Saving Seafood

US importer launches Indonesian crab traceability tool

March 21, 2017 — Miami, US-based blue swimming crab firm Blue Star Foods has announced it is launching a cloud-based fisheries data collection platform for a fishery in Indonesia.

The mobile-based iniative is being undertaken in partnership with Wilderness Markets. It integrates three components in an effort to provide a completely traceable supply chain.

A geospatial boat tracking system provides “on the water” data for fishing duration, location and timing. Provided by Pelagic Data Systems, these units are “uniquely suited for artisanal vessel tracking”, it said.

A proprietary mobile phone-based system aggregates landings data and is linked to a QR code system, which allows buyers-consumers to trace back product information in an integrated platform.

The QR code provides users with batch and product information, including fisher data, vessel name and landing site in compliance with landing regulations.

Dave Solomon, CEO of Pelagic Data Systems, said: “we are excited to work with Blue Star to bring transparency with a positive social and environmental impact to their supply chain in Indonesia”.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Commercial disasters declared for nine West Coast fisheries

March 21, 2017 — The Commerce Secretariat determined that nine salmon and crab fisheries in Alaska, California and Washington experienced commercial failures, which will enable fishing communities to seek disaster relief assistance from Congress, NOAA Fisheries Division reported.

The decision was taken by US Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker due to the fact that in recent years, each of these fisheries experienced sudden and unexpected large decreases in fish stock biomass due to unusual ocean and climate conditions.

The fisheries deemed to have experienced commercial failures are the following:

  • Gulf of Alaska pink salmon fisheries (Alaska/2016)
  • California Dungeness and rock crab fishery (California/2015-2016);
  • Yurok Tribe Klamath River Chinook salmon fishery (California/2016);
  • Fraser River Makah Tribe and Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe sockeye salmon fisheries (Washington/2014);
  • Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay non-treaty coho salmon fishery (Washington/2015);
  • Nisqually Indian Tribe, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, and Squaxin Island Tribe South Puget Sound salmon fisheries (Washington/2015);
  • Quinault Indian Nation Grays Harbor and Queets River coho salmon fishery (Washington/2015);
  • Quileute Tribe Dungeness crab fishery (Washington/2015-2016);
  • Ocean salmon troll fishery (Washington/2016).

“The Commerce Department and NOAA stand with America’s fishing communities. We are proud of the contributions they make to the nation’s economy, and we recognize the sacrifices they are forced to take in times of environmental hardship,” said Samuel D. Rauch III, deputy assistant administrator for regulatory programs, NOAA Fisheries.

Rauch stressed their commitment to helping these communities recover and achieve success in the future.

Read the full story at Fish Information & Services

First Blue Swimming Crab Harvester Cooperative Formed In Indonesia

March 17, 2017 — On February 20th, 2017. Blue Star Foods (USA), PT Blue Star Nusantara (BSN) through one of its subsidiaries PT Siger Jaya Abadi, along Wilderness Markets teamed up to assist in the formation of the first Blue Swimming crab harvester cooperative in East Lampung province, Indonesia. Such support was realized at the “Fishermen Cooperative Extension and the Establishment in the Context of Sustainability of Blue Swimming Crab Fisheries” in the Fish Landing Base (PPI) complex, Muara Mas Gading, District Labuhan Maringgai, East Lampung district, approximately 3.5 hours away from the capital of Lampung province.

The representatives from the US were the CEO of Blue Star Foods USA, John R. Keeler, and Neel Inamdar of Wilderness Markets, both of which provided funding support for the establishment of cooperative “Nelayang Rajungan”, first in Indonesia, whose mission is the preservation of the Blue Swimming Crab fisheries as well as the welfarex of fishermen.

The cooperative was formed under the extension of the Department of Cooperatives and SMEs Lampung Timur, was named Cooperative Work Young Bahari, chaired by Mr. Syamsudin, a local fisherman, with a membership of 37 local crab fishermen.

Read the full story at Perishable News

Reduced catch brings record prices for crab

March 10, 2017 — Alaska crabbers are hauling back pots from the Panhandle to the Bering Sea, and reduced catches are resulting in record prices for their efforts.

The year’s first red king crab fishery at Norton Sound has yielded 17,000 pounds so far of its nearly 40,000 pound winter quota for more than 50 local fishermen. The crab, which are taken through the ice near Nome, are paying out at a record $7.75 a pound. A summer opener will produce a combined catch of nearly half a million pounds for the region.

Red king crab from Bristol Bay also yielded the highest price ever for fishermen, averaging $10.89 per pound. That catch quota of eight million pounds was down 15 percent from the previous season.

The Bering Sea snow crab fleet has taken 80 percent of its 19 million pound quota, down by nearly half from last year. That’s pushed market prices through the roof, topping $8.30 a pound at wholesale in both the US and Japan, compared to over $5.50 per pound a year ago.

Alaska produces only about 10 percent of the world’s snow crab, with most of the pack by far coming from Eastern Canada, followed by Russia.  On the snow crab menu front – McDonald’s has begun testing a new snow crab sandwich in several San Francisco Bay locations. If it’s a hit, the sandwich could advance to nearly 250 outlets this year.

Read the full story at The Cordova Times

As crab prices soar across Alaska, McDonald’s tests new snow crab sandwich

March 6, 2017 — Crabbers are hauling back pots from the Alaska Panhandle to the Bering Sea, and reduced catches are resulting in record prices.

The year’s first red king crab fishery at Norton Sound has yielded 17,000 pounds so far of its nearly 40,000 pound winter quota for more than 50 local fishermen. The crab, taken through the ice near Nome, are paying a record $7.75 a pound. A summer opener will produce a combined catch of nearly half a million pounds for the region.

Red king crab from Bristol Bay also yielded the highest price ever for fishermen, averaging $10.89 per pound. That catch quota of 8 million pounds is down 15 percent from last season.

The Bering Sea snow crab fleet has taken 80 percent of its 19 million pound quota, about half of last year’s. That’s pushed market prices through the roof, topping $8.30 a pound at wholesale in both the U.S. and Japan, up 50 percent from last year.

Alaska produces only about 10 percent of the world’s snow crab, with most of the supply coming from eastern Canada, followed by Russia.

Read the full story at Alaska Dispatch News

ALASKA: OVER HALF OF WINTER COMMERCIAL RED KING CRAB GHL HARVESTED

February 28, 2017 — The following has been released by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Commercial Fisheries: 

Approximately 17,000 pounds (43%) remain of the winter red king crab open access commercial guideline harvest. Based on current catch rates, the open access guideline harvest level (GHL) should be entirely caught by sometime in early March. The red king crab GHL for the Norton Sound winter through the ice commercial fishery is 39,744 pounds.

Following the conclusion of the open access winter commercial fishery, the department will open a commercial fishery by emergency order (EO) to harvest the CDQ allocation of the 2017 GHL of 496,800 pounds of red king crab. By regulation, the CDQ is allocated 7.5% of the allowable commercial harvest. In 2017, this equates to 37,260 additional pounds that could be harvested this winter. The winter CDQ season will close when the CDQ allocation is harvested. However, it could also close earlier at the discretion of CDQ management by NSEDC, by EO by ADF&G, or as required by regulation on April 30. Any CDQ quota not taken during the winter can be taken during the summer red king crab commercial fishery.

Commercial fishing for CDQ crab is open to all residents 18 years or older of NSEDC’s fifteen member communities who qualify to obtain a CDQ gear permit card and who sign the 2017 NSEDC Norton Sound Red King Crab Fisherman’s Agreement and NSEDC Residency Verification forms. Interested fishermen should contact NSEDC at 443–2477 if they have questions about the process of becoming eligible to fish for CDQ red king crab.

To date, 55 commercial permit holders have registered with the department for the open access fishery. Permit holders are reminded that they need to register at the ADF&G office in Nome before crabbing. Crabbers fishing both open access and CDQ fisheries do not need to obtain separate pot tags for the CDQ fishery; however, they DO need to register with ADF&G for BOTH fisheries. Village residents can call the ADF&G office to register. Catcher-sellers must also register with the department before selling crab and must turn in any fish tickets every week to ADF&G.

Each permit holder is allowed to fish a total of 20 pots. If any pots are lost, permit holders can get replacement tags by filling out an affidavit at the Nome ADF&G office and reporting the lost tag numbers. No replacement tags will be issued without this information.

Permit holders must be present any time commercial pot gear is being operated, and can only be assisted by licensed crew members. Crewmembers cannot deploy or operate gear on their own. For further information please contact the Nome office at 907-443-5167 or 1-800-560-2271. Good Luck, Good Crabbing and Be Safe Out There!

Read the full release here

ALASKA: State cuts bring changes to Southeast commercial fisheries

February 24, 2017 — Commercial fisheries in Southeast Alaska have survived two years of state budget cuts but not without some changes.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Commercial Fisheries has cut some positions, ended some monitoring programs, and found some new funding sources.

When the state cuts are listed on a spread sheet, the individual amounts don’t seem that staggering – $20,000 here, $50,000 there.

But it totals about $1.75 million over the past two years.

The cuts include laying off a part-time front desk person in Petersburg, not replacing a retired analyst programmer and eliminating a position in the golden king crab fishery.

Lowell Fair, regional supervisor for Commercial Fisheries in Southeast, said none of the cuts were good but they were necessary.

He said the golden king crab job was an observer who would collect data on the crab in season.

Read the full story at KTOO Public Media

Crabbers: Blue crab moratorium will hurt workers, customers

February 21, 2017 — Beginning February 20, Louisiana will enact a first-ever, statewide closure of blue crab fisheries. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says the crab stock is dangerously close to over-harvest and this break will give the population more time to grow.

The harvest restrictions are for immature blue female crabs, except those being held for processing of softshell crabs. According to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, the restrictions should help reduce the fishing pressure on the blue crab stock and encourage a stronger population when the ban ends March 21, 2017.

The statewide shutdown of the Louisiana crab fishery is new, and crabbers say holding the ban in the spring leaves many of them without work. Crabbers also argue it leaves customers without a Lenten favorite.

Crab will not be completely missing from local menus or markets. Crab from outside Louisiana will still be available, although crabbers said they predict the price for blue crab meat will increase and could come at a lower quality.

The 30-day closure of the commercial harvest and the use of crab traps will go into effect in 2017 and last through 2019.

Read the full story at WWLTV

MAINE: Legislature eyes lobster, crab laws

February 6, 2017 — Two Hancock County lawmakers have drafted several bills that would affect the lobster and crab fisheries should they reach the floor of the Maine Legislature.

State Rep. Brian Hubbell (D-Bar Harbor) has drafted a concept bill (LD 149) that proposes several ways to make changes to limited-entry lobster and crab zones.

“It is a laundry list of possible solutions to the grievances I’ve heard from fishermen in Zone B,” Hubbell said.

Tensions between commercial lobster license holders in lobster management zones B and C have been running high since last summer and flared in a dramatic fashion last fall with the report of a trap-cutting war that resulted in gear losses estimated at $350,000 or more by the Marine Patrol.

Those tensions stem from the fact that Zone C had been an open zone and lobstermen from there can fish up to 49-perecent of their traps in Zone B.

Some Zone B fishermen believe it’s unfair that Zone C lobstermen are using their second zone tags and crowding waters where entry is limited.

Read the full story at The Ellsworth American. 

Maine legislature eyes lobster, crab laws

January 31, 2017 — Augusta, MAINE — Area lawmakers have drafted several bills that would affect lobster and crab fisheries should they reach the floor of the Maine Legislature.

State Rep. Brian Hubbell (D-Bar Harbor) has drafted a concept bill that proposes several ways to make changes to limited-entry lobster and crab zones

“It is a laundry list of possible solutions to the grievances I’ve heard from fisherman in Zone B,” said Hubbell.

Tensions between commercial lobster license holders in Lobster Management Zones B and C have been running high since last summer and flared in a dramatic fashion last fall with the report of a trap-cutting war that resulted in an estimated $350,000 loss of gear.

Those tensions stem from the fact that Zone C had been an open zone and lobstermen there can fish up to 49 percent of their traps in Zone B.

Some Zone B fishermen believe it’s unfair that Zone C lobstermen are using their second zone tags and crowding waters where entry is limited.

Read the full story at the Mount Desert Islander