Saving Seafood

News for the Pacific Region

California ocean salmon season options revealed by council

March 15, 2024 — The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) has produced three options for ocean salmon seasons beginning May 16, 2024. Two of the three alternatives would authorize short ocean salmon season dates and establish small harvest limits for commercial and sport fishing off California in 2024. The third alternative would be to close the ocean fisheries off California for a second consecutive year. The alternatives were approved by the PFMC for public review on Monday.

In response to several years of drought over the past decade, key California salmon target stocks are forecast to have 2024 abundance levels that, while higher than last year, are well below average. The 2024 stock abundance forecast for Sacramento River Fall Chinook, often the most abundant in the ocean fishery, is 213,600 adults. Meanwhile, abundance of Klamath River Fall Chinook is forecast at 180,700 adults. At this level of abundance, the Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan authorizes only low levels of fishing on these stocks. It requires management to be designed to allow most of the adult population to return to the river to spawn.

Read the full article at The National Fisherman

HAWAII: United Fishing Agency and Hawaii Longline Association Join Forces with Aloha Harvest

March 12, 2024 — The following was released by Aloha Harvest:

United Fishing Agency (UFA), Hawaii Longline Association (HLA), and Aloha Harvest have established a fish donation and distribution program for social service agencies feeding local people and families in need. To jumpstart the program, HLA will donate $10,000 to Aloha Harvest. The monetary and in-kind donations will go toward Aloha Harvest’s ongoing mission to fight hunger in Hawaii.

“Mahalo to United Fishing Agency and Hawaii Longline Association for the generous donation and ongoing partnership,” said Brandon Tomita, executive director at Aloha Harvest. “Fresh fish is a staple in many local diets. This is a great opportunity to provide a nutritious protein option to those in need on a regular basis.”

Aloha Harvest is the largest food rescue and redistribution organization in Hawaii. Free of charge to both food donors and recipient agencies, Aloha Harvest is a key logistical partner coordinating difficult, often same day, deliveries of prepared foods and stock items. Now entering its 25th year of operation, Aloha Harvest has curated a network of over 1,000 collaborators looking to Waste Less, Feed More.

“Aloha Harvest is aligned with the local fishing industry’s mission to nourish and sustain the people of Hawaii,” said Mike Goto, vice president at UFA. “We’ve been supplying fresh and sustainably caught fish to local residents, restaurants and businesses since 1952. We’re fortunate to be in a position to give back to the community that has supported us for over 70 years.”

HLA is comprised of 150 locally owned fishing boats that supply premium quality fresh fish to many of Hawaii’s famous poke shops, sushi restaurants, retailers and more. The Hawaii longline fleet is federally managed, comprehensively regulated and highly monitored. The fishery is also independently certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council.

“The Hawaii longline fishery is the largest food producer in Hawaii and we work really hard in dangerous conditions to produce high quality fish for local consumers and visitors,” said Eric Kingma, executive director of HLA. “Seafood is a healthy food choice and we’re thrilled to work with Aloha Harvest to get more fresh fish to local people in need.”

UFA and HLA are committed to the long-term health and strength of Hawaii’s people, culture and economy. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, United Fishing Agency formed a strong working relationship with Hawaii Foodbank through the Fish to Dish program, which supported Hawaii’s longline fishing industry and provided over 350,000 servings of locally sourced fish fillets to Hawaii Foodbank and partners. In 2022, to celebrate its 70th anniversary, UFA donated approximately 4,000 pounds or over $10,000 worth of local fish to Hawaii Foodbank to support the redistribution of food to vulnerable members of the local community.

About United Fishing AgencyUnited Fishing Agency owns and operates the Honolulu Fish Auction located at Pier 38, which is an essential part of Hawaii’s food security and economy. The Honolulu Fish Auction is the only fish auction between Tokyo and Maine and the only fresh tuna auction of its kind in the United States. Since 1952, it has supported local commercial fishers, while providing fresh, high-quality, and nutritious fish for the state’s residents and visitors. To learn more, visit www.unitedfishingagency.com.

About Hawaii Longline Association
Established in 2000, HLA represents the Hawaii-based longline fleet and associated seafood businesses. The Hawaii longline fishery — which started in Hawaii in 1917 and is now comprised of 150 locally owned active vessels — is the largest food producer in the State of Hawaii. The dockside landed value of the fishery is around $120 million annually, ranking Honolulu Harbor in the nation’s top ten ports in terms of fisheries economic value. The longline fishery represents approximately 85% of commercial fishing landings  in Hawaii. To learn more, visit www.hawaiilongline.org

About Aloha Harvest
Founded in 1999 by the Hau’oli Mau Loa Foundation, Aloha Harvest is the largest food rescue and redistribution organization in Hawaii. Providing its services free of charge, Aloha Harvest rescues quality food before it enters the waste stream and delivers it to community partners that feed the hungry. In January 2024, Aloha Harvest reached a milestone when it hit 35 million pounds of food rescued.

CALIFORNIA: California Salmon Season to Be Restricted or Shut Down — Again

March 12, 2024 — California’s fishing industry is bracing for another bad year as federal managers announced Monday plans to heavily restrict or prohibit salmon fishing again after canceling the entire season last year.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council on Monday released a series of options that are under consideration, all of which either ban commercial and recreational salmon fishing in the ocean off California or shorten the season and set strict catch limits. The council’s decision is expected next month; the commercial season typically begins in May and ends in October.

While more Chinook salmon returned from the ocean to spawn last year than in 2022, fishery managers said the population is expected to be so small that they must be protected this year to avoid overfishing.

Fall-run Chinook salmon are a mainstay of commercial and recreational fishing and tribal food supplies. But their populations are now a fraction of what they once were — dams have blocked vital habitat, while droughts and water diversions have driven down flows and increased temperatures, killing large numbers of salmon eggs and young fish.

The plan is a devastating blow for an industry still reeling from last year’s closure. State officials estimate that last year’s closure cost about $45 million — which the fishing industry says vastly underestimates the actual toll.

Read the full article at KQED

NOAA talks new proposal for Papahanaumokuakea

March 12, 2024 — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is proposing a national marine sanctuary in the marine portions of the existing Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, which is a protected area to the northwest of the main Hawaiian Islands.

According to NOAA, Papahanaumokuakea is the “largest contiguous fully protected conservation area under the U.S. flag and one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world. It encompasses 582,578 square miles of the Pacific Ocean (1,508,870 square kilometers) – an area larger than all the country’s national parks combined.”

NOAA’s superintendent of Papahanaumokuakea, Eric Roberts, joined Take2 Friday morning to explain the importance of the proposal and what the benefits could be.

Read the full article at KHON

“Big plans” for seafood industry expansion announced at National People’s Congress

March 9, 2024 — China’s seafood industry has the government’s full backing to expand, judging from comments made at China’s annual National People’s Congress.

In remarks at the annual National People’s Congress in Beijing on 5 March, Chinese Premier Li Qiang spoke of strengthening China’s food security, including continuing a policy of backing the country’s distant-water fishing sector, which the government supports with generous subsidies.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

CALIFORNIA: Calif. fishermen struggle with proposal to protect deep-sea coral

March 6, 2024 — The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) will analyze the potential impacts of fishery closures for deep-sea coral restoration and research sites. These sites are proposed to protect habitats from bottom fishing gear in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Sur Ridge, Ano Nuevo Canyon, and Ascension Canyon are the three potential sites. The fishing gear that could affect these sanctuaries at these depths would include traps and set longlines for black cod, also known as sablefish. The proposed coral research and restoration areas vary in size. Sur Ridge is 36.64 nautical square miles, Ano Neuvo Canyon is 6.5 nautical square miles, and Ascension Canyon is 2.96 nautical square miles, with the depths of all three ranging from 1574 to 5118 feet.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

White House, tribal leaders hail ‘historic’ deal to restore salmon runs in Pacific Northwest

February 26, 2024 —  The Biden administration, leaders of four Columbia River Basin tribes and the governors of Oregon and Washington celebrated on Friday as they signed papers formally launching a $1 billion plan to help recover depleted salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest.

The plan, announced in December, stopped short of calling for the removal of four controversial dams on the Snake River, as some environmental groups and tribal leaders have urged. But officials said it would boost clean energy production and help offset hydropower, transportation and other benefits provided by the dams should Congress ever agree to breach them.

The plan brokered by the Biden administration pauses long-running litigation over federal dam operations and represents the most significant step yet toward eventually taking the four Snake River dams down. The plan will strengthen tribal clean energy projects and provide other benefits for tribes and other communities that depend on the Columbia Basin for agriculture, energy, recreation and transportation, the White House said.

Read the full article at the Associated Press

 

Agreement to save Pacific Northwest salmon population signed

February 24, 2024 — A “landmark” agreement was signed by the federal government, the Pacific Northwest, and tribes to help save declining salmon populations in the Columbia Basin.

Friday’s ceremonial signing formalizes the Biden administration’s historic agreement made in December with Oregon, Washington, advocacy groups, and the “Six Sovereigns,” including the Yakima, Umatilla, Warm Springs, and Nez Pierce tribes.

The effort aims to preserve ecosystems supporting wild salmon, steelhead, and other native fish habitats in the region.

The agreement includes efforts to expand tribally sponsored clean energy production and aims to provide stability to communities that rely on the Columbia Basin.

The agreement includes efforts to expand tribally sponsored clean energy production and aims to provide stability to communities that rely on the Columbia Basin.

Read the full article at KOIN

Efforts to take Hawaiian monk seals off the endangered species list

February 24, 2024 — Throughout 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) conducted multiple Hawaiian monk seal research camps in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. NOAA researchers said the total population size is between 1,512 and 1,743. After decades of declining numbers, the number of monk seals has increased on average by 2 percent per year since 2013.

During NOAA’s last assessment and recovery camp, they documented 170 Hawaiian monk seal pups born last year at the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

“A lot of the important work that we do is being out at the field sites during the reproductive season, so that we have a chance to catch situations that may come up that would cause a seal to not survive,” said Thea Johanos, the supervisory research biologist for NOAA’s Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program.

Read the full article at KITV

As China’s squid catch soars, conservationists worry about scale of distant-water fleet

February 24, 2024 –A new report on the growth of China’s squid industry is predicting continued growth due to government support, investor appetite, and growing consumer demand.

The report, released by Guangzhou-based Heng Zhou Chengsi, also known as YH Research, notes government support through subsidies has led to investors backing several companies involved in tuna processing, including Ocean Family.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource