Fisheries Meetings Stack Up

Updates on fisheries science and technology are on tap at late winter commercial fisheries meetings, organized by state and federal agencies as well as private industry groups.

The International Pacific Halibut Commission, which holds its 94th annual meeting January 22–26 in Portland, Oregon, features a meeting section that presents the agenda, schedule, documents and reports, as well as a registration links on its new website http://iphc.int/. Register for the meeting on Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2018-iphc-annual-meeting-am094-tickets-35265063755) if planning to attend in person or
(https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2301759810024715522) to listen in on the webinar.

Meanwhile in Anchorage, the 2018 Alaska Marine Science Symposium will be held at the Hotel Captain Cook January 22–26, featuring keynote speakers on the first afternoon while the next three days are earmarked specifically for the Arctic, Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska, with reports ranging from ocean physics to human dimensions. Program details, including keynote speakers and all presentations, are available at www.alaskamarinescience.org/agenda.

In Seattle, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council holds its meeting February 5–12. eComments must be submitted at https://comments.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/62 by 5 p.m. February 2. Once the meeting is underway, online audio will be provided. The meeting schedule and documents will be posted at http://legistar2.granicus.com/npfmc/meetings/2017/12/967_A_North_Pacific_Council_17-12-04_Meeting_Agenda.pdf

In Girdwood, Alaska, the 69th Pacific Fisheries Technologists Conference will be held February 5–7 at the Alyeska Resort, with presentations from companies that produce machines for groundfish processing, smoking fish, pathogen testing, automated fish processing and more. The conference theme is “Tools of the Trade,” and the gathering will include a discussion on how the regulatory environment adapts with the innovation and growth of the industry. Presenting firms will include GVI, Baader, Environpak, Marel, Neogen and Qualtracx, said PFT president Chris Sannito, a seafood technology specialist and research assistant professor for the University of Alaska Fairbanks, with the Marine Advisory Program at Kodiak.