actions and developing fishing level recommendations in accordance with national fisheries guidelines. Members of the SSC include stock assessment scientists, economists, biologists, sociologists, and others knowledgeable about fisheries in the South Atlantic.

Additional information about the meetings listed below, including meeting agendas, overviews, and briefing book materials will be available online (see details below). Members of the public are invited to attend all meetings. The advisory panel meetings and the SSC meeting will also be accessible online via webinar as they occur. Webinar registration is required and details are posted on the meeting pages of the website.

SEDAR Cobia Stock ID Workshop

April 10-12, 2018

Meeting Location: Town and Country Inn, 2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407

The Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) benchmark stock assessment for cobia is scheduled to start in 2018. It will be a multi-step process consisting of a series of workshops and webinars. Cobia stock identification will be resolved through a multi-step process prior to the Data Workshop scheduled as part of the SEDAR 58 stock assessment. The Cobia Stock ID Workshop is the first step in this process. Participants in the Stock ID Workshop include data collectors, database managers, stock assessment scientists, fishermen, environmentalists and non-government organizations, and staff from state and federal agencies.

Workshop participants will review all available, relevant information on cobia stock structure including genetic studies, growth patterns, movement and migration, existing stock definitions, and oceanographic and habitat characteristics and make recommendations on biological stock structure and the assessment unit stock or stocks to be addressed through the SEDAR 58 assessment. They will also document the rationale behind their recommendations. Additional information is available at: http://sedarweb.org/sedar-58.

Read the full list of meetings at the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

ASMFC February/March issue of Fisheries Focus Now Available

April 3, 2018 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The February/March 2018 issue of Fisheries Focus is now available at http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file//5ac2a81dFishFocusFebMarch2018.pdf.

Inside this issue:

Upcoming Meetings

page 2

From the Executive Director’s Desk

Adapting Fisheries Management to Changes in Species Abundance and Distribution Resulting from Climate Change

page 3

Species Profile

Cobia

page 4

Comings & Goings 

page 7

2017 Annual Report Now Available

page 7

Fishery Management Actions 

American Lobster & Jonah Crab

page 8

Science Highlight

Cooperative Research Seeks to Fill In Data Gaps to Support Fisheries Science and Management Efforts

page 9

Proposed Management Action

American Eel

page 11

ACCSP

ACCSP Announces FY2018 Funding Awards

page 11

On the Legislative Front

page 12 

Past issues of Fisheries Focus can be found at http://www.asmfc.org/search/%20/%20/Fishery-Focus.

 

US seafood not included in Chinese retaliatory trade tariffs

April 2, 2018 — Seafood is not on the list of 128 US products targeted by Chinese retaliatory tariffs.

On Monday China’s Ministry of Commerce (MoC) said it would be “suspending tariff concessions” on 128 US products, consisting mainly of US food and drink. Fresh and dried fruits, almonds, pistachios and wine will be subject to an additional 15% tariff. Eight other items, including frozen pork, will be subject to an additional 25% tariff.

The tariffs — announced in direct response to US tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, MoC said — are effective Monday and will impact $2 billion worth of US exports to China, said the ministry.

US seafood products will not be levied additional tariffs, however, Undercurrent News can confirm.

US soyabeans – which is used in Chinese aquatic feed production — are also absent from the list, which can be viewed here on the MoC website.

Last year, the US exported $1.3bn worth of seafood to China, making China the US’ largest seafood export market, according to National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

US seafood exports to China included $128.7 million worth of live and fresh lobster (HS code 030632) and $51.6m worth of frozen crab (HS code 030614), according to International Trade Center. This included $17.0m of frozen Dungeness crab (HS code 0306144030). None of these HS codes are included on the list.

Chinese tariffs on US seafood would mainly hurt fishing industries in New England, the US west coast and Alaska.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

 

Alaska: Finding local seafood is getting easier at America’s top fishing port

April 2, 2018 — Unalaska is America’s fish capital. More seafood is hauled into Dutch Harbor than anywhere in the country, but for residents it’s not easy to find fresh fish unless they catch it themselves.

At the local grocery stores even seafood caught in the Aleutians is exported before landing in freezer cases. But it’s getting a little easier to get locally caught seafood on the dinner table.

It doesn’t happen often in Unalaska, but fishermen can sell their catch directly to customers. If you’re imagining a fish market, wipe away that image.

Buying fresh seafood means going directly to a boat like Roger Rowland’s. On a weekday in January people like Rubi Warden are crowding onto the dock to pick out tanner crab.

“Can you help me to carry it to my truck?” Warden asked.” “I’m buying $400 worth for three families.”

Warden and her daughter Pia are buying 48 crab.  She’ll serve some of it to her parents when they visit from Hawaii.

Local crab hasn’t been sold on the dock in two years.

This is Rowland’s second time selling crab this season. The first time they took pre-orders, but today anyone can buy. It’s $12 a crab or 12 for $100.

“This year they’re very nice, very big,” Rowland said. “It’s really encouraging to see the really nice product.”

Selling fish off a boat doesn’t involve too much paperwork. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game requires a catcher seller permit to be completed along with a $25 processing fee.

Read the full story at KTOO

 

Fishin’ Company leading MSC certification effort for Oregon’s Dungeness crab fishery

March 14, 2018 — An agreement between the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission and The Fishin’ Company will pave the way for the Dungeness crab fishery in Oregon to seek Marine Stewardship Council certification.

The memorandum of agreement signed on 7 March will see The Fishin’ Company, a Munhall, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.-based  company that is a major buyer of the crab, provide financial resources and personnel to work alongside the fishery as it enters the MSC pre-assessment process.

“The Oregon Dungeness crab fishery is committed to a sustainable fishery through proven methods of management,” The Fishin’ Company Director of Sustainability Justin Baugh said. “They are focused on continuous improvement through science-based research and we believe the ODCC should be recognized for this and are excited to place our support behind them.”

Read the full story at SeafoodSource