Author: Fishermen's News

A federal fisheries study focused on the influence of water temperature on egg hatching success concludes that the dramatic loss of Pacific cod in the Gulf of Alaska in 2019 was due to lack of optimal spawning habitat on the ocean bottom. The NOAA Fisheries study, led by biologist Benjamin Laurel, connected low numbers of Pacific cod larvae, juveniles and adults to loss of spawning habitat in the 2013 – 2016 marine heatwave, known as “the Blob” – the largest warm anomaly ever recorded in the North Pacific. Loss of optimal habitat for the Pacific cod eggs occurred during and immediately following the heat wave, causing a significant ecological as well as a significant economic impact on the second most valuable commercial fishery in Alaska. Also worth noting, researchers said, is t...

A new report by an international team of marine scientists says 7.7 to 14 million metric tons of fish caught each year are potentially contributing to an illicit trade system that threatens food and economic systems worldwide and exacerbates overfishing issues. The findings of University of British Columbia researchers Daniel Pauly, Lincoln Hood, Ussif Rashid Sumaila and others in British Columbia and Australia was reported in February in an article entitled “Illicit trade in marine fish catch and its effects on ecosystems and people worldwide,” in the Science Advances, a publication of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Their study suggests that these illicit harvests gross between $8.9 billion and $17.2 billion each year, with Asia, Africa and South America hard...

Market promotion will be the drawing card for the second annual meeting of the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers, set for Oct. 12 at Seattle’s Bell Harbor International Conference Center. The intent will be the same as the first annual meeting, to bring the industry together to collaborate on how to better promote its fish and celebrate their successes together, said Craig Morris, chief executive officer of GAPP. The event date was chosen largely because it coincides with the International Groundfish Forum. “We look forward to welcoming guests from all over the world who are connected to the wild Alaska Pollock industry as we recognize that many of our biggest challenges and greatest opportunities are global ones,” said Morris. Companies interested in sponsoring the ...

A new international study published in Nature Sustainability concludes that nations in the tropics, especially Northwest African nations, are vulnerable to potential species loss due to climate change. Not only are tropical countries at risk of loss of fish stocks, as fish migrate to cooler waters to maintain their preferred thermal environment, but there are not currently any adequate policy interventions to help mitigate affected countries’ potential losses. Researchers from the Universities of Delaware, California Santa Barbara and Hokkaido collaborated on the study, which was reported at EurekAlert, the online publication of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. When researchers looked at international agreements, including the UN Convention on the Law of the ...

The International Pacific Halibut Commission’s 2020 fisheries-independent setline survey, from May 23 through Aug. 31, will include a grid of 1,300 stations from Oregon to the northern Bering Sea, including the Aleutian Islands. The setline survey is conducted using 10 to 14 fishing vessels whose bids were accepted to do the sampling of 28 charter regions within the PIHC convention area. All regions are open annually for single-year bids. The survey, one of the largest in the world, costs about $5 million to $6 million, and is paid for by the sale of halibut caught to processors located where the charter vessels land, through a bidding system conducted by the IPHC, said Stephen Keith, assistant director of the IPHC. The survey is conducted to collect standardized data for use in t...

Concern that the coronavirus could turn the nation’s largest seafood show into a petri dish for the virus has prompted postponement of Seafood Expo North America, which is well attended by the Alaska seafood industry. Word spread rapidly after Diversified Communications announced on Tuesday, March 3, that the show, set for March 15-17 in Boston, Mass., was postponed while they look at other options. The notice reads that Diversified is “committed to finding a solution to deliver an event in North America this year, to ensure business continuity to the seafood industry.” Details on when and where will be communicated directly to customers next month. The show, now in its 40th year, generates millions of dollars in sales for the Alaska seafood industry. Jeremy Woodrow, executive direct...

As a key navigational feature of the Salish Sea, the Canadian military would like to provide a friendly reminder of their presence in the local area, along with a couple points to consider. Area WG is approximately 60 nautical miles square and is located to the North/West of Nanaimo. During operations the area is extremely hazardous to navigation and is closed to all civilian traffic. To avoid any unnecessary delays please take the time before going out on the water to check whether or not area WG is active. You can always contact Winchelsea Control on VHF Ch. 10 to confirm whether we are active or not. During operations you will hear our Security call on VHF Ch.16 every 30 minutes. Additionally, please note that South Ballenas is Department of National Defense property and is restri...