Alaska Alaska requests federal relief for 2024 fisheries disasters Seafood Source by Nathan Strout - February 26, 2025 The U.S. state of Alaska has requested millions of dollars in financial relief from the federal government to compensate fishers and related businesses for lost revenue from the state’s struggling salmon fisheries. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/environment-sustainability/alaska-requests-federal-relief-for-2024-fisheries-disasters National Trump administration layoffs hit NOAA, agency that forecasts weather, hurricanes KDLG by Alejandra Borunda, Michael Copley, Lauren Sommer, Hansi Lo Wang - February 27, 2025 A hurricane specialist looks at a satellite image of Hurricane Beryl, the first hurricane of the 2024 season. The National Hurricane Center provides forecasts of major storms, many of which make landfall in the U.S.. The Center is part of NOAA, the country's oceans- and atmosphere-focused agency. Experts say ongoing staff cuts at the agency could endanger some of its core missions, like forecasting weather. https://www.kdlg.org/as-heard-on-npr/2025-02-27/trump-administration-layoffs-hit-noaa-agency-that-forecasts-weather-hurricanes NOAA employees fired as part of latest wave of federal cuts KMXT by Brian Venua - February 27, 2025 The Kodiak Fisheries Research Center on Near Island also houses the island's aquarium and touch tank. The latest wave includes firing some NOAA employees at the Kodiak Fisheries Research Center. Staff could not confirm how many people were affected in the state, nor what positions were cut. https://www.kmxt.org/news/2025-02-27/noaa-employees-fired-as-part-of-latest-wave-of-federal-cuts International Trump says 4 March start date for 25 percent tariffs on Canada, Mexico still on, plans an additional 10 percent tariff on China Seafood Source by Chris Chase - February 27, 2025 U.S. President Donald Trump clarified the start date of 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico will be 4 March, after comments on 26 February suggested they could be delayed until April. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/trump-says-4-march-start-date-for-25-percent-tariffs-on-canada-mexico-still-on-plans-an-additional-10-percent-tariff-on-china *Requires Subscription Environment/Science New study shows impact of ocean acidification on Bering Sea red king crab Cordova Times by Margaret Bauman - February 26, 2025 Ocean acidification appears to be a driver in the decline of Bristol Bay red king crab, a highly value wild Alaska seafood that has for years been threatened by climate change. https://thecordovatimes.com/2025/02/26/study-ocean-acidification-bering-sea-red-king-crab/ Labeling and Marketing GAPP Reports Record Year for Wild Alaska Pollock Consumption Expana by Ryan Doyle - February 28, 2025 The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) said 2024 was a record year for American consumers' consumption of US-caught Wild Alaska Pollock.GAPP explained that it tracks the global supplies and trade of Pacific pollock and classifies the amount consumed in the US into two categories: “Alaska Pollock,” made from Pacific pollock harvested in US waters, and “pollock,” which was harvested in other countries, mostly in Russia.“Because of consumer preferences for U.S.-origin products and because only Pacific pollock harvested in U.S. waters is eligible to be marketed in the United States as “Alaska Pollock”, the percentage of Pacific pollock consumed in the U.S. that is of U.S. origin has steadily increased,” GAPP explained.GAPP has also pushed to have brands not just focus on the US-caught characteristic but also utilize the “Wild Alaska Pollock” on the front of packaging and on menus.In reviewing 2024 data, GAPP found that the amount of “pollock” and “Alaska pollock” available to consumers fell from 124,337 mt in 2023 to 115,260 mt in 2024. This would indicate that consumption fell with that decline.However, according to GAPP, the amount of Alaska pollock available for consumption grew from 99,815 mt in 2023 to 115,065 mt in 2024 and, in reviewing the data, this is the highest amount of U.S.-caught Alaska pollock available for domestic consumption on record. Since just 2022, Americans are now eating 24,583 mt more U.S.-caught Alaska pollock and that represents a 27.2 percent increase.“We are extremely pleased that Americans are eating more products made from Wild Alaska Pollock that was harvested in Alaska and that 2024 established a new record for U.S. consumption,” said Craig Morris, CEO of GAPP. “We know from our research that provenance is extremely important to US consumers and that the vast majority of Americans prefer their seafood be harvested in the United States. By purchasing U.S.-harvested Wild Alaska Pollock, Americans are supporting not only the intrepid men and women that fish the waters of the Gulf of Alaska and the Eastern Bering Sea, but also the businesses from whom they purchase goods and services.” https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1298818/GAPP-Reports-Record-Year-for-Wild-Alaska-Pollock-Consumption
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