September 2022 – Fishermens News

UW Study Supports ‘Safety in Numbers’ Hypothesis for Pacific Salmon

A University of Washington study published in late June found that Pacific salmon in large groups face a lower risk of being consumed by predators, although for some salmon species that tradeoff means more competition for food. While most people think of salmon spawning in freshwater streams, they also spend a huge amount of time in the ocean feeding and growing, said Anne Polyakov, lead author of the study, which was published in the journal Science Advances. “One of the reasons why this study is so unique is that we essentially can’t observe these fish at all in their natural ocean environment, and yet we’re able to pull out these really strong results on how grouping affects predation risk and foraging success for individual fish using this incredibly valuable dataset,” said Polyako...

From the Editor: Tackling Illegal Fishing

In the June issue of Fishermen’s News, we ran a lengthy feature article on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and how, for multiple reasons, such fishing is a leading global maritime security threat. Well, as a follow up to that report, I’m happy to report this news: the United States is strengthening its commitment to combating IUU fishing. In late June, at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Portugal, the U.S. made a series of announcements that elevates the country’s commitment to combat IUU fishing and the labor abuses associated with it. In conjunction with the announcements, President Biden signed memorandum addressing IUU fishing and related harmful fishing practices. Among the measures that the Biden administration spells out in the memorandum are that the ...

Tax Credit Program for Seafood Processors Extended

Legislation signed in early July extends the sunset date for an Alaska tax credit program for seafood processors that bring value-added product to market. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, continues the tax credit for salmon and herring value-added products until Jan. 1, 2027 and also allows tax credits for products from other Alaska fish species. The program, the Alaska Salmon Product Development Tax Credit, is credited as a major reason for the boost in the commercial value of Alaska seafood since its inception in 2003. Data compiled by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute and the Pacific Seafood Processors Association concludes that $114.4 million in new revenue has been generated from the program. Stevens said that the new law extends the ability for Al...

Public Comment Sought on Reducing Mortality for Red King Crab, Snow Crab

Federal fisheries managers are seeking public comment through Sept. 23 on how to reduce fishing-related mortality for Eastern Bering Sea snow crab and Bristol Bay red king crab. A notice published by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council in the Federal Register on July 14 invites comments to be posted online at “Request for Information (RFI) – Bristol Bay Red King Crab and Eastern Bering Sea Snow Crab” (found online at www.federalregister.gov). The National Marine Fisheries Service notified the council in October of 2021 that Eastern Bering Sea Snow crab’s status had been changed to overfished. The Eastern Bering Sea snow crab assessment showed that mature male biomass was 50,600 metric tons, less than the minimum stock size threshold of 76,700 metric tons. Total snow crab m...

NOAA’s AOA Process

On May 7, 2020, then-President Trump signed Executive Order 13921, titled Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth. Two sections of that E.O. addressed aquaculture. Section 6 is titled Removing Barriers to Aquaculture Permitting and Section 7 is titled Aquaculture Opportunity Areas. This column is focuses primarily on Section 7. The E.O. required the identification of at least two geographic areas containing locations suitable for commercial aquaculture within one year from the issuance of the order. These would be identified by the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the secretaries of defense, the Interior, Agriculture, Homeland Security and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, along with other appropriate federal officials and Region...

Why Do I Need to Do Emergency Drills with My Crew?

Because you never know how your day is going to end, emergency drills are required to be conducted monthly on many fishing vessels during the season. Even if they are not required on your vessel, drills are a standard in the industry. In the event of a casualty, not conducting drills is a poor defense. Without regular drills, in an emergency the crew will be looking to the master to answer the big question: what do we do? Meanwhile, the master of the vessel is flooded with sensory information that is incomplete or unknown as well as dealing with conflicting emotions and the weight of responsibility for dealing with the emergency. This is not the best state of mind for someone to make the correct decision. A crew that is not trained in what to do makes it even more difficult for the ma...

What to Consider When Deciding Whether to Rebuild or Repower Your Engine

Suffering from climbing maintenance costs, diminished performance or missed trips from engine failure? If so, you may consider whether to rebuild or completely replace your engine. Among the many factors to consider, operators should weigh the financial, technical and operational benefits when making such a decision. Assuming operators are looking to upgrade from an older model, the major advantage of rebuilding an existing engine is the project’s initial capital cost is likely less than replacing it altogether — given that the parts are readily available and that the block has replaceable cylinder liners. However, if the engine has a parent bore block (no cylinder liners), the cylinder bores should be professionally calibrated to ensure they are within manufacturer’s specifications bef...

Shipyards of the West 2022: Full Steam Ahead

We reached out to many of the West Coast’s most notable shipyards to bring you the relevant shipyard dock talk that makes this industry’s world go ‘round. The famous Greek historian Herodotus is credited with saying, “The only good is knowledge, and the only evil is ignorance.” Surely, Herodotus was talking to the working commercial fisherman about the importance of shipyard dock talk. The comings and goings of notable boats, repowers and refits (and regrets), dredging delays, infrastructure grants won, and the like is not idle trivia. One-part gossip, four parts pertinent business information, shipyard dock talk is still the best way for commercial fishermen and professional mariners to maintain the pulse of the scene. It’s in the spirit of spreading useful dock talk that the follow...

Smart Technology Advances in Gear Systems, Sonar and Vessel Systems

Advancements in technology for maritime vessels and commercial fishing boats are being applied to autonomous control, smart sonar and systems utilizing artificial intelligence. Some of the top companies in the industry have recently announced innovative products or systems that improve situational awareness, enhance safety, and allow for better assessment of fisheries. Furuno Furuno Electric Co., Ltd., a company headquartered in Japan with bases in the U.S., has continued to focus on advancing technology for marine electronics, including radar systems, fish finders and navigational instruments. A few new products (MARK-2 models of the FSV-25 and FSV-85, and the 3D Sonar Visualizer F3D-S) that have been introduced globally will roll out gradually in the U.S. market this year as the l...

Offshore Wind Update 2022

A lot has happened since the Biden administration in May 2021 announced that California’s northern and central coasts would be open to offshore wind development, identifying two areas in particular: Morro Bay and Humboldt Call. The idea was to pursue the development of floating offshore wind platforms off the California coast as part of the Biden administration’s overall goal of generating 30 gigawatts of domestic offshore wind by 2030. The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is the lead agency on offshore wind. This past May, the department announced offshore wind lease sales for the first time on the West Coast. The Proposed Sale Notice, published May 31 in the Federal Register, includes three proposed lease areas in the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area i...