November 2024 – Page 3 – Fishermens News

From the Editor: Alaska Seafood Snapshot

Just before this issue went to print, NOAA Fisheries announced the release of a new report that paints a gloomy portrait of the state of Alaska’s seafood industry. It’s something that commercial fishermen in the region will want to read. In the report, economists estimate that Alaska’s seafood industry suffered a $1.8 billion loss in 2022-2023, and that the industry saw a 50% decline in profitability between 2021 and 2023. This, according to the data, has resulted in more than 38,000 job losses nationwide and a $4.3 billion loss in total U.S. output, which is the total dollar value of all goods and services produced. The most affected states—including Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California—saw a combined loss of $191 million in state and local tax revenues, the report says. Economis...

Commerce Dept. Allocates $277 Million in Fishery Disaster Funding for Alaska

The U.S. Department of Commerce in mid-September announced $277 million for Alaska fishery disasters, with funding for a number of salmon and crab fisheries from 2020-2023. The aid will be transmitted to the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission for distribution to fishermen, seafood processors and communities impacted by the disasters. The funding is to be allocated in a partnership between the Fisheries Commission, the state of Alaska and Tribal leaders. The money had been a long time in coming and was tied down by bureaucracy, state officials have said. In April, Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Anchorage, penned a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, expressing concerns about the three groups of fishery disaster funds that were stuck at various stages in NOAA and could not proceed du...

Canada Launches High Seas Mission to Detect, Deter IUU Fishing in North Pacific

The Canadian government has announced a second Canada-led multinational high seas mission to detect and deter illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the North Pacific Ocean. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced the mission Oct. 1 at the Port of Yokohama, Japan. IUU fishing in the North Pacific is considered a potential driver of Pacific salmon declines, according to DFO officials. Operation North Pacific Guard (OpNPG), led by DFO fisheries officers, is supported by the Canadian Coast Guard and includes high seas patrols, air surveillance and satellite monitoring. The mission is also supported by the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The mission calls for fishery officers to patrol over 7,500 kilometers (4,660 miles) aboard...

2024 Alaska Aquaculture Report Highlights Accomplishments

A report on Alaska aquaculture released Sept. 27 by NOAA Fisheries highlights key achievements in research, sustainability and community-driven projects contributing to growth of the industry in Alaska over the past fiscal year. Alaskan aquaculture, a relatively young industry, includes seaweed and invertebrate farming, with oysters, mussels and three types of kelp—sugar, ribbon and bull—as the primary species. The aquaculture accomplishments report details how NOAA Fisheries’ Alaska Region Aquaculture Program engaged in projects to support sustainable development of Alaska’s aquaculture industry. NOAA Fisheries works with partners to improve and expand opportunities to promote sustainable marine production of shellfish and seaweed in Alaska. The Alaska Aquaculture Program’s fiscal ye...

ADF&G Commissioner Says Fisheries Remains Healthy, Urges Budget Support

The challenges of climate change, market conditions and politics aside, Alaska’s fisheries resources remain healthy overall, Alaska Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang told a legislative task force seeking to evaluate the state’s seafood industry. “Yes, we have some poorly performing stocks—for example king salmon and Bering Sea crab—but overall, our fishery resources remain healthy,” Vincent-Lang told the joint legislative task force meeting in Juneau on Sept. 19. The commissioner recounted the status of the state’s commercial fisheries, from groundfish and halibut to salmon, including the impact of changing climate, the markets and political issues for each. He also covered related litigation, particularly a lawsuit aimed at shutting down the Southeast Alaska k...