Fishermen’s News – Page 94

2020 Research Surveys for Alaska Waters Cancelled

1Jul

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2020 Research Surveys for Alaska Waters Cancelled

Federal fisheries officials have cancelled five or six large-scale research surveys in federal waters off Alaska in 2020 in an effort to protect their crews and communities associated with the surveys from the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic. NOAA Fisheries officials said on May 22 that it was a difficult decision to make, while balancing their core mission and the realities and impacts of the pandemic. The cancelations include the Aleutian Islands bottom trawl survey, the Eastern Bering Sea bottom trawl survey, the northern Bering Sea bottom trawl survey, the Bering Sea Pollock acoustics survey and the fall ecosystem survey. The annual Alaska longline survey will take place as planned. NOAA Fisheries said that after two months of careful planning and rigorous analysis of vari...

1Jul

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Note from Olympia

Federal Relief for Washington Fishers

COVID-19 has interrupted seafood markets, both here in the Pacific Northwest and globally. International trade has been disrupted, making it difficult for shellfish growers, crabbers, trawlers, and other commercial fishers to export their catch to other countries for processing and for consumption. Travel restrictions are making it tough for fishers who participate in fisheries in other states or federal waters to deliver to Washington markets. The local markets our fishers rely on have been severely impacted by the closure of restaurants, casinos, and other businesses. Reduced demand is impacting buyers and processors, especially those who distribute fresh seafood. Fishermen are experiencing reduced prices at the dock and processors and suppliers are experiencing smaller operating margin...

Ocean Beauty, Icicle become OBI Seafoods

1Jul

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Ocean Beauty, Icicle become OBI Seafoods

Ocean Beauty Seafoods and Icicle Seafoods have merged their wild salmon and Gulf of Alaska groundfish operations to become OBI Seafoods LLC. The agreement, which was set to close on June 1, gives the new company better leverage in a challenging global marketplace, by developing flexible business models and forming innovative partnerships, said Mark Palmer, president and chief executive officer of Ocean Beauty Seafoods, who will serve as chief executive officer of the OBI. “Increased sales will bring additional investment to support growth and jobs,” Palmer said. John Woodruff, chief operating officer for Icicle Seafoods, will serve as executive vice president of Alaska operations for the new company. Nothing much is expected to change this summer for harvesters set to deliver to Ocean ...

Marine Propulsion Technology: What’s New and Emerging in 2020

1Jul

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Features

Marine Propulsion Technology: What’s New and Emerging in 2020

By Mark Edward Nero The business of modernizing equipment that has become outdated over time is constantly evolving, with companies around the world continuously looking for ways to improve boat engines and ancillary equipment. These same companies are also introducing new marine propulsion technology to reduce consumption and emissions while increasing power. This is good for commercial fishermen, as new, better and faster tech on a boat can mean staying one step ahead of the competition. Fishermen’s News reached out to various companies around the globe to ascertain what direction the marine propulsion industry was heading, and here’s what some of them had to say. KEM Equipment Kodiak Marine, a division of KEM Equipment has begun offering two high tech gasoline engines for sale in 2...

1Jul

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Income Loss Tops Harvesters’ Pandemic Concerns

Independent fishermen hard hit by seafood markets crashing and prevention requirements of operating during a global pandemic say that loss of income, community health and safety and the proposed Pebble mine are their top concerns. When the coronavirus was first documented in the United States and seafood markets crashed, SalmonState, a broad based non-profit communications network dedicated to protection of Alaska’s salmon habitat, realized the need to get a handle on what fishermen were experiencing and needing, said Tyson Fick, a Southeast Alaska fisherman and spokesperson for SalmonState. “As a result, we have an invaluable snapshot of what Alaskan fishermen want and need right now,” Fick said. Between April 14 and May 3, SalmonState surveyed 779 Alaska fishermen, primarily salmon har...

Watershed Protectors Say Discharge Permit Needed for Proposed Mine

1Jul

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Watershed Protectors Say Discharge Permit Needed for Proposed Mine

Commercial fishermen, conservationists and tribal entities are calling on the state of Alaska to take a fresh look at the proposed Palmer mine project in Southeast Alaska. The request from the Haines Fishermen’s Alliance, Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, Rivers Without Borders and the Chilkat Indian Village of Klukwan came in light of a late April decision handed down by the US Supreme Court in the case of County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund. That decision recognizes that polluters cannot avoid the Clean Water Act’s permit requirements just by pumping pollution into the ground where doing so is the functional equivalent of discharging that pollution directly into streams, lakes and oceans, the group said. In the Chilkat Valley of Southeast Alaska this means that DEC must re...

Salmonfest Postponed by COVID-19 Until August ‘21

1Jul

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Salmonfest Postponed by COVID-19 Until August ‘21

Salmon are returning to Alaska in the summer of 2020, as they always do, but Salmonfest 2020 is taking a rain check until Aug. 6-8, 2021 because of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Plans are in the works for a possible much smaller event at the fairgrounds later this year, said Jim Stearns, a 40-year veteran of the music industry who serves as executive director of the festival. Tickets purchased for Salmonfest 2020 will be honored next year and tickets for the 2021 festival, set for Aug 6-8, are already on sale. More information and updates about Salmonfest are online at https://salmonfestalaska.org.

1Jul

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Halibut Prices

Halibut prices are holding their own in retail markets in the midst of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Fresh halibut fillets, like these held by masked general manager Tito Marquez, sold quickly at 10th&M Seafoods in Anchorage for $16.99 a pound, while fresh whole 10-20- pound halibut were offered for $10.95 a pound in mid-May. Photo by Margaret Bauman.

GAPP’s European Partners Plan New Pollock Products

1Jul

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GAPP’s European Partners Plan New Pollock Products

An investment of nearly $1 million by the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers will result in an array of new Pollock products coming online this fall and in 2021 in retail shops in European marketplaces, says Craig Morris, CEO of GAPP. Young’s Seafood, Nomad Foods, Angulas Aguinaga and Pickenpack Seafoods were the winning competitors for GAPP’s co-investment funds. Like those engaged in GAPP”s North American Partnership Program the European partners agree to invest equal or greater funds and commit to using only US-sourced wild Alaska Pollock for the duration of the program and beyond. Angulas Aguinaga will launch two new product lines in Spain utilizing wild Alaska Pollock surimi seafood, including a “heat and eat” line of products and a new category of product with nut...

GAPP Has New Plan to Track International Surimi Supply

1Jul

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GAPP Has New Plan to Track International Surimi Supply

A seafood trade group seeking to help Alaska Pollock processors identify supply and demand in the wholesale surimi market plans to partner with market data specialist Urner Barry on a new quarterly tracker into the surimi industry. The partnership was announced in late May by the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers, as a service to its seafood processing members. The decision to partner with Urner Barry stemmed from a formal request for proposals for the project issued months ago by GAPP. “It is extremely important for all GAPP members to better understand the wholesale surimi trade and have a more complete and timely picture of recent supply and demand,” said Doug Christensen, GAPP treasurer and president/chief executive officer of the Arctic Storm Management Group, whi...