Article Category: News

A collaborative effort of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA) and Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust (ASFT) has brought thousands of pounds of sockeye salmon to communities in the Chignik and Yukon River regions of Alaska banned from fishing because of low salmon runs.  “It was really important to us that we expand our salmon distributions to the Yukon where they are facing a true food security crisis due in part to climate change’s impacts on our marine ecosystem and the health of our wild salmon runs,” said Linda Behnken, a veteran commercial harvester, executive director of ALFA and president of the ASFT board. “We recognize that this summer’s salmon donations are a band-aid at best and that we ultimately need to address the underlying causes of these devastating decl...

Officials from restaurant chain Red Lobster and food distributor Sysco have joined the board of the non-profit Seafood Nutrition Partnership to lend their expertise in educating Americans about using seafood as a healthy and nutritious addition to their diets, SNP announced Oct. 18. Additionally, the SNP has added a member of the nutrition organization Oldways Preservation Trust to its scientific nutrition advisory committee. “Seafood has a great story to tell and we have a tremendous opportunity to connect with Americans on the public health benefits of seafood,” new advisory board member and Red Lobster spokeswoman Patty Travino said. With Orlando, Florida-based Red Lobster Travino is responsible for leading the marketing and culinary related activities for the casual dining seafood...

A new committee being formed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) is expected to provide ongoing assistance to the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in efforts to engage the fisheries industry as it manages development of offshore winds, it was revealed in late October. The standing committee is to serve as a forum to discuss the state of science and pressing concerns related to the development of offshore wind and its potential impacts to fisheries. The committee is expected to meet regularly and engage in discussions and exchange of information on key related topics and to provide expert assessment of recent developments in selected fields of science and technology and general advice on gaps and priorities for research. The committee would ...

A citizens’ advisory group established in the wake of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska’s Prince William Sound has taken a stance against use of dispersants in cleanup operations, saying prevention and mechanical recovery are the preferred alternatives. The updated position of the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council says that chemical dispersants applied to floating oil slicks should not be used on Alaska North Slope crude oil spills in the region. Such dispersants are substances used on floating oil slicks to break the oil into smaller droplets that disperse into the water column. The council has for years supported mechanical recovery, with use of booms and skimmers as the primary tool for cleaning up oil spills. The council said conditions in Prince Wi...

The guided-missile destroyer USS Daniel Inouye assisted the commercial fishing vessel Sea Diamond in a towing operation back to Honolulu following a problem with Sea Diamond’s engine in mid-October, the U.S. Navy said. At about 12:30 a.m. on Oct. 18, the Daniel Inouye received a call from the U.S. Coast Guard to assist the commercial fishing vessel Sea Diamond. The vessel had lost all propulsion and reported a shafting propeller casualty. Upon making contact with the fishing boat, the Daniel Inouye decided to tow the Sea Diamond back to Honolulu. The ship maintained a speed of 6 knots for about 12 hours before turning over custodianship to the Coast Guard five nautical miles outside of Honolulu Harbor. Sea Diamond is a 35-year-old U.S.-flagged trawler. The 71-foot long commercial fish...

Two commercial fishermen’s organizations in California are partnering with a joint venture of wind power entities to facilitate communication, coordination and cooperation between the two industries for their mutual coordination and financial benefit. Partners in the Morro Bay Lease Areas Mutual Benefits Corporation (Morro Bay MBC), which was announced in mid-October, include the Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization (MBCFO), the Port San Luis Commercial Fisherman’s Association (PSLCFA) and Castle Wind LLC, a joint venture between Trident Winds Inc. and TotalEnergies Renewables USA. The partners said the new entity creates a pathway for the industry to demonstrate to fishermen, the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the California Coastal Commission the commit...

The number of temporary nonagricultural worker visas to be issued for 2023 is expected to nearly double under a new H-2B plan from the Department of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Labor Department. The plan, which also protects foreign workers from exploitation from unscrupulous employers, was announced by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in mid-October, allowed for making these supplemental visas available on Oct. 1, the outset of the new fiscal year. American industries ranging from seafood processing, hospitality and tourism to landscaping and others depend on seasonal workers to meet demand. The supplemental visa allocation addresses seasonal worker needs where too few American workers are available for hire. Mayorkas said announcing the full year alloca...

A Northern California-based company that makes intelligent tracking buoys for commercial fishing fleets is one of six companies that have been named as members of a new program that helps companies aiming to improve ocean health. The University of Southern Mississippi Research Foundation and SeaAhead, a benefit corporation with the mission of supporting new venture development, along with the support of partners including Jackson State University, has selected the first cohort of blue technology startup companies for the Gulf Blue Navigator. The six-month program provides scaling startups with innovations relevant to the ocean, proximity to federal agencies, technical facilities and expertise. With an emphasis on shortening the timeline of development and market access, the Gulf Blue N...

Norwegian researchers have released study results showing that the body size of Atlantic salmon can rapidly adapt to habitat changes. However, researchers Ingerid J. Hagen and Sten Kaflsson, of the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research in Trondheim, Norway said that understanding how species respond to habitat alternation is hampered by a lack of knowledge of the genetic basis of traits and a lack of data on changes in trails over time. The study, published by nonprofit news-release distribution platform EurekAlert in October, examined how the body mass of Atlantic salmon adapted to regulations tied to hydropower generation in the River Eira, a sport fishery in western Norway. There is also a population of sea trout in River Eira, but catch records in sea trout are not sufficient to...

Alaska officials are seeking a federal fisheries disaster declaration for the 2022-23 Bristol Bay red king crab and Bering Sea snow crab fisheries. Gov. Mike Dunleavy said on Tuesday, Oct. 25 that he also has asked Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to expedite a disaster determine for the 2021-22 red king crab fishery. Dunleavy’s plea to the Commerce Department said information available to him indicated that both crab stock declines were a result of natural causes linked to warming ocean temperatures. The fisheries industry and affected communities in Alaska will need economic relief, he said. Alaska’s lone member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola, has also urged aid for the crab industry, in a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and House Appr...