Saving Seafood

New U.S. and Canadian IPHC Commissioners Named During Sensitive Negotiations

September 6, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — Both the U.S. and Canada have changed their delegation to the International Pacific Halibut Commission, naming relative newcomers to each country’s team during extremely sensitive negotiations on policy issues. For the first time, a member of the recreational sector has been appointed to the U.S. delegation.

The changes to the panel, made up of three Canadians and three U.S. residents, comes after a rare impasse in determining catch limits for the 2018 season at the IPHC’s January meeting. In the end, all six commissioners agreed to lower limits below last year’s levels, but not as a commission. It was the second time in the IPHC’s 94-year history that an impasse could not be overcome.

The commissioners also agreed to negotiate a resolution to their disagreements, which center on distribution of halibut and bycatch accountability, before the next annual meeting. They have met twice so far and will meet again in mid-September.

Six weeks ago the Canadian government “temporarily” replaced commissioners Jake Vanderheide and Ted Assu, both halibut fishermen. Robert Day and Neil Davis of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans were picked as replacements until later in the year, when both are expected to step down for permanent commissioners. Day is director of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ International Fisheries Management Headquarters in Ottawa. Davis is a resource management director for the DFO based in Vancouver.

Yesterday NOAA Fisheries announced the reappointment of Bob Alverson, director of the Fishing Vessel Owners Association and the first-time appointment of Richard Yamada, the president of the Alaska Charter Association. Yamada replaced Linda Behnken, director of Sitka-based Alaska Longline Fisherman’s Association and a commissioner for two years. Both men were appointed for five months, from September 1 to January 31, 2019.

The two men were told their terms as Alternate Commissioners ended January 31 or “whenever another Alternate or Presidentially-appointed Commissioner is appointed to fulfill the relevant duties, whichever comes first,” according to the letter each received from the State Department.

It’s unusual for appointments to be for less than 18 months — terms are for two years — but in this case, it could be that the President’s final action will define a longer term. The current timing for termination is problematic, though, as the next annual meeting of the IPHC is January 27-February 1, 2019.

A January 31 termination date cuts the five days meeting short by its last, important day. That’s when the week’s industry discussion and recommendations, scientific reporting, and U.S./Canada negotiations culminate in final catch limits and changes to Pacific halibut regulations.

Yesterday’s announcement preceded the President’s appointment, “To ensure the United States has representation on the IPHC at all times, the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 provides for the Secretary of State to make alternate appointments,” the announcement read.

Dr. Jim Balsiger, the NOAA Fisheries Regional Administrator who has represented the government for nearly two decades, was reappointed through September, but may be replaced after that, according to several people familiar with the process. Both Chris Oliver, current head of NOAA Fisheries, and Doug Mecum, deputy regional administrator at NMFS’s Juneau office, have been mentioned as possible replacements.

Neither, however, are members of the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, a requirement for Commissioner according to the Halibut Act.

The process, starting from the nominations from last year and months-long vetting to a last minute back and forth that has included questioning nominees on social media use and campaign finance contributions, has been fraught with delays and unexpected outcomes (few expected Dr. Balsiger to be replaced). Behnken and Alverson were appointed only months before the last nomination-and-vetting cycle began. Their terms were extended last spring to August 31, 2018.

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

Alaskan man stole $85,000 worth of frozen fish and crab

August 28, 2018 — A Homer man faces two felony charges after Alaska State Troopers say he stole around $85,000 in frozen fish and crab from a fish processing business on the Kenai Peninsula.

Garrett Shaw Fitzgerald, 53, was charged Friday with first-degree theft and second-degree burglary, troopers said. Troopers say that Fitzgerald broke into Tanner’s Fresh Fish Processing in Ninilchik at 2:50 a.m. Wednesday.

Owner Jason Tanner said the door to his business was kicked in and $400 dollars was stolen before the suspect went into the commercial freezer.

Surveillance footage showed the thief spent an hour walking back and forth between the freezer and a vehicle outside. He carried box after box of frozen salmon, halibut, king crab and smoked fish.

“Every time I saw him, I go, ‘Oh, there’s a thousand bucks,'” Tanner said.

Troopers say about 3,000 pounds in frozen seafood was stolen from the business. Investigators believe an accomplice helped Fitzgerald, and that a second vehicle was also used to load up the stolen product, said spokeswoman Megan Peters.

All told, the frozen seafood was worth about $85,000 at retail prices, Tanner said.

Fitzgerald was arrested Friday in Soldotna, troopers said. Some of the stolen fish was recovered, but nearly all of it is unusable, Tanner said.

“He was cutting it open and repackaging it,” Tanner said. Fish was found in loose bags, some thawed. None of the king crab has been recovered, he said.

Read the full story at the Anchorage Daily News

International Year of the Salmon Will Open at the Global Fishery Forum & Seafood Expo 2018

August 27, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — It’s no secret that salmon is an important market and they’re going to get the spotlight at the Global Fishery Forum & Seafood Expo 2018 where an opening ceremony will be held for the International Year of Salmon. A global community of scientists and ecologists has established the International Year of Salmon. The year will include a series of events aimed at addressing, reducing, and resolving the various problems of maintaining global salmon stock.

According to a TASS press release Deputy Minister of Agriculture and head of the Federal Agency for Fishery Ilya Shestakov, NASCO President Jóannes Hansen, NPAFC President Suam Kim, NPAFC Executive Director Vladimir Radchenko, Director of the Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO) Kirill Kolochin and Director of WWF Russia Igor Chestin will attend the International Year of the Salmon opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony for the International Year of the Salmon will take place in St. Petersburg on the third day of the second annual Global Fishery Forum & Seafood Expo which is being held from the 13 through the 15 of September at the Expo Forum Convention and Exhibition Complex. The Global Fishery Forum & Seafood Expo is being organized by the Federal Agency for Fishery and the operator is the Roscongress Foundation.

The TASS press release also highlighted that the International Year of Salmon has been a long time coming stating: Specialists first spoke of the need for this project over ten years ago. Co-operation between countries will create an opportunity to clarify many aspects of the ecology of salmon, the study of which requires considerable resources considering the salmon’s extensive natural habitat and their complex life cycle.

Within the scope of International Year of the Salmon, from autumn 2018 to the end of 2019, it is planned to implement a complex of measures base on proposals made by the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC) and the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO).

The program includes scientific expeditions and other events designed, among other things, to popularize research and ecological education, to develop exchange of information about the state of popularization and the industry. An important component of the project remains the fight against the illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and to control the fish catch.

According to the NPAFC, the global catch of Pacific salmon, has no, since the drop in the 1950s–1970s to 400 thousand tonnes, risen to almost one million tonnes. ICES statistics indicate a drop in the global catch of anadromous Atlantic salmon from 12 thousand tonnes in the 1970s to 1.2 thousand tonnes in 2017. This is connected with a cut in the numbers of salmon and restrictions on the industry. A large part of the Atlantic salmon catch in 2017 was taken from rivers (64%), though a significant number of fish are still caught in the sea on migration routes in the countries of the South East Atlantic. The biggest sea catch in 2017 was registered by Norway – 290 thousand tonnes, including 138 thousand tonnes declared in the province of Finnmark, where salmon of Russian origin are caught.

This story originally appeared on Seafood News, it is republished with permission.

 

Cool ocean temps, reduced salmon bycatch likely to boost Alaska groundfish catches

August 22, 2018 — Reduced salmon bycatch and increased catches of rockfish bode well for Alaska’s groundfish trawlers in 2018. As of July, most of the boats had off-loaded their dragging gear and switched over to massive deck pumps to fill out salmon tendering contracts in Bristol Bay and elsewhere around the state.

That’s typical for many of the Kodiak-based catcher boats in the off-season, but the kicker in their year (so far) began during fisheries directed for arrowtooth flounder and various rockfish species months earlier.

“Things have been off in recent years, in the way that the fisheries have been functioning,” said Julie Bonney, executive director of the Alaska Groundfish Data Bank, in Kodiak.

Incidental catches of king salmon and halibut during the 2017 season caused closures that not only put a crimp in the potential harvest of the groundfish quotas but caused an unfavorable pulse of supplies in markets that favor a steady flow of fish to end consumers.

But 2018 brings hope of a turnaround. Ocean conditions seem to have gifted the trawlers in terms of distribution and density of rockfish. As of July 1, the fleet had harvested 68 percent of the rockfish quota compared to 2017 when they caught 43 percent.

Better yet, the incidental take of king salmon was down. Bonney reported on June 28 that the fleet in the Gulf of Alaska logged 6,200 salmon of a total allowable 32,250 salmon.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Small bones, big impact on fish harvesting regulations

August 6, 2018 — Summer is the season in which many Alaskans look to fill the freezer while scientists spend their days in the field collecting data from some of the daily catches.

“We went out for halibut and we came back with halibut,” sport angler Fred Coffifield said. He, his wife and a few family members spent Thursday fishing out of Homer.

The Alaska town filled with natural beauty proudly promotes itself as the “halibut capital of the world.” But it’s not just anglers looking to win the derby or prepare their best Halibut Olympia who seek the denizens of the deep.

Kerri Foote is a fishery technician with the Department of Fish and Game. Her job is to collect halibut and rockfish carcasses. During her shift, she visits fillet tables on the Homer Spit, takes the donated fish and measures the length, records the sex, and removes the otolith — a bone from the fish’s ear.

“It allows us to ask the question of how many fish we can take from a fishery every given year,” said Martin Schuster, a fisheries biologist with Fish and Game.

Read the full story at KTUU

Something’s ‘Fishy’ On The Blockchain, But Can This Tech Reduce Seafood Fraud?

August 6, 2018 –Whitebait or halibut? Now, are you sure that the expensive “Wild-caught” Atlantic salmon you had for dinner last night was in fact the gourmet fish you thought it was? Or, was it just a cheaper farm-grown salmon – or perhaps not even salmon at all? This is not the shipping news, but you’ll get the picture pretty soon.

Moreover, can you be 100% sure the tasty white tuna sushi your local sushi bar serves is actually made from tuna – and not from escolar – also known as oil fish?

What is the big deal, you might ask. Well, escolar is quite notorious for its delicious, cheap and oily meat. Meat that causes intense stomach problems, in other words, nasty uncontrollable diarrhoea.

Now, how likely is it for a sushi restaurant to serve its hungry customers fish with such severe side effects? Or for that matter how common is fraud in general in the seafood industry? The whole scene will probably surprise the average person, if they have not already delved into some research about the topic. So, let us get down to the nub of it.

From 2010 to 2012, Oceana, one of the largest organizations focusing on studying oceans founded by a group of leading foundations and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, conducted a study exploring fraud in the seafood industry. According to the research as much as one-third of seafood products in the United States (U.S.) were mislabelled. Shocked?

Read the full story at Forbes

Halibut dock prices rebound, but upswing may not last

August 2, 2018 — Halibut prices fell about $2 per pound at the beginning of the season.

But there’s good news for some fishermen: ex-vessel prices are increasing slightly around the state.

“We did see the ex-vessel price for halibut perk up a bit where we’re at $6.25, $6.50, $6.75 here in Homer today,” said Doug Bowen, who tracks halibut prices around the Gulf of Alaska for Alaska Boats and Permits, a vessel-and-fishing permit broker in Homer.

Those prices have a significant influence on the halibut quota Bowen sells for fishermen.

Five dollars per pound at the start of the season is the lowest price Pacific halibut fetched on the docks in several years.

Prices at the beginning of the season usually start high, McDowell Group fish economist Garrett Everidge said, and trend downward through the spring.

The recent spike in dock prices reflect typical market fluctuations, Everidge said.

“Maybe the market is working through some uncertainty that was present at the beginning of the season,” he said. “Around this time of the year, a lot of salmon fishermen who’ve done halibut are busy. It’s typically the slowest time of year and that could be why prices have appreciated a little bit.”

Read the full story at KTOO

Vineyard Wind Appoints Crista Bank as Fisheries Liaison

July 30, 2018 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The following was released by Vineyard Wind:

Vineyard Wind today announced the appointment of Crista Bank as Fisheries Liaison. In this role, Bank will lead the project’s regional engagement with fishing industry representatives on Cape and Islands, the South Coast, Rhode Island, and along the East Coast.

A fisheries scientist, Bank brings extensive local, regional, national and international experience and deep knowledge of marine science and fisheries issues to her role at Vineyard Wind.

“We’re pleased to have Crista lead our efforts to address the important questions the fishing industry have raised about the impacts of offshore wind development on the marine environment and on sea life,” said Erich Stephens, Chief Development Officer with Vineyard Wind. “Crista will play a key role in ensuring that the first large-scale offshore wind project in the US helps establish a robust body of knowledge that will benefit the American offshore wind industry and the fishing community for decades to come.”

Most recently, Crista served as a fisheries biologist at the School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) at UMass Dartmouth, working on collaborative research projects with commercial fishermen studying cod, monkfish, and halibut. Previously, she served on the Schooner Ernestina, the only surviving 19th century Gloucester-built fishing schooner and one of two remaining examples of the Fredonia-style schooners, where she earned her 100-ton United States Coast Guard Captain’s license. Bank also worked on board traditional sailing vessels across the world, including journeys to the Indian and Atlantic oceans. She started her career teaching marine science at outdoor experiential education programs in New England, Southern California, and the Florida Keys. Crista earned a bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology from UMass Dartmouth and a Master’s degree in Fisheries Oceanography from SMAST.

In May, Vineyard Wind was selected to negotiate long-term contracts with Massachusetts’ electric distribution companies (EDCs) for construction of an 800-megawatt (MW) wind farm 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard; the project will provide the amount of clean energy used by over 400,000 homes across Massachusetts Vineyard Wind remains on schedule to begin site construction in 2019 and become operational by 2021.

About Vineyard Wind

Vineyard Wind LLC is an offshore wind development company seeking to build the first large-scale offshore wind energy project in the US, to be located 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. Vineyard Wind, based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, is 50 percent owned by funds of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and 50 percent by Avangrid Renewables. For more information, visit www.vineyardwind.com.

 

ALASKA: Julianne Curry Joins Icicle Seafood as Public Affairs Manager

June 21, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — Icicle Seafood announced yesterday that Julianne Curry, a fourth-generation Alaska fisherman and advocate for the Alaska seafood industry, has been named the company’s Public Affairs Manager. She began at the post on Monday.

“Julianne was born and raised in Petersburg, Alaska, where Icicle also has deep roots,” said John Woodruff, Chief Operating Officer at Icicle Seafoods. “As a long-term resident of the area and a third generation Icicle fisherman, she is in tune with the state’s fishing sector and with Icicle Seafoods and its impressive history in the region. We are confident that Julianne will do a tremendous job and will quickly help advance the company.”

Based in Petersburg, Curry will focus on regulatory and policy matters, government and community relations and will work collaboratively with her Alaska seafood colleagues on strategic planning efforts to positively impact the sector.

Kris Norosz, also of Petersburg, held the position for Icicle until her retirement last year.

Curry was the Executive Director and lobbyist for United Fishermen of Alaska and served as the Executive Director of the Petersburg Vessel Owners Association. Most recently she consulted on a variety of fisheries related issues at both the state and federal level. She is the Chair of the Communications Committee at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) and is a member of its Salmon Committee. She has been a member of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Advisory Panel, a board member of United Fishermen of Alaska (UFA) and the National Seafood Marketing Coalition (NSMC) while also participating on the Halibut Coalition Steering Committee. In addition, she is a regular attendee at various management and regulatory meetings such as the Board of Fisheries, International Pacific Halibut Commission

Curry is the Chair of the Communications Committee at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) and is a member of its Salmon Committee. She has been a member of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Advisory Panel, a board member of United Fishermen of Alaska (UFA) and the National Seafood Marketing Coalition (NSMC) while also participating on the Halibut Coalition Steering Committee. In addition, she is a regular attendee at various management and regulatory meetings such as the Board of Fisheries, International Pacific Halibut Commission and the State Legislature.

Icicle Seafoods began when Robert Thorstenson Sr. formed a group of fishermen to buy out the Pacific American plant in Petersburg in 1965, renaming it Petersburg Fisheries which eventually became Icicle Seafoods. The company is one of the largest and most diversified seafood firms in North America, with facilities throughout Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.

Since acquiring Icicle Seafoods in 2016, Cooke Seafood USA, Inc. has expanded the company on many levels, including investing in processing facilities and supporting Alaska communities through its ‘buy local’ policy.

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

Carryover frozen halibut brews competition in Alaska

June 20, 2018 — As the fleet fished on a halibut quota of 16.63 million pounds, dockside offers ranged from $4.25 to $5.50 per pound for fish 20 pounds and under to 40 pounds and up. That’s down significantly from the 2017 spread of $6.40 to $6.90 per pound when the fleet fished on a quota of 18.3 million pounds.

This year’s pricing trend flies in the face of market dynamics of years past, when diminished supplies translated to higher prices all the way through the distribution chain.

Whether the volume of supplies and price point have reached the equilibrium of what consumers will pay for a slice of halibut on their plates remains to be seen. In the meantime, Bob Alverson, manager of the Fishing Vessel Owners’ Association in Seattle, noted that processors have reported carryover inventories of frozen Pacific halibut from 2017 are competing with volumes of fresh Atlantic halibut funneling into markets along the East Coast.

The fall in ex-vessel prices for blackcod tells a slightly different story. The 2018 quota has been set at 25.8 million pounds, up from the 22.58 million pounds of 2017. Alverson noted that strong year classes of fish spawned in 2014 and 2015 have begun recruiting into the fishery — good news in the health of the resource.

However, the extra quantities of the 2- to 3-pound fish coming across the docks has precipitated decreased pricing in export markets to Japan and throughout Asia.

Read the full story at National Fisherman