Article Category: News

Effective Nov. 2, a new rule has implemented electronic monitoring (EM) program regulations for vessels using groundfish bottom trawl and non-whiting midwater trawl gear in the Pacific Coast Groundfish Trawl Catch Share Program.  The rule, which was announced NOAA Fisheries in mid-October, allows vessels using bottom trawl and non-whiting midwater trawl gear to use EM in place of human observers to meet their requirements for 100% at-sea catch monitoring.  The final rule is intended to boost operational flexibility and reduce monitoring costs for vessels in this groundfish trawl fishery. It also revises some language in existing regulations for EM vessels and EM service providers to clarify and streamline program requirements.  The Pacific Coast Groundfish Management Plan specifies me...

The Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA) in Sitka has received a $40,000 grant for a pilot project to convert the Alaska fishing fleet to hybrid diesel/electric in order to help lower the carbon footprint within the seafood industry. The project, supported by the Energy Transitions Initiative Project Partnership, joins ALFA with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Kemp Energetics to transfer technologies proven through other forms of transportation to small-scale commercial fishing boats. The Seafood Industry Climate Award (SICA) from the Acme Smoked Fish Foundation in Brooklyn, N.Y., will be used to purchase equipment for ALFA’s hybridization and decarbonization project, ALFA Executive Director Linda Behnken said. Together with TD Bank of Anchorage as the catalyst sp...

A local seafood summit designed to strengthen community-based seafood systems at the local, regional and national levels has concluded in Alaska, energizing a group of small boat harvesters, researchers, marketers and others to continue building such seafood systems. “Meeting salmon people for the first time in my life was overwhelming,” said Jason Jarvis, president of the board of the North American Marine Alliance, whose focus is building a movement toward healthy fisheries and fishing communities. “The connections we’ve made here collectively are powerful. Where do we go from here?” he asked. “What do we do now?” Jarvis was among 170 participants from across the U.S. and Canada who gathered Oct. 2-3 to network with others engaged in community-based seafood systems. The Alyeska Hote...

NOAA Fisheries, the leader in the Alaska Large Whale Entanglement Response Program, recently held workshops in four communities on how to best respond to entangled whales. The training sessions in Metlakatla, Auke Bay and Gustavus in Southeast Alaska, and Cordova, on Prince William Sound, taught safety skills needed to approach whales in distress, especially entangled whales.  Participating NOAA employees and partner agencies included a team of advanced, authorized responders and trainers who use specialized equipment to safely and legally respond to entangled whales. The program emphasizes the importance of assessment and documentation from a safe, legal distance from the on-water communities. Christine Gabriele of the Humpback Whale Monitoring Program at Glacier Bay National Park an...

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...