Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Alaska Alaska pollock on a wild ride National Fisherman by Charlie Ess - August 15, 2022 While many facets of Alaska’s seafood industry struggle to recover from the throes of trade tariffs, the pandemic, and more recently the war in Ukraine, Bering Sea pollock products are on a roll like they’ve never known. https://www.nationalfisherman.com/alaska/alaska-pollock-on-a-wild-ride Ruling clouds future of southeast Alaska king salmon fishery The Washington Post by Gene Johnson, AP - August 11, 2022 SEATTLE — A federal court ruling this week has thrown into doubt the future of a valuable commercial king salmon fishery in Southeast Alaska, after a conservation group challenged the government’s approval of the harvest as a threat to protected fish and the endangered killer whales that eat them. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/ruling-clouds-future-of-southeast-alaska-king-salmon-fishery/2022/08/11/15fdb312-19ab-11ed-b998-b2ab68f58468_story.html Feds Signal Management Shift on Kuskokwim if Coho Salmon Run Doesn’t Improve SeafoodNews.com by Peggy Parker - August 12, 2022 Federal salmon managers on the lower Kuskokwim River, the portion that flows through the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, announced yesterday that they will take over management of the subsistence fishery from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game if the silver salmon return numbers remain low. On Wednesday, the Kuskokwim River Salmon Management Working Group, an advisory group to ADF&G, rejected a recommendation from ADF&G to close all subsistence fishing in the lower Kuskokwim. State biologists have reported that the 2022 silver run is the second-lowest in the past decade. “Right now we're not projected to meet escapement,” said ADF&G biologist Nick Smith. “And so the harvest needs to be curtailed until the time that we make escapement,” he said. Smith has purview over management in the middle and upper river, Sections 4 and 5, but is prevented by the courts from announcing conflicting management decisions in sections 1 to 3 of the lower river according to coverage of the decision by KYUK.org. That is due to a restraining order issued against the state of Alaska related to an ongoing lawsuit about management of the river, and the different priorities each side assigns to "subsistence” fishing. Yesterday the working group unanimously voted to support the federal management of coho in the federal waters of the lower Kuskokwim River. That would allow for some subsistence fishing on the river, closely monitored. The group also voted to recommend that the state mirror lower river management decisions in the middle and upper river. According to a story in KYUK.org yesterday, subsistence users up and down the river balked at the state’s plan to close the entire river for more than a month, calling it overly restrictive. Tribal Chief Mike Williams Sr. of Akiak said that he recognized the need to protect the run, but for him there’s a more important aspect. “My biggest fear is that drastic management action without any food to eat for two months is not good for the families and our health,” said Williams Sr. Other users with traditional knowledge, like Fritz Charles, said that the river is only feeling its first pulse of fish right now and they expect another pulse to come through soon. He also said that explains the small body size of the first run of silvers. “When they're extra small this year that means you know they're gonna be plentiful this year,” said Charles. The federal government agreed with the state’s assessment of the low numbers, but said that it still wanted to protect at least some subsistence fishing. Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge Manager Boyd Blihovde said that he would not announce the Emergency Special Action details prior to Aug. 13, saying that he would need some time to draft a plan in consultation with federal and Tribal biologists and the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1232478/Feds-Signal-Management-Shift-on-Kuskokwim-if-Coho-Salmon-Run-Doesnt-Improve International Japan: H1 Surimi Imports Up 10.3%, June Imports from the U.S. Fell 44.1% SeafoodNews.com by Tom Asakawa - August 10, 2022 Surimi prices are historically high, but surimi imports in the first half of 2022 reached 114,899 tons, or 10.3% higher than last year, reported Kamaboko News. The Ministry of Finance recently announced that the amount of surimi imported in June 2022 was 21,542 tons, a decrease of 3.4% from the previous year. Imports from the United States amounted to 6,004 tons, halved to 45.9% of the previous year. It was the third straight month of decline. Imports from Thailand were 1,630 tons, also down 8.8% from the previous year. On the other hand, steady deliveries from Argentina, Russia, Vietnam, and India made up for the decline in the United States. India exported 5,863 tons, an increase of 107.8%. Vietnam also recorded an increase of 39.0% with 2,341 tons. In addition, 2,153 tons arrived from Russia, a five-fold increase from the previous year. The total amount of surimi imported from January to June was 114,899 tons, a double-digit increase of 10.3% compared to the previous year. Statistically, the import volume continues to increase. The United States, reportedly in short supply, turned to 35,317 tons, a decline of 12.7%. Imports from other significant countries, however, are generally progressing smoothly. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1232271/Japan-H1-Surimi-Imports-Up-10-point-3-percent-June-Imports-from-the-US-Fell-44-point-1-percent- Environment/Science NOAA Fisheries Releases New Research Plan for Shellfish, Seaweed Aquaculture in Alaska Urner Barry by Ryan Doyle - August 12, 2022 The Alaska Fisheries Science Center unveiled its new strategic research plan for shellfish and seaweed aquaculture in Alaska. According to a story posted on NOAA Fisheries website, the research plan will be used to guide the science center’s aquaculture-related research over the next 5 years. Specifically, NOAA mentioned a focus on seaweed (kelp and red algae), shellfish (Pacific oysters, pinto abalone, king crab), and other invertebrates (sea cucumber). “This science will support the state and NOAA's efforts to promote shellfish and seaweed production to stimulate job growth and ensure resilient coastal communities. This research will provide an important foundation for sustainable development,” said Bob Foy, Alaska Fisheries Science Center Director. “Marine aquaculture contributes to restoration efforts in Alaska, and is increasing economic opportunities for coastal communities through the farming of shellfish and seaweed.” Currently, the aquaculture industry in the state was described as “relatively small-scale” with 82 permitted farms. Another 24 farms have permits pending. The combined economic value of the industry is around $1.5 million. NOAA Fisheries is hoping to change that. Seeing shellfish and seaweed production as a long-term benefit for Alaska. “We have an obligation to provide supporting science and research for federal policy-making and regulation. Our research can help ensure that aquaculture that is taking place in the state is conducted in a manner that doesn’t pose a risk to essential fish habitat, wild populations, subsistence subtidal and tidal harvest, marine mammals and commercial and recreational fisheries in coastal areas,” said Jordan Hollarsmith, Alaska Fisheries Science Center Aquaculture Research Lead. A handful of research priorities include: - Promote sustainable industry growth through monitoring and improved understanding of ecosystem interactions - Promote economically and socially sustainable growth by increasing the portfolio of species grown in Alaska, focusing on endemic species and multitrophic aquaculture and building oyster hatchery production in Alaska through strategic partnerships and selective breeding of Alaska optimized strains - Enhance the resiliency of Alaska aquaculture to climate change through improved understanding of the potential for macroalgae to locally mitigate ocean acidification and sequester carbon, and further modeling efforts to identify future aquaculture locations under various climate change scenarios. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1232476/NOAA-Fisheries-Releases-New-Research-Plan-for-Shellfish-Seaweed-Aquaculture-in-Alaska Labeling and Marketing 3MMI - China Raw Materials Update: Pink & Chum Salmon Supply Short TradexFoods - August 15, 2022 Our sources in China have advised that Pink and Chum Salmon supply are very short this year. Although Alaska Chum and Pink Salmon harvest have shown signs of recovering, Russia's landings are only 21 percent of the forecast and 25 percent of last year's harvest. Processing plants in China believe Chum and Pink pricing will be held at high levels for a while and start going up in November as... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngV_9yx04xE Opinion OPINION: A busy summer for Alaska’s bycatch task force Anchorage Daily News by John Jensen - August 12, 2022 Healthy and sustainable Alaska fisheries are important for everyone in our state. Last November, Gov. Mike Dunleavy took action to build on Alaska’s record as a https://www.adn.com/opinions/2022/08/12/opinion-a-busy-summer-for-alaskas-bycatch-task-force/ *Requires subscription Pacific Seafood Processors Association 1900 W Emerson Place Suite 205, Seattle, WA 98119 Phone: 206.281.1667 E-mail: admin@pspafish.net; Website: www.pspafish.net Our office days/hours are Monday-Friday 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. *Inclusion of a news article, report, or other document in this email does not imply PSPA support or endorsement of the information or opinion expressed in the document.