Updates

Keep informed with news concerning Alaska fishermen today.
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UFA Update

July 7, 2010

The next UFA board of Directors meeting will be held September 28-30 at the Clarion Suites in Downtown Anchorage, 1110 West 8th Ave.  UFA board meetings are open to members and invited guests.

UFA dues for Alaska commercial fishing permit holders are $150 and we also welcome crew/supporter nonvoting members at $50 per year.
To support UFA by becoming a member see http://www.ufa-fish.org/members.htm 

Contents
1. UFA Announces new President Arni Thomson, new Executive Committee seats
2. Senator Murkowski posts Proposed Changes to Sealaska Bill
3. Sen. Murkowski Introduces Legislation to Help Spill Victims in the Gulf
4. Senator Begich Introducing Oil Spill Research, Funding Legislation
5. Poll: Oil spill changing seafood consumption
6. Alaska harvesters aid Gulf counterparts
7. Mother Jones / Atlantic: Will the Cruise Ship Industry Do BP's Dirty Work?
8. Gulf of Mexico Oil blowout - NOAA Deepwater Horizon Incident response page
9. Senator Snowe to Propose Ocean Endowment
10. Southeast trollers ply waters for coveted king salmon
11. Bristol Bay sockeye harvest nears 12 million
12. Restaurants enlisted in anti-Pebble Mine campaign
13. Area M Commercial Fishermen Volunteer To Sit Out First Opening
14. Audit cites wide fund abuse by NOAA cops
15. Comment deadline August 10 on NOAA Next Generation Strategic Plan
16. National Academies Press publishes: Ocean Acidification
17. Indian Affairs official hears concerns of Alaska Natives
18. Katmai 2008 sinking Report blames excessive load for vessel's sinking in 2008
19. Science panel on cruise ship wastewater –items from June 10-11 meeting
20.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
21. ASMI Seafood Market Bulletin (May):
22. IPHC: Bait Needed for 2011 IPHC Stock Assessment Survey
23. NPFMC June Newsletter:
24. Comment by July 29 on MSA capacity reduction
25. Comment by August 30 on seafood imports with MMPA incidental mortality
26. Comment by August 30 on Eastern population Steller Sea Lion ESA 5 yr review
27. Comment deadline August 31 on Amendment 86 PCod LLP
28. Comment deadline August 5 on Charter Halibut limited access
29. Comment by July 15 on USDA Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee report
30. Comment by July 27th on USDA Value-Added Producer Grant Program changes
31. Deadline July 16 for USDA Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program
32. Deadline July 16 for new FY 2011 Trade Adjustment Assistance petitions
33. AK Sustainable Salmon Fund call for proposals, workshops planned
34. Help Wanted: ASMI seeks Admin Specialist, International Marketing Coordinator Intern, and Receptionist.
35. Help Wanted: NPRB seeks Executive Director
36. Help Wanted: NPFMC seeks Fisheries Economist / Analyst

1. UFA Announces new President Arni Thomson, new Executive Committee seats
Effective June 15, United Fishermen of Alaska (UFA) has elected Arni Thomson, Executive Director of the Alaska Crab Coalition (ACC), to lead the statewide fishing trade association as President for 2010 - 2011. Thomson has served on the UFA Board of Directors since 1997 as the representative of the ACC, and served as UFA’s National committee chair since 2005. He also serves as the Shellfish Committee Chair
for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI)…
Other changes include Cheryl Sutton of Ninilchik, who will follow Kathy Hansen as Statewide chair, Stephanie Madsen of Juneau who succeeds Thomson as National chair, and Duncan Fields of Kodiak following Roland Maw as Admin chair…
UFA Press release: http://www.ufa-fish.org/press/2010%20-%201%
20UFA%20Announces%20New%20President%20&%20Executive%
20Committee..pdf

Juneau Empire story:
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/061710/loc_655248954.shtml

We thank Joe Childers for three years as UFA President – a volunteer job that involves a lot of work!

2. Senator Murkowski posts Proposed Changes to Sealaska Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following a dozen town meetings and the review of hundreds of comments and suggestions, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski today presented her recommendations for changes in a bill to permit the Sealaska Native Regional Corp. to finalize its ANCSA land selections in Southeast Alaska.

Murkowski is proposing a major rewrite of the bill, removing all lands on northern Prince of Wales Island from possible timber selection to meet the concerns of Port Protection and Point Baker residents. She has reduced harvesting on Koscuisko Island to meet the concerns of Edna Bay residents, and has reduced harvesting by 40 percent at Keete to meet the concerns of some over wildlife impacts of the bill. She also has proposed to add about 150,000 acres of lands into conservation areas to offset impacts from timber development in the southern Tongass National Forest…

For complete press release with changes and maps, see:
http://murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&
ContentRecord_id=bc0f324b-a2d5-4ded-9b19-7b8462e9d6f4&C
ontentType_id=b94acc28-404a-4fc6-b143-a9e15bf92da4&Group
_id=dfe2f1e9-7c33-4e9e-84e8-354350b1ec19

3. Sen. Murkowski Introduces Legislation to Help Spill Victims in the Gulf
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has introduced legislation to address a number of pressing issues raised by the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, including a provision to expedite payments to those most affected by the spill…

Murkowski’s legislation would also establish regional citizen advisory councils along the Gulf to give local residents and stakeholders greater say in development off their coasts. The councils are modeled after the regional advisory councils set up in Alaska after the Exxon Valdez spill.

For other provisions see press release at:
http://murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases
&ContentRecord_id=5fc03c72-260d-4349-bcc4-c24dc61d2faf&
ContentType_id=b94acc28-404a-4fc6-b143-a9e15bf92da4&
Group_id=c01df158-d935-4d7a-895d-f694ddf41624

4. Senator Begich Introducing Oil Spill Research, Funding Legislation
Bills focused on Arctic energy development, spill research & response..
U.S. Sen. Mark Begich will introduce two more pieces of legislation designed to promote responsible energy development in the Arctic by ensuring the federal government has thoroughly planned and prepared for potential oil spills in the region. Begich’s bills are part of a larger comprehensive package of oil spill prevention and response legislation…
Sen. Begich plans on introducing a fourth bill dealing with citizen oversight of oil and gas development activities.

Senator Begich Press Release:
http://begich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&
ContentRecord_id=9e04b901-a6b3-412f-8251-44b1710adb
76&ContentType_id=ef710aa3-7e29-440a-b9de-316ee20df1b5

5. Poll: Oil spill changing seafood consumption
By SeafoodSource staff
29 June, 2010 - More than half of Americans in a survey released on Monday said the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has affected their seafood consumption habits.

According to a survey led by the University of Minnesota, 54 percent of respondents said the oil spill has affected their seafood consumption habits somewhat, while 44 percent said they will not eat Gulf seafood and 31 percents said they will eat less seafood regardless of its origin.
http://www.seafoodsource.com/newsarticledetail.aspx
?id=4294997171

6. Alaska harvesters aid Gulf counterparts
The Alaska Fishing Industry Relief Mission, established to help fishing family victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, is back at work again, helping seafood industry victims of the Gulf of Mexico offshore oil disaster.

Mark Vinsel, AFIRM chairman and executive director of United Fishermen in Alaska, said June 23 that the nonprofit organization is sending a $10,600 donation to Louisiana to help underwrite an industry effort to create a citizen advisory committee to oversee the Gulf of Mexico oil industry.

If adopted by Congress, the Louisiana committee would be similar to those which already operate in Alaska's Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet…
http://www.thedutchharborfisherman.com/article/1026
alaska_harvesters_aid_gulf_counterparts

&&&
Alaskans in the Gulf Part 3: Alaska clean up team brings expertise to Gulf
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=12700353

7. Mother Jones / Atlantic: Will the Cruise Ship Industry Do BP's Dirty Work?
After a BP refinery in Texas exploded in 2005, killing 15 workers and injuring scores more, the oil giant paid $1.6 billion in settlements to employees and their families. But the families of the workers killed on BP's Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico probably won't receive a similar windfall. That's because the Deepwater rig is legally considered an ocean-going vessel, and was more three nautical miles offshore at the time of the accident. As a result, the families of the dead workers can only sue BP and its contractors under a 90-year-old maritime law, the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA), which severely limits liability. In some cases, BP could get away with shelling out sums as paltry as $1,000…
Last week, Senate Judiciary chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) introduced legislation that would do just that.
But Leahy's bill faces an ugly political fight. And giant oil corporations--the most obvious potential opponents of such legislation--may not even have to flex their lobbying muscle. There's another powerful industry with an interest in doing BP's dirty work to preserve the status quo. That would be cruise line operators--and when it comes to Beltway battles, the cruise lobby is no Love Boat…
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/06/will-the
-cruise-ship-industry-do-bps-dirty-work/58188/

8. Gulf of Mexico Oil blowout - NOAA Deepwater Horizon Incident response page
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/topic_subtopic_entry.php?
RECORD_KEY(entry_subtopic_topic)=entry_id,subtopic_id,topic
_id&entry_id(entry_subtopic_topic)=809&subtopic_id(entry_sub
topic_topic)=2&topic_id(entry_subtopic_topic)=1

9. Senator Snowe to Propose Ocean Endowment
BANGOR DAILY NEWS
More wind turbines, fewer fish, floating islands of trash, and millions of gallons of crude oil in the Gulf of Mexico.

With all these developments and many more manifesting in marine waters all over the planet, some observers are calling for Congress to do more to help generate and encourage more research on the health of the world’s oceans.

Two U.S. senators are working on a proposal to do just that, and one of them is Maine Republican Olympia Snowe. Working with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Snowe is hoping to co-sponsor a bill, the language of which is still being crafted, that would create a National Endowment for the Oceans…
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/146076.html

10. Southeast trollers ply waters for coveted king salmon
The Southeast summer troll fishery opened July 1, paving the way for fishermen – mostly trollers – to hit the open waters hoping to land the prize fish: chinook salmon, or kings…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/070210/fis_stp.shtml

11. Bristol Bay sockeye harvest nears 12 million
Cold, drizzling weather continues to prevail in Bristol Bay's famed sockeye salmon fishery, where the harvest to date has grown to nearly 12 million reds, on a run of nearly 15 million fish.
State managers on the west side of Bristol Bay opened fishing on Tuesday in the Wood River special harvest area, to protect sockeye escapements into the Nushagak River…
http://thebristolbaytimes.com/article/1027bristol_bay_sockeye
__harvest_nears_12_million

12. Restaurants enlisted in anti-Pebble Mine campaign
Trout Unlimited has enlisted nearly 50 restaurants in Seattle and Portland in its campaign against the proposed Pebble Mine.

KTUU reports the "Savor Bristol Bay" campaign encourages diners to choose Bristol Bay wild salmon. Trout Unlimited's Paula Dobbyn says by drawing attention to the salmon, it can make more people aware of the potential harm from the mine…
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=12767330

13. Area M Commercial Fishermen Volunteer To Sit Out First Opening of June Sockeye Salmon Fishery
Seiners Recognize Concerns Surrounding Chum Runs in A-Y-K
Sand Point, AK – June 7, 2010 – The purse seine fleet in Sand Point and King Cove has decided to stand down this week during the first sockeye salmon opening for 2010 in Area M.  The Area M fishery is located around Alaska’s Eastern Aleutian Islands and Western Peninsula on the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. The first opening began today at 6 a.m. (June 7, 2010) and ends at 10 p.m. on June 10, 2010.
http://www.aleutianseast.org/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC={4625
D388-43A1-4E17-A354-F5F12E4E7205}&DE={D1199631-A137-
466C-A3FB-D9879A6CDC89}

14. Audit cites wide fund abuse by NOAA cops
By Richard Gaines, Gloucester Times
Tens of millions in fines levied against U.S. commercial fishermen held in an unrecorded account were used by the fisheries law enforcement division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to fuel extravagant purchases and foreign travel, according to a forensic audit for a U.S. inspector general made public Thursday.
http://www.gloucestertimes.com/local/x383291258/Audit-cites-
wide-fund-abuse-by-NOAA-cops

House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife Chairwoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-GU) Statement on Abuses by NOAA Law Enforcement
http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_
content&task=view&id=637&Itemid=27

IG report download (3.6 meg.) http://www.oig.doc.gov/oig/reports/
correspondence/2010.07.01_IG_to_NOAA.pdf

The Inspector General’s report and related correspondence is online at: http://www.oig.doc.gov/oig/reports/noaa_fisheries_
enforcement_reading_room/index.html

15. Comment deadline August 10 on NOAA Next Generation Strategic Plan
NOAA's Next Generation Strategic Plan (Plan) sets the course for the agency's mission, a vision of the future, the societal outcomes that NOAA aims to help realize, and, consequently, the actions that the agency must take. The draft Plan lays the foundation for NOAA to play a leading Federal role in responding to the Nation's most urgent  challenges, ranging from climate change, severe weather, and natural or human-induced disasters to declining biodiversity and threatened or degraded ocean and coastal resources…
DATES: The public comment period is open from June 29, 2010, to August
10, 2010. Comments must be submitted by COB on August 10, 2010.
Federal Register Notice:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-15768.htm

NOAA Next generation Strategic Plan home & comments page: http://www.ppi.noaa.gov/ngsp.html

16. National Academies Press publishes: Ocean Acidification:
A National Strategy to Meet the Challenges of a Changing Ocean
Description:
The ocean has absorbed a significant portion of all human-made carbon dioxide emissions. This benefits human society by moderating the rate of climate change, but also causes unprecedented changes to ocean chemistry…
Read free online or order the book at…
http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12904&utm_medium
=etmail&utm_source=National%20Academies%20Press&utm_
campaign=NAP+mail+new+04.27.10&utm_content=Customer
&utm_term=

17. Indian Affairs official hears concerns of Alaska Natives
'ROTTEN': Difficulties in living subsistence lifestyle also aired.
FAIRBANKS -- The new assistant secretary for Indian Affairs told tribal leaders that calls to revisit the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act have gotten his attention.
During a four-hour meeting in Fairbanks, Larry Echo Hawk listened to a host of concerns from Alaska Natives. Many speakers focused on weakened ties to ancestral lands and said it was time to revisit the 1971 law that settled aboriginal land claims by transferring 44 million acres of land to Native corporations…
http://www.adn.com/2010/06/29/1346226/indian-affairs-
representative.html#ixzz0sNALlJAh

18. Katmai 2008 sinking Report blames excessive load for vessel's sinking in 2008
By HAL BERNTON
The Seattle Times
SEATTLE -- A Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation concluded that an "excessively loaded" hold, an unsecured door, and an "imprudent decision" to push into a huge storm contributed to the Oct. 22, 2008, sinking of the Seattle-based Katmai that killed seven crew members…
ADN story:
http://www.adn.com/2010/05/01/1259133/report-assigns-
blame-for-vessels.html

USCG report – (34 Megabyte):
http://homeport.uscg.mil/cgi-bin/st/portal/uscg_docs/MyCG
/Editorial/20100507/

19. Science panel on cruise ship wastewater –items from June 10-11 meeting
Posted online at:
http://www.dec.state.ak.us/water/cruise%5Fships/SciencePanel
/meeting06102010.html
Cruise wastewater Science Advisory Panel home page: www.dec.state.ak.us/water/cruise_ships/SciencePanel

We did not see any media coverage of this meeting.

20.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
7/6/10 Salmon Slide‏‏ 
7/5/10 Salmon product shifts, less going into cans 
7/2/10 Sun screen lotion kills corals 
7/1/10 Marine Spatial Planning‏ 
6/30/10 Top five seafood trends http://www.marineconservationalliance.org/?page_id=846"

21. ASMI Seafood Market Bulletin (May):
Featuring the following articles:
2010 Salmon Projection
Alaska Salmon Price and Production Reports
Canned Salmon Inventory and Sales
Halibut and Sablefish Season Update
Groundfish and Flatfish
http://www.alaskaseafood.org/fishingprocessing/seafoodweb
_may10/index.html  

Seafood Bulletin Archive:
web: http://www.alaskaseafood.org/fishingprocessing/bulletin.htm 

22. IPHC: Bait Needed for 2011 IPHC Stock Assessment Survey
- 290,000 pounds semi-bright chum salmon
Contact IPHC by July 15th
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel/
2010/nr20100702.htm

IPHC New releases, catch reports…
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/news.htm

23. NPFMC June Newsletter:
Topics include:
-GOA Rockfish Catch Share program
-Crab OFLs
-Crab Annual Catch Limits and Snow Crab rebuilding
-Crab Bycatch
-Steller Sea Lion Update
-GOA Exemption for BSAI Crab Vessels
-AM80 Vessel Replacement
-Chum Salmon Bycatch
-Observer Program
-Groundfish Retention Program…
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/newsletters/NEWS610.pdf

24. Comment by July 29 on MSA capacity reduction
NMFS proposes amendments to the framework regulations specifying procedures for implementing fishing capacity reduction programs (reduction programs) in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management (Magnuson-Stevens) Reauthorization Act of 2007. A reduction program pays harvesters in a fishery that has
more vessels than capacity either to surrender their fishing permits including relevant fishing histories for that fishery, or surrender all their fishing permits and cancelling their fishing vessels fishing endorsements by permanently withdrawing the vessel from all fisheries.  The cost of the program can be paid by post-reduction harvesters, taxpayers, or others. The intent of a program is to decrease the number of harvesters in the fishery, increase the economic efficiency of harvesting, and facilitate the conservation and management of fishery resources in each fishery in which NMFS conducts a reduction program.

DATES: Comments must be received by July 29, 2010.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-14246.htm

25. Comment by August 30 on seafood imports with MMPA incidental mortality
NMFS is reopening the comment period, in order to provide additional opportunities for the public, foreign nations that export fish and fish products to the United States, and other interested parties to comment on the advance notice of proposed rulemaking to implement the provisions of section 101(a)(2)(A) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act for imports of fish and fish products...

DATES: Written comments must be received by 5 p.m. on August 30, 2010…

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), 16 U.S.C. 1361-1423h, contains provisions addressing bycatch, or the incidental mortality and serious injury, of marine mammals in both domestic and foreign fisheries. With respect to foreign fisheries, section 101(a)(2) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(2)) states that ``[t]he Secretary of the Treasury shall ban the importation of commercial fish or products from fish which have been caught with commercial fishing technology which results in the incidental kill or incidental serious injury of ocean mammals in excess of United States standards…
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-16066.htm

&&&&
Are Salmon Farms to Blame for Seal Shootings? – PETA & SPCA
http://animals.change.org/blog/view/are_salmon_farms
_to_blame_for_seal_shootings

& related archives…
Fish-Farm Nets Snare, Drown 51 Sea Lions Off Vancouver Island ((2007)
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/909219/fishfarm_nets
_snare_drown_51_sea_lions_off_vancouver_island/index.html
&
Scottish fish farmers 'conducting secret seal slaughter’ (2009)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/5110053/Scottish-fish
-farmers-conducting-secret-seal-slaughter.html

26. Comment by August 30 on Eastern population Steller Sea Lion ESA 5 yr review
NMFS announces a 5-year review of the eastern Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). A 5-year review is a periodic process conducted to ensure that the listing classification of a species is accurate and it is based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we are requesting submission of any such information on the eastern DPS of the Steller Sea Lion that has become available since their last status review in 1995. Based on the results of this 5-year
review, we will make the requisite finding under the ESA.

DATES: To allow us adequate time to conduct this review, we must receive your information no later than August 30, 2010. However, we will continue to accept new information about any listed species at any time…
Federal Register
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-15774.htm

Federal Register correction July 7:
“The correct email is ssldps@noaa.gov and the correct fax number is 907-586-7557.”
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-16497.htm

27. Comment deadline August 31 on Amendment 86 PCod LLP
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council submitted Amendment 86 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP) to NMFS for review. If approved, Amendment 86 would add a Pacific cod endorsement on licenses issued under the license limitation program (LLP) if those licenses have been used on vessels that meet minimum recent landing requirements using non-trawl gear, commonly known as fixed gear. This proposed action would exempt vessels that use jig gear from the requirement to hold an LLP license, modify the maximum length designation on a specific set of fixed gear LLP licenses, and allow entities representing specific communities to receive a limited number of fixed gear licenses with Pacific cod endorsements for use on vessels designated by entities representing the communities…
DATES:  Comments on the amendment must be received on or before August 31, 2010.
Federal Register:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-16195.htm

28. Comment deadline August 5 on Charter Halibut limited access
NMFS proposes regulations that would amend the limited access program for charter vessels in the guided sport fishery for Pacific halibut in the waters of International Pacific Halibut Commission Regulatory Area 2C (Southeast Alaska) and Area 3A (Central Gulf of Alaska). If approved, the proposed action would revise the method for assigning angler endorsements to charter halibut permits to more closely align each endorsement with the greatest number of charter vessel anglers reported for each vessel that a charter business used to qualify for a charter halibut permit. This action is necessary to achieve the halibut fishery management goals of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council...

DATES: Comments must be received no later than August 5, 2010.

Federal Register: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-16358.htm

29. Comment by July 15 on USDA Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee report
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (a) announce the availability of the final Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 (Report); (b) solicit written comments on the Report; and (c) provide notice of a public meeting to solicit oral comments on the Report…

Federal Register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-14324.htm

USDA Dietary Guidelines home page:
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm

Recommendation #2: “Shift food intake patterns to a more plant-based diet that emphasizes vegetables, cooked dry beans and peas, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. In addition, increase the intake of seafood and fat-free and low-fat milk and milk products, and consume only moderate amounts of lean meats, poultry, and eggs.”

30. Comment by July 27th on USDA Value-Added Producer Grant Program changes
Under the proposed program, grants will be made to help eligible producers of agricultural commodities enter into or expand value-added activities including the development of feasibility studies, business plans, and marketing strategies. The program will also provide working capital for expenses such as implementing an existing viable marketing strategy…
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-12731.htm

Value Added Producer Grant Program home page: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ga/tvadg.htm

31. Deadline July 16 for USDA Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program
The Notice announces the availability of $45.1 million in program level to support rural microentrepreneurship in rural America and solicits applications for funds available under the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program to provide direct loans, technical
assistance grants, and technical assistance-only grants to microdevelopment organizations to support the development and ongoing success of rural microentrepreneurs and microenterprises…
Federal Register: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-13380.htm
Federal Register correction notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-14160.htm

Center for Rural Affairs: http://www.cfra.org/renewrural/federal-micro-program

For more info contact USDA Rural Development Alaska Office at (907) 761-7705

32. Deadline July 16 for new FY 2011 Trade Adjustment Assistance petitions
    WASHINGTON, May 21, 2010—The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the period for accepting petitions under the Fiscal Year 2011 Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for Farmers Program. Petitions will be accepted between May 21, 2010, and July 16, 2010…

The TAA for Farmers program helps producers of raw agricultural commodities and fishermen adjust to a changing economic environment associated with import competition through technical assistance and cash benefits. If you are a producer of a commodity who has recently suffered a greater than 15 percent decrease in the national average price, the quantity of production, value of production, or cash receipts compared to the average of the three preceding marketing years, and imports contributed importantly to this decline, then you may be eligible to receive free information, technical assistance, and cash payments to develop and implement Business Adjustment Plans from the TAA for Farmers program…

USDA FAS press release:
http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/PressRelease/pressrel_dout.asp?
Entry=valid&PrNum=0127-10

USDA Trade Adjustment Assistance home page:
http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/taa/

&&&
http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/PressRelease/pressrel_dout.asp?
Entry=valid&PrNum=0143-10

We are pleased that your response to our 2003 Action Alert that opened up this program to U.S. fishermen is still providing benefits to Gulf shrimpers.  They need all the help they can get.

33. AK Sustainable Salmon Fund call for proposals, workshops planned
AKSSF will open a CFP for the Southeast Region on July 21, 2010.
There will also be grants for outreach and education, due in August.
Workshops are planned for Juneau, August 5, and Anchorage, September 23.
For details see www.akssf.org  or http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/special/akssf/akssf_proposals.php

34. Help Wanted: ASMI seeks Admin Specialist, International Marketing Coordinator Intern, and Receptionist.
See http://pressroom.alaskaseafood.org/careers/ for  Admin Specialist and International Marketing Coordinator Intern position notices…

We also received the following via email-
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI), Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED) State of Alaska is seeking candidates for an Administrative Support Technician…
This position is the lead receptionist and primary administrative support for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) Juneau office. The incumbent will provide project support for the ASMI staff and directors while independently performing a variety of clerical assignments at the full-proficiency level. As the first point of contact, the incumbent will be responsible for disseminating information and directing inquiries to the appropriate staff. This position is also responsible for gathering and compiling data as well as other duties and projects as assigned.
Closing date for applications to be received by 4 PM AST July 19.2010
For more info send email to: hire@alaskaseafood.org .

35. Help Wanted: NPRB seeks Executive Director
Job Description: http://www.nprb.org/documents/NPRB_ED_description.pdf
North Pacific Research Board home page: http://www.nprb.org/

36. Help Wanted: NPFMC seeks Fisheries Economist / Analyst
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/Announcement.pdf

May 18, 2010

Contents
1. NOAA Aquaculture listening session Anchorage, May 21
2. Sens. Murkowski, Boxer and Begich Introduce Bill to Extend Moratorium on Discharge Permits for Commercial Vessels
3. Murkowski, Wyden Bill Would Lift Restrictions on Fishermen’s Use of Capital Construction Accounts
4. Murkowski secures $5M Help Mitigate Yukon River Chinook Salmon Fishery Failure
5. Rep. Young Introduces TWIC Delivery Act
6. Gulf of Mexico Oil blowout - NOAA Deepwater Horizon Incident response page
7. NY Times: Regulator Deferred to Oil Industry on Rig Safety
8. Gulf spill could have Alaska repercussions
9. Alaskans return from support visit to Louisiana oil spill victims
10. White House Proposes Bill to Lift Caps on Offshore Oil Spill Liability
11. Senators Whitehouse and Leahy introduce bills on Punitive Damages
12. House Panel to Hold Seven-Part Oversight Hearing Series on Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig Explosion 
13. ADN on Copper River opener: Markets hope for plenty of salmon
14. ASMI posts info on Omega 3s, Sustainability and YouTube video
15. Senate approves Coast Guard spending bill
16. Science panel on cruise ship wastewater to meet –Juneau, June 10-11
17. Gov. & Candidates to talk fish May 28 at Kodiak Crab festival -
18. Aquaculture moves inch by inch toward organic labeling.
19. ADF&G Sportfish strategic plan
20. Council Coordinating Committee meeting, Anchorage May 19-21, Capt. Cook
21. NPFMC meeting, Sitka June 7-15
22. Story of Yukon salmon earns award; catch share loans advance
23.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
24. Deadline June 29 for IPHC Merit Scholarships
25. Skate Nursery HAPC proposals sought by NPFMC, NMFS
26. Comment by June 10th on NOAA's Arctic Vision and Strategy
27. Comment deadline June 4 on NOAA loan program subpart B changes
28. Comment by July 6 on SE AK Fisheries economic data collection
29. NMFS data collection…Profiles of Fish Processing Plants in Alaska
30. Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey – comment by June 22
31. Comment deadline June 29 on MMPA standards for seafood imports
32. NPRB Ecosystems 2010 Conference Nov 8-11, Anchorage - Deadline June 4 for papers:
33. Deadline July 6 on Polar Bear Critical Habitat comments & draft econ analysis
34. EPA seeks Comment on the Effects of Ocean Acidification as it Relates to the 303(d) Program
35. Comment by June 16 on Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund outreach and education
36. ADF&G Recently Posted Reports:
37. Astoria Commercial Fishermen's Festival, September 18 - 19, 2010
38. Energy Use in Fisheries conference November 14-17, 2010, Seattle, WA.

1. NOAA Aquaculture listening session Anchorage, May 21 –
Deadline for written comments May 28
For discussion questions and other background, see:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aquaculture/policy1/ 

2. Sens. Murkowski, Boxer and Begich Introduce Bill to Extend Moratorium on Discharge Permits for Commercial Vessels
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Barbara Boxer, D-California, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today introduced  a bipartisan bill (S. 3372) that would extend  the current moratorium on a permit requirement for commercial and charter fishing vessels and other commercial vessels under 79 feet long.  The legislation would provide these commercial vessels a three-year moratorium extension from permits for discharges under the Clean Water Act…
The current two-year moratorium is set to expire on July 31, 2010, which was enacted to allow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Coast Guard to conduct a study to evaluate the impact of vessel di
scharges under normal operation.
Senator Murkowski press release:
http://murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&
ContentRecord_id=cb21d720-f297-4a30-b931-c2e39a1547e6&
ContentType_id=b94acc28-404a-4fc6-b143-a9e15bf92da4&Grou
p_id=c01df158-d935-4d7a-895d-f694ddf41624

Senator Begich Press release: http://begich.senate.gov/public/index
.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=2ebec77e-6dc1-4254-ab
8f-3eb569c3cf8a&ContentType_id=ef710aa3-7e29-440a-b9de-31
6ee20df1b5

EPA Vessel Discharge home page: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=350

3. Murkowski, Wyden Bill Would Lift Restrictions on Fishermen’s Use of Capital Construction Accounts
Washington, D.C. – Recognizing changes in the commercial fishing industry and the need to create new jobs and prevent overfishing, Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced legislation today that will give America’s fishermen greater flexibility in how they can use money set aside in special capital construction funds…
http://murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Press
Releases&ContentRecord_id=007f866d-01b0-435e-aad
7-68bfb5f2c1bd&ContentType_id=b94acc28-404a-4fc6-
b143-a9e15bf92da4&Group_id=c01df158-d935-4d7a-
895d-f694ddf41624&MonthDisplay=4&YearDisplay=2010

4. Murkowski secures $5M Help Mitigate Yukon River Chinook Salmon Fishery Failure
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Appropriations Committee today agreed to U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s request to include $5 million in a 2010 supplemental appropriations bill to help mitigate the Yukon River Chinook salmon fishery failure.

The economic disaster assistance would help fishermen and communities affected by the fishery failure for the Yukon River Chinook salmon fishery. In 2008, the commercial salmon harvest was 89 percent below the five-year average, and the fishery remained closed through 2009. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke declared a Yukon Chinook salmon fishery failure this past January due to a fishery resource disaster. The $5 million in funding is based on the estimated commercial fishing losses for the 2008 and 2009 fishing seasons…
http://murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&
ContentRecord_id=7ddf53c9-7671-452a-aa3d-655a4046f824&
ContentType_id=b94acc28-404a-4fc6-b143-a9e15bf92da4&
Group_id=c01df158-d935-4d7a-895d-f694ddf41624

5. Rep. Young Introduces TWIC Delivery Act
Washington, D.C. – Alaskan Congressman Don Young has introduced H.R. 5227, a bill that would require delivery by mail of the Transportation Worker Identity Credential (TWIC) if a permanent enrollment center is not accessible by road or is more than 100 miles away.
"Much of Alaska’s economy is derived from our ports, whether it be through cruise ships, fishermen, longshoremen, etc," said Rep. Young. "The TWIC is a very important step we are taking to help ensure our nation’s homeland security, however it is unfair to mandate that employees travel and incur personal expenses to obtain this credential…
http://donyoung.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?
DocumentID=184440

6. Gulf of Mexico Oil blowout - NOAA Deepwater Horizon Incident response page
As the nation’s leading scientific resource for oil spills, NOAA has been on the scene of the Deepwater Horizon spill from the start, providing coordinated scientific weather and biological response services to federal, state and local organizations
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/topic_subtopic_entry.php?
RECORD_KEY(entry_subtopic_topic)=entry_id,subtopic_id,topic_
id&entry_id(entry_subtopic_topic)=809&subtopic_id(entry_sub
topic_topic)=2&topic_id(entry_subtopic_topic)=1

7. NY Times: Regulator Deferred to Oil Industry on Rig Safety
By ERIC LIPTON and JOHN M. BRODER
WASHINGTON — Federal regulators warned offshore rig operators more than a decade ago that they needed to install backup systems to control the giant undersea valves known as blowout preventers, used to cut off the flow of oil from a well in an emergency.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/08/us/08agency.html

8. Gulf spill could have Alaska repercussions
The oil gushing from a Gulf of Mexico oil well has the potential to touch Alaska in many ways. Alaska is next in line, nationally, for offshore oil development in federal waters -- Shell Oil hopes to drill exploration wells in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas this summer, opening a controversial new frontier for the state's oil industry.

Investors' jitters over future offshore oil production could boost Alaska oil prices -- it happened Thursday, when the price for Alaska crude jumped by $2.70 to $83.97.

National outrage could dim the prospects of an offshore oil boom in Alaska's Arctic waters, which federal scientists say could hold some of the biggest oil and gas deposits in the country.
http://www.adn.com/2010/05/01/1259518/gulf-spill-to-have
-alaska-repercussions.html

9. Alaskans return from support visit to Louisiana oil spill victims
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- University of Alaska Fairbanks professor Torie Baker and Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council staffer Joe Banta recently returned from a week in Louisiana.
The pair held dozens of meetings with locals affected by the Deepwater Horizon disaster. They shared their stories about living through the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska, over twenty years ago.
Baker and Banta say the hardest part is not having answers for what the future holds.
 http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=12486758

10. White House Proposes Bill to Lift Caps on Offshore Oil Spill Liability
President Obama put his weight today behind legislative efforts to lift liability caps for oil spills.
The administration is sending a wide-ranging spill-response package to Capitol Hill that includes raising the $75 million cap on economic damages. It would also seek to accelerate assistance to people left unemployed by the spill, expand eligibility for food stamps and raise an 8-cent-per-barrel oil tax by 1 cent…
Also included in the bill:
- $15 million to guarantee that out-of-work fishermen will be compensated for lost earnings.
-$2 million to the Food and Drug Administration to monitor the spill's impact on seafood caught in the Gulf of Mexico. That could include deploying technology to speed the analysis of seafood samples for contamination…

The administration's proposal comes on top of numerous other bills related to the Gulf spill already introduced by lawmakers. Among them:

S. 3337, by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), which would amend the Public Works and Economic Development Administration Act of 1965 to establish a program to provide technical assistance grants for use by organizations in assisting individuals and businesses affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The Environment and Public Works Committee is handling the measure.

H.R. 5267, by Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao (R-La.), which would amend the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to accelerate the increase in the amount of Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease revenues that is shared with states. The bill was sent to the House Natural Resources Committee.

S. 3343, by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), which would direct the Interior secretary to establish an annual fee on federal offshore areas that are subject to a lease for production of oil or natural gas and to establish a fund to reduce pollution and the dependence of the United States on oil. The bill is being handled by the Energy Committee.

S. 3344, by Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), which would establish an independent, nonpartisan commission to investigate the causes and impact of, and evaluate and improve the response to, the April 20 explosion, fire and loss of life on the Deepwater Horizon. The energy panel is handling the bill.

S. 3345., by Whitehouse, Menendez and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), which would amend Title 46, U.S. Code, to remove the cap on punitive damages established by the Supreme Court in Exxon Shipping Co. v. Baker. The bill is in the Commerce Committee.  (see item below)

S. 3346 by Whitehouse and Menendez, which would increase the limits on liability under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. The Energy Committee is handling the measure.

NY Times article:
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/05/12/12greenwire-
white-house-proposes-bill-to-lift-caps-on-offs-45047.html

11. Senators Whitehouse and Leahy introduce bills on Punitive Damages
Washington, D.C. - With oil continuing to leak into the Gulf of Mexico from a broken off-shore oil rig at a rate of 5,000 barrels per day, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today introduced a series of bills to address this growing catastrophe. The bills would establish a commission to investigate the oil spill, lift limits on punitive damages against big oil companies, and raise the civil and criminal penalties associated with violating provisions of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA).

The Big Oil Polluter Pays Act, which is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ), would overturn the 2008 Supreme Court case, Exxon Shipping Co. vs. Baker, which slashed Exxon Mobil Corporation's punitive damages for the Exxon Valdez Spill. In that case, the Supreme Court held that unless Congress spoke, punitive damages under maritime law had to be limited to the amount of compensatory damages assessed in a case (the damages assessed to make victims whole). This legislation would allow judges and juries to assess punitive damages based on all facts in a case, without regard to the amount of other damages owed.

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse press release: http://whitehouse.senate.gov/newsroom/press/
release/?id=536A397D-594A-419D-BB7F-64E62D4BEDB1

Hat’s off to Cordova’s Osa Schultz for her 2008 testimony before Senator Leahy and the Senate Judiciary committeeon the Supreme Courts ruling. .

12. House Panel to Hold Seven-Part Oversight Hearing Series on Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig Explosion 
Tuesday, 18 May 2010 
WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the Committee with primary jurisdiction over offshore oil and gas drilling, the House Natural Resources Committee, led by Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), will hold a seven-part oversight hearing series to investigate the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and examine the future of America's offshore oil and gas policy. 
http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com
_content&task=view&id=630&Itemid=27

House resources home page: http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/

13. ADN on Copper River opener: Markets hope for plenty of salmon
RIVER OPENING: Copper River kings and sockeye are expected to hit shelves this week.
Last week's Copper River salmon opening left many people wanting more. With another opening this week, farmers' markets and fish shops hope to be packed to the gills with Alaska's bounty.
John Jackson of New Sagaya Markets says he's expecting good results from Monday's 12-hour opener.
"The first opener was not as successful as many people wanted it to be as far as catches went; hopefully it was better this go around," he says.
http://www.adn.com/2010/05/18/1284290/markets-hope
-for-plenty-of-salmon.html

14. ASMI posts info on Omega 3s, Sustainability and YouTube video
Alaska Seafood Sustainability In Plain English:
http://www.alaskaseafood.org/sustainability/documents/
SustainabilityInPlainEnglish_001.pdf

Omega-3s and the Immune System
 http://www.alaskaseafood.org/health/facts/documents/
eng_omega_3.pdf

Omega-3s and Diabetes
http://www.alaskaseafood.org/health/facts/documents/
eng_type_2.pdf

ASMI on Youtube: Alaska Bears Whales & Fishermen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XHyYRdvGdU

ASMI home page: http://www.alaskaseafood.org/

15. Senate approves Coast Guard spending bill
By Hal Bernton
Seattle Times staff reporter
The Senate on Friday gave unanimous approval to a Coast Guard spending bill that includes an expansion of oil-spill-response requirements in Puget Sound and reforms to a multibillion Coast Guard contracting program sought by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.

Senate passage of the spending bill also could set the stage for congressional approval of a sweeping overhaul of federal fishery-safety laws that are contained in a companion bill approved by the House.

Cantwell "strongly supports the fishing-safety legislation," and she will try to have it included in a final bill that would emerge from a joint House-Senate conference, said Katharine Lister, a Cantwell spokeswoman.

Cantwell is chair of a Senate subcommittee with jurisdiction over the Coast Guard and fisheries, but for the past four years she had been unable to gain passage of a Coast Guard spending bill. Some Republican senators had objected to certain provisions and pursued tactics that would have required a difficult floor fight to gain passage.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/
2011811255_coastguardbill8m.html

16. Science panel on cruise ship wastewater to meet –Juneau, June 10-11
Juneau Empire
JUNEAU - The state Science Advisory Panel on cruise ship wastewater treatment systems will meet for the second time June 10-11 in Juneau…
The meetings will be held in the Egan Room at Centennial Hall. They are open to the public.
More information can be found at www.dec.state.ak.us/water/cruise_ships/SciencePanel

Meeting Notice: http://www.dec.state.ak.us/water/cruise%5Fships/
SciencePanel/meeting06102010.html

Juneau Empire:
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/050710/reg_
635601214.shtml

17. Gov. & Candidates to talk fish May 28 at Kodiak Crab festival -
Festival home page:
http://www.kodiak.org/things-to-do/island-celebrations/
crab-festival.html

Schedule of Events:
http://www.kodiak.org/things-to-do/island-celebrations/
crab-festival/crab-festival-schedule.html

18. Aquaculture moves inch by inch toward organic labeling.
…The ball is now in the court of the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP). For more than five years, members of the Aquaculture Working Group, 12 people who work on some aspect of aquaculture — feed scientists, environmentalists, industry groups and veterinarians — have written, hashed out, defended and otherwise shepherded organic standards for finfish and bivalve mollusks through approval by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), which advises the NOP.

The next step, according to George Lockwood, chairman of the Aquaculture Working Group, is for the NOP to proceed with final rulemaking, an 18-month process that’s not expected to begin until 2011.
http://www.seafoodsource.com/newsarticledetail.aspx
?id=4294993401

19. ADF&G Sportfish strategic plan
http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Static/strat_plan/PDFs/
StrategicPlan2010Final.pdf

20. Council Coordinating Committee meeting, Anchorage May 19-21, Capt. Cook
North Pacific Fishery Management Council will host a meeting of the Council Coordination Committee (CCC), consisting of the Regional Fishery Management Council chairs, vice chairs, and executive directors on May 19-20-21, 2010.

Agenda: http://www.fisherycouncils.org/CCC/CCCagenda.pdf

NPFMC home page:
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/ 

21. NPFMC meeting, Sitka June 7-15
Draft agenda: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/Agendas/
610Agenda.pdf
Items FOR the June Meeting - Rockfish EA; Appendix; Chum Teleconference Report  - see NPFMC home page: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/ 

22. Story of Yukon salmon earns award; catch share loans advance
And the Oscar goes to ... Yukon River salmon!
The story of wild Yukon River salmon claimed top honors recently by the James Beard Foundation at a celebrity-studded gala in New York City. Founded in 1986, the foundation celebrates and nurtures America's culinary heritage and diversity.
The award — considered the Oscar of the food world — was in the media TV Show/On Location category as part of a PBS series called "Chefs A' Field." The segment titled "King of Alaska" featured nationally acclaimed restaurateur and chef Rick Moonen, and was filmed almost entirely in Emmonak…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/051410/fis_6_003.shtml

23.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
Tuesday 5/18/10  - Sea Lion BiOp worries #1 fishing port 
Monday 5/17/10  - Why salmon prices are tough to track
Friday 5/14/10  - Copper River, nice prices, few boats‏
Thursday 5/13/10  - Sitka fish feed ‘drag race’
Wednesday 5/12/10  - Roe herring updates h
ttp://www.marineconservationalliance.org/fishradio.htm  

24. Deadline June 29 for IPHC Merit Scholarships
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel/2010/
nr20100318.htm

25. Skate Nursery HAPC proposals sought by NPFMC, NMFS
Call for proposals for Habitat Areas of  Particular Concern (HAPCs) and associated fishery management measures.
SUMMARY:  The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and NMFS are soliciting proposals for candidate sites that could be identified as HAPCs and managed within Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The Council has identified skate nurseries as a priority for consideration during this call for proposals, and  proposals must meet the identified priority…
DATES:  Proposals must be submitted by August 16, 2010.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-9569.htm

26. Comment by June 10th on NOAA's Arctic Vision and Strategy
The Arctic has profound significance for climate and functioning of ecosystems around the globe. The region is particularly vulnerable and prone to rapid change. Increasing air and ocean temperatures, thawing permafrost, loss of sea ice, and shifts in ecosystems are evidence of widespread and dramatic ongoing change. As a result, critical environmental, economic, and national security issues are emerging, many of which have significant impacts for human lives, livelihoods, and coastal communities. Though NOAA has numerous and diverse capabilities that support these emerging issues, a strategic approach that leverages NOAA's existing priorities and strengths, as well as those of our national and international partners, is needed. This document provides a high-level framework and six strategic goals to address NOAA's highest priorities in the region. It is based upon assumptions that the region will: continue to experience dramatic change; become more accessible to human activities; and, be a focus of increasing global strategic interest.
DATES: Comments must be submitted by June 10, 2010…
Federal Register: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-
11016.htm

NOAA Arctic theme page: http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/

NOAA Fisheries Arctic page: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/arctic/

27. Comment deadline June 4 on NOAA loan program subpart B changes
The Fisheries Finance Program (FFP or the Program) provides long-term financing to the commercial fishing and aquaculture industries for fishing vessels, fisheries facilities, aquaculture facilities, and individual fishing quotas (IFQs).
In this action, NMFS amends our regulations to reflect the statutory changes to the Program, and to provide regulations for two additional lending products.
DATES: NMFS invites the public to comment on this proposed rule. Comments must be submitted in writing on or before June 4, 2010. Comments will be accepted only on Subpart B. Subpart C is unchanged except for numbering, therefore, comments will not be accepted… http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-10270.htm

28. Comment by July 6 on SE AK Fisheries economic data collection
Much of the data required for regional economic analysis associated with Southeast Alaska fisheries are either unavailable or unreliable. Accurate fishery-level data on employment, labor income, and expenditures in the Southeast Alaska fishery and related industries are not currently available but are needed to estimate the effects of  fisheries on the economy of Southeast Alaska. In this planned survey effort, data on these important regional economic variables will be collected and used to develop models that will provide more reliable estimates and significantly improve policymakers' ability to assess policy effects on fishery-dependent communities in Southeast Alaska. The survey will be conducted one-time only. The survey (mailed) will request data on employment, labor payments, and other expenditures from owners of 1,700 vessels that delivered fish to
Southeast Alaska processors in 2009…
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-10780.htm

29. NMFS data collection…Profiles of Fish Processing Plants in Alaska
The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort  to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public to comment on information collection: Profiles of Fish Processing Plants in Alaska
… The National Marine Fisheries Service's Alaska Fisheries Science Center proposes to obtain such basic information, as an accurate number of individuals employed at each
processing facility during the months of operation, the peak number of  workers for processing various species by season, the ethnicity of processing workers, types of lodging…
Comment by June 21…
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-9114.htm

30. Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey – comment by June 22
Recent amendments to the MSA require the development of an improved data collection program for recreational fisheries. To meet the requirements of the MSA, NOAA's
National Marine Fisheries Service is developing pilot studies to test alternative approaches for surveying recreational anglers…
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-9423.htm

31. Comment deadline June 29 on MMPA standards for seafood imports
With respect to foreign fisheries, section 101(a)(2) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(2)) states that ``[t]he Secretary of the Treasury shall ban the importation of commercial fish or products from fish which have been caught with commercial fishing technology which
results in the incidental kill or incidental serious injury of ocean mammals in excess of United States standards…
…This rulemaking would define the ``United States standards''
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-10158.htm

32. NPRB Ecosystems 2010 Conference Nov 8-11, Anchorage - Deadline June 4 for papers:
The North Pacific Research Board, along with regional and international cosponsors, announces the second call for papers for the 26th Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium, Ecosystems 2010: Global Progress on Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management.
Call for papers: deadline June 4, 2010
Conference dates: November 8-11, Anchorage
Ecosystems 2010 will bring together fishery scientists, managers, and stakeholders from around the world to share insights into the current status and future prospects of ecosystem-based fisheries management.
http://seagrant.uaf.edu/conferences/2010/wakefield-ecosystems/index.php
NPRB home page: http://www.nprb.org/

33. Deadline July 6 on Polar Bear Critical Habitat comments & draft econ analysis
USFWS Releases Draft Economic Analysis of Polar Bear Critical Habitat
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today (May 4) announced a draft economic analysis of the potential impacts of designating critical habitat for the threatened polar bear. The Service also announced it will reopen the public comment period on the proposed designation of critical habitat for the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Both measures will be subject to a 60-day comment period that will open upon publication in the Federal Register on May 5, 2010.
The draft economic analysis provides estimated costs of the reasonably foreseeable potential economic impacts of the proposed critical habitat designation for the polar bear through 2039.
http://alaska.fws.gov/fisheries/mmm/polarbear/criticalhabitat.htm

Federal Register Notice:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-10512.htm

34. EPA seeks Comment on the Effects of Ocean Acidification as it Relates to the 303(d) Program
Background
The Federal Register notice (FRN) is asking the public to comment on the effects of ocean acidification as it relates to the Section 303(d) program. EPA is soliciting specific input on what considerations EPA should take into account when deciding how to address listing of waters as threatened or impaired for ocean acidification under the Section 303(d) program. If EPA issues guidance on the listing of waters as threatened or impaired for ocean acidification, the Agency is using this opportunity to ask for input on what are the specific elements EPA should consider in regards to monitoring and assessment. Other questions EPA is requesting comment on include:

How can States or EPA otherwise aid in monitoring ocean acidification and its impacts on marine life and ecosystems?

If waters were determined to be threatened or impaired for ocean acidification under 303(d), what issues should EPA and States take into account when considering how to address TMDL development for such waters?

What other Federal ocean acidification programs and initiatives should EPA take into account when deciding how to approach ocean acidification under the 303(d) program?

… Comments from the public must be received on or before May 21, 2010.
EPA Notice:
http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/oceanfrMarch_2010/
Federal Register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-6239.htm

35. Comment by June 16 on Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund outreach and education
The Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development proposed changes in regulations in Title 3 of the Alaska Administrative Code dealing with Alaska sustainable salmon fund outreach and education program, including the following:

A new chapter 157 is added to 3 AAC regarding the allocation of program money. The new chapter includes provisions addressing use of purpose and applicability, eligible entities, eligible grant proposals, solicitation process, application requirements, preliminary proposal review, proposal review committee, proposal scoring process and criteria, award notification, reconsideration, acceptance of grant offer; grant conditions, waiver of sovereign immunity and definitions.

You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including potential costs to private persons complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Gail Dabaluz at the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development, Division of Community and Regional Affairs, P.O. Box 110809, Juneau, AK 99801-0809. The comments must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. on June 16, 2010.
 Proposed regs: http://commerce.alaska.gov/dca/pub/FINAL_AK_Sustainable
_Salmon_Regulations.pdf

DCCED notice: h
ttp://notes4.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7c156e7a
8925672a0060a91b/fbd3334083082d42892577270060f26
3?OpenDocument

36. ADF&G Recently Posted Reports:

Aleutian Islands and Atka-Amlia Islands Management Areas Salmon Annual Management Report, 2009.

Annual Summary of the Commercial, Subsistence, and Personal Use Salmon Fisheries and Salmon Escapements in the Alaska Peninsula, Aleutian Islands, and Atka-Amlia
Islands Management Areas, 2009.

Summary of observer data collected during the 2007/08 Alaska weathervane scallop fishery.

Stock Assessment and Restoration of the Afognak Lake Sockeye Salmon Run, 2009.

North Alaska Peninsula commercial salmon annual management report, 2009.

Chignik Management Area commercial salmon fishery harvest strategy, 2010.

2009 NSEI (Northern Southeast Inside Subdistrict) Sablefish Mark-Tag Survey.

Contribution of Alaskan, Canadian, and Transboundary Sockeye Salmon Stocks to Catches in Southeast Alaska Purse Seine and Gillnet Fisheries, Districts 101–108, Based on Analysis of Scale Patterns, 2002.

2009 Lower Cook Inlet Annual Finfish Management Report.

Wild and Hatchery Coded-Wire Tagged Coho Salmon Recovered as Strays in Natural Spawning Escapements in Southeast Alaska, 1976–2007.

Kodiak Management Area Harvest Strategy for the 2010 Commercial Salmon Fishery.
Overview of the 2009 Southeast Alaska and Yakutat Commercial, Personal Use, and Subsistence Salmon Fisheries.

See http://www.cf.adfg.state.ak.us/geninfo/pubs/pubs_recent.php for these and more...

37. Astoria Commercial Fishermen's Festival, September 18 - 19, 2010
http://www.commercialfishermensfestival.com/

38. Energy Use in Fisheries conference November 14-17, 2010, Seattle, WA.
http://www.energyfish.nmfs.noaa.gov/

April 20, 2010

Question for members & other recipients – Please let us know if use a modem / telephone line connection, or satellite connection that is billed by bandwidth to read UFA Updates.  We send this update in a text only format and include summary text and the complete links for items, in the understanding that many Alaska fishermen still connect via low speed connections. We are considering changes to how we communicate, and seek to provide this info in a manner that all of you can use.

If you connect by modem, please send a reply to ufa1@ufa-fish.org and include “Modem user” in the subject line.
If you have other suggestions as to how we might improve our communications to you, we welcome additional suggestions (with priority for advice from paid members!)

Contents
1. AK Legislature: this session UFA supported and obtained passage of…
2. ADFG's budget blossoms to solve salmon problems
3. Governor Parnell Announces Board of Fisheries Appointments – one more to go.
4. NOAA to Hold Aquaculture Listening Session – in Alaska, May ?
5. 2010 NOAA Sea Grant Aquaculture Research Program  - Deadline May 25
6. Federal Subsistence Board Restricts Subsistence Gillnet Mesh Size in the Yukon 7. Actions posted from BOF Statewide finfish meeting – March 16-21
8. Note to direct market fishermen: Update for Security Screening of Seafood Shipments
9. New E-stop system can save fishermen
10. Coast Guard highlights fishing vessel safety in Prince William Sound
11. USCG Safety Alert – Auto Channel Switching on DSC equipped VHF radios
12. FREE Safety Training Scheduled for Commercial Fishermen in Juneau- April 22-23
13. USCG seeks members for CFIVSAC FV safety committee
14. State Seeks Intervention in Cook Inlet Salmon Dispute
15. Federal Salmon Stronghold Bill heard before Senate subcommittee
16. Fishing crew data program stalls
17. Obama Admin Looks to Cast a Line With Anglers with Recreational summit
18. Why We Need A National Ocean Policy, interview with Dr. Jane Lubchenco
19. NOAA Business Report 2009
20. NOAA Report: Progress is Being Made to Rebuild and Sustain Fisheries and Ocean
21. NPFMC Items from the April Meeting
22. Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute "30th Anniversary Report"
23. WTC AK report: Japan - Alaska’s Major Trading Partner - $540M is seafood
24. Quake’s impact on Chilean salmon minimal
25. Icicle floating processor R.M. Thorstenson comes to town
26. Gathering to connect links in supply chain -Alaska Food Policy Group May 18-19
27.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
28. Comment deadline April 23 on Illegal Foreign Fishing and Bycatch 
29. Lessons from the Galaxy: "Tragedy and Courage on the Bering Sea":
30. Comment Deadline May 11 on Federal Subsistence proposals
31. State of the Salmon conference: May 4–7, 2010, Portland, OR.
32. Commercial Fishermen's Festival, September 18 - 19, 2010
33. "Energy Use in Fisheries”: November 14-17, 2010, in Seattle, WA

1. AK Legislature: this session UFA supported and obtained passage of…
HB 20 – adds generators to the Division of Investments commercial fishing energy improvement engine retrofit loan program, and opens the program to current holders of “A” loans.
SB 163 – increases the maximum claim limit of the Fishermen’s Fund from $2500 to $10,000, provides statutory authority for the Fishermen’s Fund advisory council to approve claims exceeding the claim limit, and allows for reimbursement of insured vessel owners of half of claims, up to $5K.
HB 344 – Extends salmon value-added product development tax credit and adds icemaking equipment for value added products to the list of approved equipment.
Budget items: increased funding for ASMI and retention of Marine Advisory Program agents.

For info and text of bills see AK Legislature home page and enter bill number in the search field: http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/index.php

The UFA board voted to award our lobbyist Jerry McCune with an honorary lifetime membership at our February meeting – and he earned it again in these last two months since then.

2. ADFG's budget blossoms to solve salmon problems
The Department of Fish and Game is on the way toward the largest budget increase it has received in over two decades.
Among more than $1.9 million in new operating budget money for salmon projects statewide is $524,000 intended to start multi-year field projects to restore, and better monitor salmon stocks in the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim region…
http://www.thedutchharborfisherman.com/article/1014
agencys_budget_blossoms_to_solve_salmon

3. Governor Parnell Announces Board of Fisheries Appointments
April 1, 2010, Juneau, Alaska - Governor Sean Parnell reappointed Claude “Vince” Webster of King Salmon and appointed Thomas G. Kluberton of Talkeetna to the state Board of Fisheries.  (Both were confirmed by the Alaska legislature)
http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell/press-room/full-press-
release.html?pr=5315

Note- there is still a pending appointment to be made for the additional seat, vacated by the resignation of Janet Woods. UFA has supported Eric Weingarth, Bruce Cain, and Paul Shadura for this seat.  We encourage your support – please send a letter to the office of the Governor, Boards and Commissions today!

4. NOAA to Hold Aquaculture Listening Session – in Alaska, May ?
April 13, 2010, Juneau, Alaska – At the request of Governor Sean Parnell, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) plans to hold a listening session in Alaska on its new national marine aquaculture policy.
http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell/press-room/full-press-
release.html?pr=5336

A copy of the governor’s letter to NOAA is available at: http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell_media/documents/
Ltr_to_Dr_Lubchenco_33110.pdf 

&
NOAA aquaculture listening sessions – Seattle April 22, Call in May 6,
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aquaculture/policy1/

5. 2010 NOAA Sea Grant Aquaculture Research Program  - Deadline May 25
NOAA Sea Grant will make available up to $6,000,000 in total for a national competition to fund aquaculture research projects for FY 2010 to FY 2011, as part of the overall plan to support the development of environmentally and economically sustainable ocean, coastal or Great Lakes aquaculture… http://seagrant.uaf.edu/research/rfp/2010/aquaculture-
special-funding.php  

6. Federal Subsistence Board Restricts Subsistence Gillnet Mesh Size in the Yukon River The Federal Subsistence Board, at its April 13, 2010 meeting in Anchorage, approved a regulation to restrict gillnets used in subsistence salmon fisheries in Federal public waters of the Yukon River Drainage by Federally qualified subsistence users to 7.5 inch maximum mesh size. This restriction has been approved to help increase the number of large, more productive Chinook salmon females on to the spawning grounds. The new regulation will be effective during the 2011 fishing season, and parallels action taken earlier this year by the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

See the April 14 news release at: http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/news.cfml

Federal Subsistence Management Program home page: http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/home.html .

KTUU news story
Many questions come out at federal subsistence board meeting
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=12306954

7. Actions posted from BOF Statewide finfish meeting – March 16-21
http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/meetsum/
2009-2010/statewide-finfish-2010.pdf

8. Note to direct market fishermen: Update for Security Screening of Seafood Shipments
(Alaska Business Monthly) - Alaska Air Cargo on Feb. 2 announced it has implemented procedural changes to meet Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requirements for the screening of seafood.
"We strongly encourage all seafood shippers to consider joining the TSA's Certified Cargo Screening Program," said Joe Sprague, Alaska Air Cargo's vice president. "Receiving certified pre-screened freight is the best way to ensure the most efficient and highest quality shipment of seafood products to market."
To learn more about the TSA's Certified Cargo Screening Program, visit www.tsa.gov/ccsp  or contact TSA representative Marilyn Christiansen at
(907) 602-8560.
Full Article:
http://www.akbizmag.com/alaska-news/1892-alaska-air-cargo-
announces-important-update-for-security-screening-of-seafood-
shipments.html

9. New E-stop system can save fishermen
(Kodiak Daily Mirror 4/16)  A new E-stop system can save fishermen from winch entanglement injuries.
Ted Teske of The National Institute talked about the system Thursday afternoon at ComFish for the National Institute Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
The system was created because every few years severe injuries or fatalities to fishermen are reported — injuries that could have been prevented…
http://kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=8701

10. Coast Guard highlights fishing vessel safety in Prince William Sound
VALDEZ, Alaska – Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Valdez recently kicked off its 2010 voluntary dockside commercial fishing vessel safety examination and safety compliance check initiatives in an effort to advance safety within the commercial fishing vessel fleet.

Coast Guard examiners will be available in Cordova beginning April 26 through May 22 for all commercial fishing vessel operators that are interested in scheduling a free voluntary dockside CFV safety exam.  In Valdez examiners are available throughout the year…
https://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/780/513963/

11. USCG Safety Alert – Auto Channel Switching on DSC equipped VHF radios
It has come to the Coast Guard’s attention that an automatic channel switching feature found on certain models of Digital Selective Calling (DSC) equipped VHF marine radios may create an unintended hazard by automatically switching from a working channel that might be in use at the time to Channel 16 when the VHF marine radio receives a DSC distress alert, distress alert acknowledgment or other DSC call where a VHF channel number has been designated…
http://homeport.uscg.mil/cgi-bin/st/portal/uscg_docs/
MyCG/Editorial/20100413/SA0210.pdf?id=
d97503572293d39fe368a7822a41e24942f589b3

12. FREE Safety Training Scheduled for Commercial Fishermen in Juneau- April 22-23
 Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA), in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard and UAS will offer a fishing vessel safety and drill conductor course in Juneau beginning Thursday April 22 and continuing on Friday April 23. The course includes a pool session with immersion suits. The class will meet at the USCG Sector Juneau Training Room in the DMV/ Alaska Department of Public Safety building at 2760 Sherwood Drive.
Please register in advance by contacting AMSEA in Sitka at 907-747-3287. More information and online registration is available at www.amsea.org .

13. USCG seeks members for CFIVSAC FV safety committee The US Coast Guard is seeking applications for membership on the Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Safety Advisory Committee (CFIVSAC). Applications should be submitted by June 1.
Federal register Notice March 26: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-6694.htm

14. State Seeks Intervention in Cook Inlet Salmon Dispute
Anchorage, Alaska – The Department of Law has moved to intervene in federal litigation to ensure that the State of Alaska can continue to manage its fishing resources.

The lawsuit, by the United Cook Inlet Drift Association against U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, was filed in U.S. District Court on March 18. It seeks to have the federal government take over management of Cook Inlet’s salmon fisheries through regulations that would trump the state’s rules…

“The desire by Alaskans to manage their own resources, particularly fish, was a driving force behind the push for statehood,” said Attorney General Dan Sullivan. “The plaintiffs seek to interfere with Alaska’s exercise of its sovereign state jurisdiction over its fish, waters and lands. That would strip the state of authority it gained under federal law, including the Alaska Statehood Act, and would return that authority to the federal government. We cannot allow that to happen.”

The state’s motion is at: http://www.law.alaska.gov/pdf/p
ress/040610-motion.pdf

AK Department of Law press release: http://www.law.state.ak.us/press/releases/2010/040610-Salmon.html

15. Federal Salmon Stronghold Bill heard before Senate subcommittee
Alaska would be in line for additional funding for the protection of wild salmon stocks under legislation heard in the Fisheries and Oceans Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee today (4/15).
 "Protecting the salmon strongholds we have now saves money and fishing jobs over the long-term as we won't have to spend billions of dollars later to restore and rebuild the fisheries," Begich said. "Alaska produces 44 percent of the world's salmon -- it's a precious resource we must work together to protect."  http://www.thebristolbaytimes.com/article/1015
salmon_stronghold_bill_heard_before

APRN Audio  (Joe Childers, UFA President):
http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Press
Releases&ContentRecord_id=53b580b2-7abf-4ce5-8703
-dc8cc71e8c52

Senate Commerce  - Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard subcommittee press release: http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Press
Releases&ContentRecord_id=53b580b2-7abf-4ce5-8703-dc8cc71e8c52

Subcommittee meeting page:
http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Hearings
&ContentRecord_id=c9fef0f5-fe43-48c0-8055-afe6bf74b0d
0&ContentType_id=14f995b9-dfa5-407a-9d35-56cc7152a
7ed&Group_id=b06c39af-e033-4cba-9221-de668ca1978a

16. Fishing crew data program stalls
KODIAK -- It's tough to track a workforce when you don't know where it is. But that will remain the case for more than 20,000 Alaska deckhands, at least for the immediate future.

"We support the project but feel the burden should be on the crew," said Mark Vinsel, UFA executive director. "Skippers can verify the information."

Crews aboard fishing boats are one of the only groups of laborers in Alaska not counted by the state. A project to collect labor data on deckhands in every fishery has been under development for two years, and it seemed to be on its way to legislative approval this year…
http://www.adn.com/2010/03/27/1202080
/fishing-crew-data-program-stalls.html

UFA’s letter suggested the pilot program use two control groups – 1) Crew member submitted logbooks and 2) operator submitted logbooks.

17. Obama Admin Looks to Cast a Line With Anglers with Recreational summit
The Obama administration is launching a significant new effort to reach out to marine recreational fishermen, an economically and politically powerful group that has previously felt shut out by the new administration.
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/04/16/16greenwire
-obama-admin-looks-to-cast-a-line-with-anglers-95055.html
&
ESPN: Lessons for NOAA
http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/saltwater/columns/
story?columnist=horton_chris&id=5115202
& NOAA announces New National Policy Advisor for Recreational Fisheries
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2010/20100323_fisheries.html

18. Why We Need A National Ocean Policy, interview with Dr. Jane Lubchenco
With Jon Bowermaster from the Huffington Post…
…JB: Do you see a future where the U.S. coastline is dotted with marine reserves, off limits to all fishing?
Dr. JL: The science of marine reserves is pretty clear that they are very powerful tools to protect biodiversity. In many cases they can also help recover depleted fisheries and provide a source of fish or other species to repopulate adjacent areas. They are definitely one of the tools in our toolbox, a very important one ... but not the only one. They need to be considered as part of a more holistic strategy of what kinds of activities and what kinds of protection are needed in different areas of the ocean, different parts of the coastline…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jon-bowermaster
/why-we-need-a-national-oc_b_542231.html

19. NOAA Business Report 2009
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/docs/business_report_2009.pdf

20. NOAA Report: Progress is Being Made to Rebuild and Sustain Fisheries
and Ocean Ecosystems
A new NOAA report shows that the last decade has been a period of progress in
rebuilding depleted fish stocks, sustaining many fisheries populations, and gaining a better understanding of the complex relationships between marine species and their habitats…
The report cites the Alaskan groundfish fisheries—walleye pollock, Pacific cod,
rockfishes and Atka mackerel—as a prime example of how managers and fishermen are
working together to keep fish harvest rates at sustainable levels while reducing risks to other species in the ecosystem, including marine mammals, juvenile fish and other fish species not being targeted.
These findings are one of a number of highlights from the nation’s coastal communities
that are described in the newly released NOAA report Our Living Oceans: Report on the Status of U.S. Living Marine Resources…

This sixth edition of Our Living Oceans, is now available online at
http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/LivingOceans.html , and will be available in printed copies soon from the NOAA’s Fisheries Service Office of Science and Technology.

NOAA Press release:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/mediacenter/docs/ourlivingoceans
_mar10.pdf

21. NPFMC Items from the April Meeting:

HAPC: Skate Nurseries Proposal Package: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/HAPC/
SkateNurseryProposal2010.pdf
Proposal Form: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/
HAPC/2010HAPC_Application.doc

Crab:  Emergency Exemption: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/crab/
EmergExmpt410.pdf
WAG: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/crab/
WAGmotion410.pdf
Motions:
ACL Discussion Paper (Tier 6: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/ACL/A
CL_motion410_discpaper.pdf  
Motion:
Tanner Crab Area Closures Motion 4/10: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/bycatch/GOATanner
ClosuresMotion410.pdf
 
GOA Rockfish Motion: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current
_issues/groundfish/RockfishMotion410.pdf

AIET Terms of Reference: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/
e cosystem/AIETtor410.pdf

Chum salmon bycatch outreach plan, April 2010 draft: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/bycatch/
ChumOutreach410.pdf
NOTICE:  5/4 Teleconf. Bering Sea Chum salmon bycatch alts:
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/bycatch/
ChumOutreachFlier310.pdf
Presentation: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/
bycatch/chumPPT410.pdf

NPFMC April Newsletter: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/
newsletters/news410.pdf

NPFMC Current Issues (4 meg pdf): http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/C
urrentIssues2010.pdf

NPFMC home page:
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/

22. Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute "30th Anniversary Report"
http://pressroom.alaskaseafood.org/wp-content/uploads/
2009/02/2010.pdf

23. WTC AK report: Japan - Alaska’s Major Trading Partner - $540M is seafood
Despite the economic downturn, Alaska’s exports to Japan remain substantial…
http://www.wtcak.org/Passport/PPJapan9.pdf

24. Quake’s impact on Chilean salmon minimal
Disaster causes only slight supply hiccup
Chile’s salmon farming industry recovered quickly from the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked the country’s central coast in late February. The quake’s epicenter was about 400 miles north of Puerto Montt, where the majority of salmon production occurs…
http://www.seafoodbusiness.com/index.asp?ItemID=4350
&rcid=199&pcid=198&cid=199%0A%0A%0A%0A%0A

25. Icicle floating processor R.M. Thorstenson comes to town
Keith Chaplin (Petersburg Pilot, April 15, 2010)
The R.M. Thorstenson, a 318-foot fish processor owned and operated by Icicle Seafoods Inc. and recently named in honor of Icicle founding partner Robert M. Thorstenson made a brief stop in Petersburg Friday Apr. 9.
The vessel, with 105 crew members is headed to Kodiak, but made a brief stop Friday at the PFI dock so that visitors could tour the vessel that processes crab, herring and salmon… http://www.petersburgpilot.com/www/stories/
041510thorstenson.htm
Thanks to Harold Wittlesy for his inspiration to honor Mr. Thorstenson Sr.

26. Gathering to connect links in supply chain -Alaska Food Policy Group May 18-19
Producers, distributors and others involved in food delivery and security will gather in Anchorage on May 18-19 to organize a state food policy council, to begin examining how Alaska's food system is operating and how to improve it.
http://www.thetundradrums.com/article/1015gathering
_to_connect_links_in_supply_chain
Global Food Collaborative announcement & invitation:
http://www.globalfoodcollaborative.com/news/2010/04/06/
alaska-food-policy-group-organizes-.html

27.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
Tuesday 4/20/10 - Sitka invests directly in future fishermen - and fish. 
Monday 4/19/10  - Pebble Mine opponents travel to London - again 
Friday 4/16/10  - Surveys show support for local fishing is #1 by consumers
Thursday 4/15/10  - Price updates: halibut, sablefish, cod, winter king salmon
Wednesday 4/14/10  - Offshore aquaculture policy hearings, Nat’l call in on May 6 http://www.marineconservationalliance.org/fishradio.htm  

28. Comment deadline April 23 on Illegal Foreign Fishing and Bycatch   -
In fulfillment of requirements under the international provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, NOAA Fisheries is preparing the second biennial report to Congress, which will identify nations whose fishing vessels are engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing or fishing practices that result in bycatch of protected living marine resources. On March 5, 2010, NOAA Fisheries requested information from the public that could assist in the identification of nations, with submissions requested by April 5, 2010. In order to allow more time for submissions, NOAA Fisheries is reopening the request for information until April 23, 2010. For more information, contact Michael.Simpkins@noaa.gov or visit this website for links to the notice in the Federal Register and other information.
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/msa2007/intlprovisions.html

29. Lessons from the Galaxy: "Tragedy and Courage on the Bering Sea":
New Crew Training DVD is Gripping Sea Story… new from John Sabella.
http://www.johnsabella.com/detail.lasso?title=650712

30. Comment Deadline May 11 on Federal Subsistence proposals
The Federal Subsistence Board is accepting written comments through May 11, 2010 on proposed changes to Federal subsistence fishing regulations. These proposed changes would affect Federal subsistence fishing seasons, harvest limits, methods for the taking of fish, and customary and traditional use determinations for the regulatory years April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2013.

The proposals can be found on the “Public Participation” page of the Federal Subsistence Management Program Website, http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/home.html .  Copies of the proposal book can also be obtained by contacting the Office of Subsistence Management at (800) 478-1456 or (907) 786-3888.

See this April 8 Notice at http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/news.cfml

31. State of the Salmon conference: May 4–7, 2010, Portland, OR.
Hilton Portland, OR
Registration begins Fall 2009
www.stateofthesalmon.org

32. Commercial Fishermen's Festival, September 18 - 19, 2010
Port of Astoria, Pier 1
Celebrity Fishermen — Captain Phil Harris and Captains Andy and Jonathan Hilstrand, and the return of the crew from F/V Wizard of “Deadliest Catch” fame along with the strong interest from several other “Deadliest Catch” stars and the return of Jay Browning’s “AxeMen” crew for the much anticipated re-match of the popular Tug-of-War competition.  See the fan video at http://www.commercialfishermensfestival.com/

33. "Energy Use in Fisheries: Improving Efficiency and Technological Innovations from a Global Perspective," November 14-17, 2010, in Seattle, WA.
This symposium will address both the direct and indirect effects of global energy costs on the seafood harvesting, processing, and marketing sectors. The desired outcomes will include a set of alternative strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of commercial and recreational fishing fleets, the associated financial gain to these industry participants, examples of the government’s role in reducing its imprint, and a set of metrics to measure the level of energy reduction or improved environmental efficacy of different fuel types used by fishing fleets.  This is an important and timely issue for the future of United States and world fisheries.
http://www.energyfish.nmfs.noaa.gov/

UFA dues for Alaska commercial fishing permit holders are $150 and we also welcome crew/supporter nonvoting members at $50 per year.
To support UFA see http://www.ufa-fish.org/members.htm

March 22, 2010

Note to members: 
I was on “injured reserve” from late January through February. The UFA Board met February 23-26 in Juneau. We appreciate the efforts of committee chairs and your group and at-large board representatives who organized documents and topics and produced a very productive meeting.  There were many motions passed on a wide variety of topics, and we have been very busy communicating positions on many topics in the time since. 
We will send a summary of our actions to paid members shortly.

Health Care bill – the house passed HR 4872 which amends HR 3590 as passed by the Senate.  We are still digging to understand whether the Senate provisions remain intact for fishing organizations to act as navigator entities to help organize fishermen to obtain coverage through the exchanges, and other provisions important for small business and self-employed individuals.
An analysis for small businesses from the California perspective is online at http://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/healthcare/reform_impact_
small_business10.pdf .   

See also item #1 for an opportunity for fishing family businesses to obtain group coverage through the State Chamber.

BOF names needed - Time is running out for applicants to submit their resumes for consideration for appointment to the Alaska Board of Fisheries. Contact the Governor’s office of Boards and Commissions at (907) 586-3500.

Table of Contents
1. ASCC & The Foraker Group to offer health benefits 
2. Comment by April 7 on EPA Vessel Discharge - Draft report to Congress
3. State fills empty cruise panel seats
4. Parnell Makes Nominations for Fishery Council
5. Governor Parnell Fights for Alaska Tourism
6. Canada FOI - Sea lice data to be made public
7. Reminder – New Coast Guard Boarding Ladder requirement in effect
8. Chuitna coal project plans to mine through salmon stream
9. Meeting with NOAA chief leaves fishing representatives, politicians frustrated
10. Obama Admin Jumps to Squelch Rumors of U.S. Fishing Ban
11. Board of Fisheries defines Subsistence Way of Life, keeps Chitina P.U.
12. Alaska subsistence regulations reviewed
13. Deadline March 24 is the to Submit Proposals to Change Federal Subsistence
Fishing Regulations
14.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
15. Alaska Salmon Enhancement Program 2009 Annual Report.
16. State of the Salmon conference: May 4–7, 2010, Portland, OR.
17. Commercial Fishermen's Festival, September 18 - 19, 2010
18. "Energy Use in Fisheries: Improving Efficiency and Technological Innovations from a Global Perspective," November 14-17, 2010, in Seattle, WA.

1. ASCC & The Foraker Group to offer health benefits 
Alaska State Chamber members now have option to purchase a plan aimed at helping employees live healthier lifestyles

The Alaska State Chamber of Commerce recently joined with The Foraker Group to offer a health benefit plan designed to reduce health care costs, while providing incentives to employees to engage in healthier lifestyles.

According to Foraker President and CEO Dennis McMillian, The Foraker Group Benefit Plan has been available to Partners of that organization for over a year.  This new collaboration with the ASCC brings the plan to its members and in some cases makes health insurance available for those who could not previously purchase it for employees.

"We are very pleased with this collaboration," McMillian said.  "It brings more organizations into the group which ultimately will make this a more affordable plan for everyone."

Health Insurance Brochure. (http://www.alaskachamber.com/content/images/stories/
Benefit_plan_for_Chamber.pdf )

The Foraker Group Benefit Plan Broker List. (for info & rates):
http://www.forakergroup.org/documents_fg/Foraker%
20Brokers%2005-09.pdf

UFA supports the Alaska State Chamber and we encourage individual fishing business owners to join and be active in your local Chamber, and in the State Chamber.

2. Comment by April 7 on EPA Vessel Discharge - Draft report to Congress
Draft Report to Congress: Study of Discharges Incidental to Normal Operation of Commercial Fishing Vessels and Other Non-Recreational Vessels Less than 79 Feet…

The Agency is accepting comments until April 7, 2010. In addition to generally requesting comment on all aspects of the draft report, EPA is specifically requesting comments for seven questions listed in that Federal Register Notice . You may submit comments by visiting www.regulations.gov and following the instructions on screen, by emailing ow-docket@epa.gov , Attention to either Docket ID No. OW-2009-0828 or Docket ID No.OW-2009-0208, or by mail to Water Docket Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, Attention to either Docket ID No. OW-2009-0828 or Docket ID No.OW-2009-0208. If you submit your comments by mail, please include a total of two copies in addition to the original.

Federal Register Notice (text) March 8, 2010:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-4828.htm

Download the entire Draft Report to Congress (PDF) (573 pp, 8.1MB)
http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/vessels_rtc_report.pdf

Links to the whole report or by sections are online at:
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/vessels/reportcongress.cfm  

Executive Summary: http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/vessels
_rtc_exec_summary.pdf

EPA Vessel Discharge home page for history of this issue, and info on general permit for vessels over 79 feet:
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=350

Recreational vessels received an exemption through an act of Congress.

3. State fills empty cruise panel seats
Auke Bay ecologist chosen to replace Cohen in NGO slot
By Kim Marquis | JUNEAU EMPIRE
An Auke Bay marine ecologist has been chosen to serve on the state's Cruise Ship Wastewater Science Advisory Panel.
Michelle Ridgway fills the panel's legislatively mandated non-governmental organization (NGO) seat, vacated when Gershon Cohen was removed from the panel at the industry's request.
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/032110/loc_
593516420.shtml

DEC Wastewater Science Advisory Panel home page: http://www.dec.state.ak.us/water/cruise_ships/Science
Panel/panelmembers.html

Feb 1, 2010 Meeting summary and documents:
http://www.dec.state.ak.us/water/cruise_ships/Science
Panel/meeting02012010.html

4. Parnell Makes Nominations for Fishery Council
March 15, 2010, Juneau, Alaska – Governor Sean Parnell forwarded his nominations of Duncan Fields of Kodiak and James Hubbard of Seward for consideration by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce for seats on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC). The governor also forwarded Sam Cotten of Eagle River and Matt Moir of Kodiak as alternate nominees…
http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell/press-room/full-press-
release.html?pr=5294

There is some opposition from many who feel that the Council should have an equal proportion of recreational fishermen -  Address letters of support to:
The Honorable Gary Locke, Secretary
U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20230

5. Governor Parnell Fights for Alaska Tourism
March 19, 2010, Anchorage, Alaska – Recognizing the significant impact the decline in cruise ship travel has had on Alaska, Governor Sean Parnell continues to advocate for increased tourism opportunities and economic growth for Alaska. The governor is aggressively seeking to bring more tourist dollars to Alaska with a comprehensive strategy to reduce taxes, increase tourism marketing and increase regulatory flexibility. In exchange, the state will require more cruise ship deployments to Alaska.
http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell/press-room/full-press-
release.html?pr=5301
&
Governor Parnell Meets with Cruise Executives
http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell/press-room/full-press-
release.html?pr=5296

6. Canada FOI - Sea lice data to be made public
After a four-year battle an environmental organization has won access to data collected by the British Columbia government on sea lice infestations in salmon farms.
In a ruling released today (March 1) the Office of the Information & Privacy Commissioner of B.C. orders the release of information gathered during fish farm health audits…
The government has 30 days to release the data.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-
columbia/sea-lice-data-to-be-made-public/article1485972/

7. Reminder – New Coast Guard Boarding Ladder requirement in effect
If your vessel has a freeboard (distance between top rail of the gunwale and the water) over 4 feet you are now required to provide a USCG approved boarding ladder…
http://www.aleutianseast.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC
&SEC=%7BA36962B9-090F-48C8-8372-28FFDCFA7AE5%7D

8. Chuitna coal project plans to mine through salmon stream
ADN COMPASS: Other points of view, By Judy Heilman
Under the state's large mine permitting system, there's no law that prohibits mining through a salmon stream. So, few Alaskans probably know PacRim's proposed Chuitna coal strip mine in Upper Cook Inlet plans to be the first major strip mine project in Alaska's history to completely remove the streambed and permanently take out the "root" of 11 miles of vibrant salmon streams. I want every Alaskan to understand -- and to speak out about -- the horrible precedent that could be set right here in Cook Inlet…
http://www.adn.com/2010/03/22/1194926/chuitna-
coal-project-plans-to.html

Alaskans Ask Governor to Decide: Salmon or Coal?
Proposed Chuitna coal mine in Cook Inlet would mine through salmon streams…
Cook Inlet Keeper Chuitna page: http://www.inletkeeper.org/energy/Chuitna90813.htm

DNR Chuitna Coal Project home page: http://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/mining/largemine/chuitna/index.htm

If you are in Juneau, drop by the Silverbow at noon on Tuesday March 23 for an informational presentation by Terry Jorgensen, whose set site is in the path of the proposed mine’s coal conveyor.

9. Meeting with NOAA chief leaves fishing representatives, politicians frustrated
BOSTON — NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco promised flexibility and accountability Monday in an unusual meeting with Massachusetts elected officials and representatives of the fishing industry.
But it was what she didn't say that had officials most concerned that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was staying on course to impose extremely limited catch shares along with a cooperative system called sector management…
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20100323/NEWS/3230312/-1/NEWS06

Congressional panel wades into 'catch share' debate – (Gloucester Times on March 16 House hearing)
A congressional subcommittee has called for the first public airing before federal lawmakers of the Obama administration's nationwide push for the kind of "catch share" fisheries management that's due for a May 1 launch in New England.
http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local_story_
069224540.html?keyword=secondarystory

House Resources: 'Subcommittee On Insular Affairs, Oceans And Wildlife Oversight Hearing On "Catch Shares As A Management Option: Criteria For Ensuring Success"', http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=
com_jcalpro&Itemid=54&extmode=view&extid=337

10. Obama Admin Jumps to Squelch Rumors of U.S. Fishing Ban
The Obama administration is trying to dash rumors that it planned to ban recreational fishing in marine waters and the Great Lakes in the wake of a series of Internet posts warning that such a prohibition was imminent…
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief Jane Lubchenco told a House panel yesterday that her agency had no plans to halt fishing. And National Marine Fisheries Service chief Eric Schwaab released a statement last night saying NOAA "is committed to adopting policies that will ensure that current and future generations have the opportunity to enjoy the great tradition of recreational fishing."
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/03/11/11greenwire
-obama-admin-jumps-to-squelch-rumors-of-us-fish-65275.html

We are alarmed that the administration did not rule out such a ban on commercial fishing.

11. Board of Fisheries defines Subsistence Way of Life, keeps Chitina P.U.
results – coming soon..
The Board of fisheries voted 6-0 to adopt a definition of “subsistence way of life” and also by the same vote to turn down a proposal to reclassify the Chitina Dipnet fishery from Personal use to “subsistence”.

The summary of the actions from the March 16-21 meeting will be posted soon at:
http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/meetinfo
/fcal.php   (scroll to near the bottom for this meeting)

12. Alaska subsistence regulations reviewed
Juneau Empire
ANCHORAGE - The Interior Department said it's taking longer than expected to review management of subsistence hunting and fishing in Alaska.

After weeks of visiting villages, federal officials met Thursday in Anchorage with leaders of 10 regional subsistence councils. The Anchorage Daily News reported the councils want more local decision-making and less bureaucracy by state and federal regulators.

The Interior Department's director of Alaska affairs, Kim Elton, said it's not ready to recommend changes. It had expected to make recommendations this week…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/011810/reg
_550978460.shtml

Office of Subsistence management: http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/index.cfml

Department of the Interior Review of Federal Subsistence link is at
http://www.doi.gov/whatwedo/subsistencereview/

13. Deadline March 24 is the to Submit Proposals to Change Federal Subsistence
Fishing Regulations

The Federal Subsistence Board is accepting proposals through March 24,
2010 to change subsistence fishing regulations on Federal public lands and
waters in Alaska for the 2011-2013 regulatory years.

The Board will consider proposals to change Federal subsistence fishing
seasons, harvest limits, methods of harvest, and customary and traditional
use determinations.

You can view the news release archive or issues
of importance in Subsistence at: http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/home.html

14.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
Friday 3/19/10  - Seafood trends, reax from Boston Seafood Show
Thursday 3/18/10  - Kodiak kids get local fish on school menus 
Wednesday3/17/10  - St. Patrick’s Day fish tribute
Tuesday 3/16/10  - Mood is optimistic at Boston Seafood Show
Monday 3/15/10  - Halibut hit by bad weather Listen Online at: http://www.marineconservationalliance.org/fishradio.htm

15. Alaska Salmon Enhancement Program 2009 Annual Report. Fishery Management Report
No. 10-05. White, B. 2010.
The 3 megabyte pdf file is online at:
http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/FedAidPDFs/FMR10-05.pdf

16. State of the Salmon conference: May 4–7, 2010, Portland, OR.
Hilton Portland, OR
Registration begins Fall 2009
www.stateofthesalmon.org

17. Commercial Fishermen's Festival, September 18 - 19, 2010
Port of Astoria, Pier 1
Celebrity Fishermen — Captain Phil Harris and Captains Andy and Jonathan Hilstrand, and the return of the crew from F/V Wizard of “Deadliest Catch” fame along with the strong interest from several other “Deadliest Catch” stars and the return of Jay Browning’s “AxeMen” crew for the much anticipated re-match of the popular Tug-of-War competition.  See the fan video at http://www.commercialfishermensfestival.com/

18. "Energy Use in Fisheries: Improving Efficiency and Technological Innovations from a Global Perspective," November 14-17, 2010, in Seattle, WA.
This symposium will address both the direct and indirect effects of global energy costs on the seafood harvesting, processing, and marketing sectors. The desired outcomes will include a set of alternative strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of commercial and recreational fishing fleets, the associated financial gain to these industry participants, examples of the government’s role in reducing its imprint, and a set of metrics to measure the level of energy reduction or improved environmental efficacy of different fuel types used by fishing fleets.  This is an important and timely issue for the future of United States and world fisheries.
http://www.energyfish.nmfs.noaa.gov/

December 30, 2009

We wish all a warm New Year’s celebration, and a successful 2010.

Table of Contents
1. Court: One halibut a day in Southeast (for SE charter customers)
2. Halibut Commission calls for more cuts to Southeast halibut fleet
3. IPHC Annual meeting Jan 26-29, Seattle
4. State Requests Extension of Federal Subsistence Review Deadline
to Allow More Alaskans to Participate
5. Governor Parnell Appoints Alaskans to Subsistence Advisory Councils
6. NPFMC Items from the December meeting:
7. Board of Fisheries posts summary of actions -Bristol Bay finfish meetings Dec 1-8.
8. Comment Deadline January 12 on AYK Finfish Proposals for Jan 26-31 meeting
9. Interest high, buying low in state's fishing permit sales
10. Bristol Bay Native Corp. opposes Pebble Mine
11. U.S. Ocean Policy Task Force: Interim Framework for Effective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning – comment deadline February 12, 2010.
12. HR 4363 Offshore Aquaculture Act introduced in House Resources
Capps unveils marine farming regulations
13. ADN Review: 'Sea Change' documentary visually beautiful, but fragile
14. Glaciers an important marine food source
15. Fisheries and Aquaculture Face Multiple Risks from Climate Change
16. To Save the Planet, Save the Seas - NY Time Op-Ed by Dan Laffoley
17. Salmon Roe Ranks among Richest Omega-3 Foods
18. ASMI reminder on Vitamin D – How To Get It When The Sun Goes Down –from salmon
19. ASMI Salmon Market Bulletin –December 2009:
20. AFDF Symphony of Seafood calls for entries for new products contest
21. Exxon decides not to appeal $70M in costs from punitive damages settlement
22. Tug’s accident raises questions
23. Governor Indignant at Oil Spills in Prince William Sound, Prudhoe Bay
24. CCA pushes Ballot Initiative to ban gill nets in Oregon
25. Coast Guard delivers 20,000 pounds of fish to Kotzebue
26. Norwegian speakers:  Let wild salmon die – farmed salmon more important?
27. Catch Shares Improve Consistency, Not Health, Of Fisheries
28. Op Ed - The Times They Are a-Changin' - by Nils Stolpe
29.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
30. USCG Safety Alert: Unapproved EPIRB Battery Replacements
31. Alternate Compliance and Safety Agreement Program Implementation for H&G
32. Comment deadline January 25 for U.S. Navy Gulf of Alaska Training Activities 33. Comment deadline February 16 on salmon bycatch EIS
34. Forest Service and ADF&G Seek Concurrence to Protect Fish Habitat and Passage
35. USDA Forest Service launches collaborative process for new planning rule
36. NMFS posts MMPA List of Fisheries for 2010
37. NMFS posts IFQ cost recovery standard prices
38. Comment deadline January 4 on 2010-2011 BSAI groundfish specifications
39. Comment by January 6 on Council regulation, procedures & disclosure changes
40. Comment deadline February 1 on Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Critical Habitat
41. Comment by March 1 on Cook Inlet Beluga economic value mail survey
42. Comment Deadline March 11 on National Standard 2 regarding science
43. Council Coordination Committee meets January 13-14, Washington DC

1. Court:1 halibut a day in Southeast (for SE charter customers)
By Margaret Bauman, Alaska Journal of Commerce
Halibut charter operators in Southeast Alaska were defeated in a court battle to reinstate a two-fish-a-day rule for their fishery, and are now weighing their options for appealing the Nov. 23 federal court decision…
Linda Behnken, director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association and board chair for the Halibut Coalition, hailed the decision as a real benefit to protecting the halibut resource from overharvesting.
Behnken noted that the allowable harvest of halibut by the longline fleet has been cut by 53 percent over the last three years to keep the resource sustainable.
"The charter fleet exceeded its guideline harvest level by over 100 percent in 2008 and the charter harvest has continued to grow," Behnken said. "This decision establishes that all sectors need to share in conserving the resource, to ensure sustainable harvests for everyone in the future."
 http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/120409/
loc_img1_002.shtml

Halibut Coalition home page: http://www.halibutcoalition.org/

2. Halibut Commission calls for more cuts to Southeast halibut fleet
By Margaret Bauman, Alaska Journal of Commerce
Commissioners of the International Pacific Halibut Commission will consider in late January cutting the 2010 quota for the commercial setline halibut fleet by 26 percent, an overall 65 percent reduction since 2006, because of a decline in the fishery's biomass.
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/122409/
loc_26_001.shtml

IPHC Staff Preliminary Catch Limit Recommendations for 2010
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel
/2009/nr20091208.htm

3. IPHC Annual meeting Jan 26-29, Seattle
The Eighty-sixth Annual Meeting of the International Pacific Halibut Commission will be held from Tuesday, January 26 through Friday, January 29, 2010 at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront…
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/
pubs/annmeet/IPHCAM.htm

2009 Halibut Landing Report No. 10:  http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/n
ewsrel/2009/nr20091203.htm

International Pacific Halibut Commission home page: http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/

4. State Requests Extension of Federal Subsistence Review Deadline
to Allow More Alaskans to Participate
(JUNEAU) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game requested an extension today of the deadline for comments to the Department of the Interior (DOI) on the Federal Subsistence Program Review. The request for additional time is based on the significant importance of the review to Alaskans.

“We believe that providing little more than a month before the holidays is not sufficient.”  said Denby Lloyd, ADF&G Commissioner. Although a DOI website to submit comments went online November 12, and Interior is requesting comments before the holidays, Lloyd explained that department staff has received numerous complaints from the public that there is not enough time to prepare comments…
http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/news/2009/12-04-09_nr.php

Previous item: Secretary Seeks Input for Review of Federal Subsistence Program
http://www.doi.gov/subsistencereview  

5. Governor Parnell Appoints Alaskans to Subsistence Advisory Councils
December 14, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sean Parnell today announced appointments to state-federal subsistence advisory councils for the seven national parks and monuments created by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA).

6. NPFMC Items from the December meeting:
GOA Pcod Sector Split motion: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/
current_issues/pcod/GOApcodsplit_motion1209.pdf

Salmon Bycatch Data Collection motion: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/bycatch
/SalmonBycatchDataCollectionMotion1209.pdf

BSAI Salmon Bycatch motion; http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/bycatch
/SalmonBycatchMotion1209.pdf

Outreach Plan for EA/RIR/IRFA on Non-Chinook Salmon Bycatch in the Bering Sea Pollock Fishery:
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues
/RuralOutreach/ChumOutreach1209.pdf  

Final Council specs for 2010/2011: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/
npfmc/CouncilSpecs1209.pdf  

December Newsletter: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/
newsletters/NEWS1209.pdf

NPFMC Home page: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/

7. Board of Fisheries posts summary of actions -Bristol Bay finfish meetings Dec 1-8.
http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/meetsum
/2009-2010/Dec09-summ.pdf

8. Comment Deadline January 12 on AYK Finfish Proposals for Jan 26-31 meeting
See meeting notice, proposals, agenda, roadmap & ADFG comments for this meeting on the BOF calendar at http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/meetinfo/fcal.php
Comment instructions are at the bottom of the meeting calendar page.

9. Interest high, buying low in state's fishing permit sales
LAINE WELCH – Alaska Journal of Commerce
KODIAK -- Sales of fishing permits and catch shares is a good way to gauge how confident people feel about the economy, and brokers say the past year has been a mixed bag in their business.

"It's been the slowest year I've ever had, but with the most phone time ever. There's a lot of interest, but not a lot of movement," said Olivia Olsen at Alaskan Quota and Permits in Petersburg. "A lot of guys want to buy and they had the money, but the world situation and some declining fish stocks didn't give them a lot of confidence."

Mike Painter at the Permit Master in Anacortes, Wash., agreed, but added the tide seems to be turning…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/122409/fis
_10_001.shtml

10. Bristol Bay Native Corp. opposes Pebble Mine
ANCHORAGE - The Bristol Bay Native Corp. is opposing the development of the Pebble copper and gold prospect in Southwest Alaska.
The corporation's board voted Friday to oppose the mine, as well as offshore oil and gas leasing in the Bering Sea. The board cited the "unquantifiable impacts the project could have on the natural resources of the Bristol Bay region."
"Maintaining a neutral stance on the Pebble Mine project is no longer in the best interest of the corporation or to the values of cultural and economic sustainability to which we hold ourselves," said Bristol Bay board chairman Joseph Chythlook in a press release…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/121409/sta
_535641806.shtml

11. U.S. Ocean Policy Task Force: Interim Framework for Effective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning – comment deadline February 12, 2010.
On December 14, 2009, President Obama’s Ocean Policy Task Force released its Interim Framework for Effective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning  (Interim Framework) for a 60-day public review and comment period.  With competing interests in the ocean, our coasts and the Great Lakes, the Interim Framework offers a comprehensive, integrated approach to planning and managing uses and activities.  Under the Framework, coastal and marine spatial planning would be regional in scope, developed cooperatively among Federal, State, tribal, local authorities, and regional governance structures, with substantial stakeholder and public input.

The Interim Framework includes a number of important provisions that would significantly overhaul the Federal Government’s approach to coastal and marine planning, including:

- A New Approach to How We Use and Protect the Ocean, Coast, and Great Lakes.

- Moves us Away From Sector-by-Sector and Statute-by-Statute Decision-Making.

- Brings Federal, State, and Tribal Partners Together in an Unprecedented Manner to Jointly Plan for the Future. 

- Places Science-Based Information at the Heart of Decision-Making. 

- Emphasizes Stakeholder and Public Participation.

CEQ Ocean Policy Task Force announcement:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives
/oceans/interim-framework

Interim Report: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files
/microsites/091209-Interim-CMSP-Framework-Task-Force.pdf

To submit comments see: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/
eop/ceq/initiatives/oceans/interim-framework/submit

Federal Register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-30071.htm

12. HR 4363 Offshore Aquaculture Act introduced in House Resources
Capps unveils marine farming regulations
By ERIC LINDBERG —Santa Barbara Daily Sound -  Dec. 18, 2009
Farming fish and other seafood in federal waters may soon be possible if legislation introduced this week by Congresswoman Lois Capps is approved.
The National Sustainable Offshore Aquaculture Act of 2009 would establish the first legal regulations for marine farming in waters at least three miles off the coast of the United States. Capps said she plans to develop a regulatory framework that balances environmental considerations with potential economic gains.
http://www.thedailysound.com/121809aquaculture

Representative Capps’ Press release: http://capps.house.gov/2009/
12/capps-introduces-comprehensive-sustainable-offshore-
aquaculture-legislation.shtml

For information and bill text see http://thomas.loc.gov/ , enter HR 4353 and select search by Bill Number.

House Resources home page: http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/

13. ADN Review: 'Sea Change' documentary visually beautiful, but fragile
"A Sea Change" is about ocean acidification -- the proposition that man-made carbon emissions wind up in the ocean, lowering the pH level, stressing out the shelled critters who inhabit the bottom of the food chain, eventually sending starvation up the line until we get a world without salmon, pollock or humpback whales...
The bigger disappointment is that statements are not challenged, counter-arguments are not noted and sourcing is often absent. This is the producer's prerogative, but it dilutes the film's value as education and blunts its power to persuade…
http://www.adn.com/life/arts/story/1052191.html

UFA hosted a presentation on current Ocean Acidification research in the North Pacific by Dr. Richard Feely at our Pacific Marine Expo meeting day.
Dr. Feely’s Powerpoint presentation to UFA is online (27 meg download pdf at: http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/mar/Feely_
UnitedFishermen_Nov09_mac.pdf

14. Glaciers an important marine food source
Study helps scientists understand the role of glaciers as they recede
By Kim Marquis | JUNEAU EMPIRE
A study done on Juneau's glaciers shows that the hulking blocks of ice produce high-quality food for the organisms that live in downstream rivers and the ocean.

The information will help scientists better understand marine food chains as glaciers continue to shrink, said researcher Eran Hood, a University of Alaska Southeast associate professor who led the study…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/122409
/loc_539293675.shtml

JUNEAU, Alaska, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Melting glacial ice in the Gulf of Alaska affects the marine food chain from microbes to the fish that feed on them, scientists said.

The organic matter of the gulf's watersheds is "remarkably" biologically active and is likely to decrease as glacial ice melts and the biomass is not replenished, said Rick Edwards, an aquatic ecologist with the Pacific Northwest Station in Juneau, Alaska.

 http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/12/28/
Melting-glacial-ice-harms-food-chain/UPI-46081262028938/

15. Fisheries and Aquaculture Face Multiple Risks from Climate Change
ScienceDaily (Dec. 22, 2009) — A new report, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, predicts "an ocean of change" for fishers and fish farmers. It concludes that urgent adaptation measures are required in response to opportunities and threats to food and livelihood provision due to climatic variations.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/
091215170218.htm

16. To Save the Planet, Save the Seas - NY Time Op-Ed by Dan Laffoley
…Few people may realize it, but in addition to producing most of the oxygen we breathe, the ocean absorbs some 25 percent of current annual carbon dioxide emissions. Half the world’s carbon stocks are held in plankton, mangroves, salt marshes and other marine life. So it is at least as important to preserve this ocean life as it is to preserve forests, to secure its role in helping us adapt to and mitigate climate change…
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/27/opinion/
27lafolley.html?_r=1

17. Salmon Roe Ranks among Richest Omega-3 Foods
Study ranks salmon eggs as one of the three roes richest in omega-3s; ounce for ounce, fish eggs outrank even the fattiest fish as sources of omega-3s..
This story and more are online in the current Vital Choices newsletter at:
http://newsletter.vitalchoice.com/index000414220.cfm

18. ASMI reminder on Vitamin D – How To Get It When The Sun Goes Down –from salmon
During the dark winter months, sunlight can be an insufficient source of vitamin D which is vital for the absorption of calcium and phosphorous. Low vitamin D levels have recently been linked to a greater chance of developing diseases including diabetes and heart disease, several cancers and the common cold.
The good news is that there is a delicious and healthy, vitamin D rich food source, that’s also one of American’s top favorite seafoods: Wild Alaska Salmon.
Salmon is one of the highest natural food sources of vitamin D with 360 IU* (International Units) per 3.5 oz.
http://pressroom.alaskaseafood.org/shortest-day-of-the-y
ear-vitamin-d-%e2%80%93-how-to-get-it-when-the-sun-
goes-down/

19. ASMI Salmon Market Bulletin –December 2009:
http://www.alaskaseafood.org/fishingprocessing/
seafoodweb_dec09/index.html

20. AFDF Symphony of Seafood calls for entries for new products contest
Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation announced last week that it will again hold its Alaska Symphony of Seafood new products contest in Seattle. The event will be held on Feb. 3…
Dutch Harbor Fisherman article:
http://www.thedutchharborfisherman.com/article/09
52fisheries_development_group_calls_for_products

AFDF Symphony of Seafood home page: http://www.symphonyofseafood.com/

21. Exxon decides not to appeal $70M in costs from punitive damages settlement
Exxon will pay out money it had previously set aside for punitive damages, stated a news release posted Dec. 15 on the Exxon Qualified Settlement Fund Web site…
http://www.thecordovatimes.com/article/0952exxon
_decides_not_to_appeal

22. Tug’s accident raises questions
• Advisory council wants to know how spill prevention strategy failed
by Naomi Klouda, Homer Tribune
The final drawing down of tanks aboard a tug boat that spilled an estimated 33,500 gallons of diesel fuel after hitting Bligh Reef on Dec. 23 was expected to be completed by Tuesday. However, officials say they have not yet determined what caused the grounding on Alaska’s well-marked navigational hazard…
 http://homertribune.com/2009/12/tug%E2%80%
99s-accident-raises-questions/

For more info, the PWSRCAC web page on the Tanker Escort System is online at http://www.pwsrcac.org/projects/MaritimeOps/escort.html

23. Governor Indignant at Oil Spills in Prince William Sound, Prudhoe Bay
December 24, 2009, Juneau, Alaska – Following the oil industry's third significant spill at Prudhoe Bay in one month and yesterday’s spill in Prince William Sound, Governor Sean Parnell today called executives at both BP Exploration and Alyeska Pipeline Service Company to express his deep concern.

“Frankly, when I saw so many spills in such a short time I was indignant that these spills would occur,” Governor Parnell said. “The spills harm both Alaska's environment and Alaska’s reputation for responsible resource development. I let the companies know this was not acceptable.”

http://www.gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=5208&type=1

24. CCA pushes Ballot Initiative to ban gill nets in Oregon
PORTLAND – Coastal Conservation Association is launching a ballot initiative …
The Protect Our Salmon Act would ban the use of gill nets and tangle nets in Oregon waters, including the Columbia River.

The press release had some technical difficulties but is linked from  the CCA PNW homepage at: http://ccapnw.org/home

CCAPNW Briefing Document on Oregon Gillnet Ban “Protect our Salmon” ballot initiative:
http://centralpt.com/upload/502/POSA/10583_2009-
POSABriefingDocumentwebsite.pdf

25. Coast Guard delivers 20,000 pounds of fish to Kotzebue
KOTZEBUE, Alaska - A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak HC-130 Hercules aircraft crew delivers 20,000 pounds of silver salmon fillets to Kotzebue Dec. 28, 2009.
The Coast Guard delivered the fish for a humanitarian effort which will feed 11 villages and more than 1.000 families in the area.
District 17 Press release: http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/
780/436735/

Seashare home page: http://www.seashare.org/

26. Attn Norwegian speakers:  Let wild salmon die – farmed salmon more important?
Quotes as translated with Google:
- Let the wild salmon to die out if it is necessary to farm, say two mayors who are tired of the researchers massive criticism against the industry.
- I think farming is more important than taking care of the wild salmon if you can not do both, "said Mayor Helge Njåstad in Austevoll (FRP) to TV 2
http://www.tv2nyhetene.no/innenriks/velger-oppdrett
-foran-villaks-3045428.html
(from what I’ve seen from automated Japanese translators these quotes may need verification -MV)

27. Catch Shares Improve Consistency, Not Health, Of Fisheries
Catch share programs result in more consistent and predictable fisheries but do not necessarily improve ecological conditions, according to a new study published online this week by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Lenfest Ocean Program Press Release:
http://www.lenfestocean.org/publications/NR%20Catch%
20Shares%20Essington%20final.pdf

Report summary:
http://www.lenfestocean.org/publications/Lenfest%20RS%
20Catch%20Shares%20FINAL.pdf

28. Op Ed - The Times They Are a-Changin' - by Nils Stolpe
 Fishermen have finally concluded that it’s time for long overdue changes, and that the place to go is Congress.
It’s been a long time coming, but it appears as if a critical number of fishermen have finally reached the conclusion that the way things are heading, there’s not going to be an acceptable fishing future for any of us, that it’s time for some long overdue changes, and that the place to effect those changes is in Congress…
http://www.savingseafood.org/columns/the-times-they-
are-a-changin-by-nils-stolpe-2.html

29.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
Wednesday 12/30/09 Call for entries in Symphony of Seafood contest‏
Tuesday 12/29/09 “New rules” proposed at IPHC annual meeting 
Monday 12/28/09 Holiday oysters = aphrodisiac!
Friday 12/25/09 Christmas miracles from the sea
Thursday 12/24/09 Whales and fish quotas‏

Listen Online at: http://www.marineconservationalliance.org/
fishradio.htm

30. USCG Safety Alert: Unapproved EPIRB Battery Replacements
Fishing vessel safety staff in the Coast Guard’s Seventh District has received at least three reports in the past few months regarding unapproved replacements of 406 EPIRB batteries by servicing companies having no association with the EPIRB manufacturer. These unauthorized battery installations would likely result in a failure of this critical item of lifesaving equipment, and as such are not in compliance with the operational readiness requirements of 46 CFR.
http://homeport.uscg.mil/cgi-bin/st/portal/uscg_docs/
MyCG/Editorial/20091130/0809.pdf?id=
089d972bd1f885fec4fd41997ef272101d05aafa

31. Alternate Compliance and Safety Agreement Program Implementation for H&G
The ACSA Implementation Guide for the "Head and Gut" Fleet has been published.  &
The Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Digest was revised and updated in 2008.  It is available for viewing and/or downloading.  Select "Fishing Vessel Homeport" at the left, and when in "Homeport" go to the "References & Publications" topic group.  It will appear as the first item.

See links on fishsafe homepage at: http://www.fishsafe.info/

32. Comment deadline January 25 for U.S. Navy Gulf of Alaska Training Activities EIS -  -Public meetings scheduled for Jan 7 – 12 in Kodiak, Anchorage, Homer, Juneau & Cordova

…the Department of the Navy (Navy) has prepared and filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS) for public release on December 11, 2009. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is a Cooperating Agency for the EIS/OEIS.

    The Draft EIS/OEIS evaluates the potential environmental effects of the Proposed Action from Navy training activities conducted in the Gulf of Alaska and Alaska's inland training areas, collectively referred to as the Alaska Training Areas (ATA). The Draft EIS/OEIS addresses ongoing and proposed military training activities, as well as proposed force structure changes and the introduction of new weapons and systems to the Fleet. The Proposed Action serves to achieve and maintain Fleet readiness using the ATA to support and conduct current, emerging, and future training activities. A Notice of Intent for this Draft EIS/OEIS was published in the Federal Register on March 17, 2008 (73 FR 14237).

    The Navy will conduct five public hearings to receive oral and written comments on the Draft EIS/OEIS. Federal, State, and local agencies, elected officials, and other interested individuals and organizations are invited to be present or represented at the public hearings. This notice announces the dates and locations of the public hearings for this Draft EIS/OEIS.

    An open house session will precede the scheduled public hearing at each of the locations listed below, and will allow individuals to review the information presented in the Draft EIS/OEIS. Navy representatives will be available during the open house sessions to clarify information related to the Draft EIS/OEIS.

   Dates and Addresses: Five public hearings will be held in Alaska to receive oral and written comments on the Draft EIS/OEIS. All meetings will start with an open house session from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., followed by a presentation and formal public comment period from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Public hearings will be held on the following dates and at the following locations:

Public hearings will be held on the following dates and at the 

following locations:
                                                

1. Thursday, January 7, 2010, at Kodiak High School Cafet
eria, 722 Mill Bay Road, Kodiak, Alaska;     
2. Friday, January 8, 2010, at Fairview Recreation Center
 MainGymnasium, 1121 E. 10th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska;
3. Saturday, January 9, 2010, at West Homer Elem
entary School Gymnasium, 995 Soundview Avenue, Homer, Alaska;
4. Monday, January 11, 2010, at Juneau Arts and Cultu
re Center Main Hall, 350 Whittier Street, Juneau, Alaska; 
5. Tuesday, February JANUARY 12, 2010, at Orca Adventure Lodge
 Meeting Room & Cafe, 2500 Orca Road, Cordova, Alaska.

FEDERAL REGISTER CORRECTIONS:
-The EPA Notice of Receipt of 11 Dec 2009 contained an incorrect phone number for Amy Burt. The correct phone number is 360-396-0924.
-In the Notice of Public Hearings published by the Navy on 11 Dec 2009, the month for the Cordova, Alaska public hearing was incorrect. The correct date for the Cordova meeting is January 12, 2010.

Federal Register Notice:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-29565.htm

Home page- with links to draft EIS & comment form:
 http://www.gulfofalaskanavyeis.com/

Draft EIS: http://www.gulfofalaskanavyeis.com/
otherresources.aspx#draft

Documents page: http://www.gulfofalaskanavyeis.com/
OtherResources.aspx#Brochures

Comment form online:
http://www.gulfofalaskanavyeis.com/Documents/
GOAwebsiteCommentForm.pdf

33. Comment deadline February 16 on salmon bycatch EIS
NOAA Fisheries has published an environmental impact statement concerning the accidental catch of Chinook salmon in the Bering Sea pollock fishery…

The EIS analyzes five alternatives, including the Council's recommended alternative, that generally involve limits or "caps" on the number of Chinook salmon that may be caught in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. Managers would close all or part of the pollock fishery when a Chinook salmon bycatch cap is reached, even if the entire pollock total allowable catch has not yet been harvested.

Comments on the final EIS will be received until February 16, 2010. After studying public comments on the final document, NOAA will publish a record of decision…
NOAA Press release:
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2009/
salmonbycatch121809.htm

34. Forest Service and ADF&G Seek Concurrence to Protect Fish Habitat and Fish Passage
Juneau, Alaska- Alaska Forest Service Regional Forester Denny Bschor signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game that outlines protocols for gaining concurrence in conducting instream activites on the Tongass and Chugach national forests December 18.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by ADF&G Commissioner Denby Lloyd December 10. Both agencies have the common goal of protecting fish resources on Alaska's national forests while continuing a long-standing cooperative relationship. The Forest Service and ADF&G's Division of Habitat will work together to reach concurrence on all instream activities and to maintain fish passage in all fish-bearing water bodies on national forests in Alaska. US Forest Service Alaska region Press release: http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/ro/newsroom/releases/
AK_Forest_Service_and_State_ADFG_sign_fish_mou_
121409.shtml

MOU: http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/ro/newsroom/releases
/fisheries_mou.doc

US Forest Service Alaska Region home page: http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/

35. USDA Forest Service launches collaborative process for new planning rule
  WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2009-Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the USDA Forest Service is beginning an open, collaborative process to create and implement a modern planning rule to address current and future needs of the National Forest System, including restoring forests, protecting watersheds, addressing climate change, sustaining local economies, improving collaboration, and working across landscapes. The Forest Service will publish a notice of intent (NOI) in the Federal Register tomorrow, December 18, to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to develop a new planning rule that will provide a framework for management of national forests and grasslands…
USFS press release:
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?
contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/12/0620.xml

Federal Register notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/
2009/E9-30174.htm

36. NMFS posts MMPA List of Fisheries for 2010
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) publishes its final List of Fisheries (LOF) for 2010, as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The final LOF for 2010 reflects new information on interactions between commercial fisheries and marine
mammals. NMFS must categorize each commercial fishery on the LOF into one of three categories under the MMPA based upon the level of serious injury and mortality of marine mammals that occurs incidental to each fishery. The categorization of a fishery in the LOF determines whether participants in that fishery are subject to certain provisions of the MMPA, such as registration, observer coverage, and take reduction plan requirements.
DATES: This final rule is effective January 1, 2010.
Federal Register notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/
2009/E9-27431.htm

37. NMFS posts IFQ cost recovery standard prices
NMFS publishes individual fishing quota (IFQ) standard prices for the IFQ cost recovery program in the halibut and sablefish fisheries of the North Pacific. This action is intended to provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2009 standard prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment for IFQ cost recovery fees due by January 31, 2010…
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-29463.htm

38. Comment deadline January 4 on 2010-2011 BSAI groundfish specifications
NMFS proposes 2010 and 2011 harvest specifications and prohibited species catch allowances for the groundfish fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area…Comments must be received by January 4, 2010.
 http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-28831.htm

39. Comment by January 6 on Council regulation, procedures & disclosure changes
NMFS proposes changes to the regulations that address the operations and administration of Regional Fishery Management Councils (Councils). The regulatory changes are needed to clarify which Council documents should be available to the public, clarify Council member nomination procedures, clarify financial disclosure requirements for
Council members, and revise the security assurance procedures for nominees to and members of the Councils.

DATES:  Written comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. e.d.t.
on January 6, 2010…
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-29062.htm

40. Comment deadline February 1 on Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Critical Habitat
...the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), propose to designate critical habitat for the Cook Inlet beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) distinct population segment under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Two areas are proposed, comprising 7,809 square kilometers (3,016 square miles) of marine habitat. We solicit comments from the public on all aspects of the proposal.

DATES: Comments and information regarding this proposed rule must be
received by close of business on February 1, 2010. Requests for public
hearings must be made in writing and received by January 19, 2010.
Federal Register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-28760.htm
NOAA press release: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories
2009/20091201_alaskabeluga.html

Previous item:  NOAA Reports Latest Cook Inlet Beluga Population Estimate
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2009/
cibeluga100609.htm

41. Comment by March 1 on Cook Inlet Beluga economic value mail survey
…The public benefits associated with the results of protective actions on the Cook Inlet beluga whale, such as population increases, are primarily the result of the non-
consumptive value people attribute to such protection (e.g., active use values associated with being able to view beluga whales and passive use values unrelated to direct human use). Little is known about these values, yet such information is needed for decision makers to more fully understand the trade-offs involved in choosing among potential
protection alternatives and to complement other information available about the costs, benefits, and impacts of protection alternatives.
The National Marine Fisheries Service plans to conduct a pilot survey to test a survey instrument that will be used to collect data for measuring the economic benefits the public receives for providing additional protection, beyond current levels, to the Cook Inlet beluga whale. These preferences are currently not known, but are needed to
assist in the evaluation of alternative measures to further protect and recover the species' population, such as in the evaluation of critical habitat designations…
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-30924.htm

42. Comment Deadline March 11 on National Standard 2 regarding science
NMFS proposes revisions to the guidelines for National Standard 2 (NS2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) regarding scientific information. This action is necessary to provide guidance on the use of best scientific information available (BSIA) for the effective conservation and management of the nation's marine living resources. NMFS proposes to modify the existing NS2 guidelines on BSIA and establish new guidelines for scientific peer review to ensure the reliability, credibility, and integrity of the scientific information used in fishery conservation and management measures. Further, NMFS is proposing to add language to the guidelines regarding the role of the Scientific and Statistical Committees (SSCs) of the Regional Fishery Management Councils (Councils), and the relationship of SSCs to the peer review process…
DATES: Written comments must be received by March 11, 2010…
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-29589.htm

43. Council Coordination Committee meets January 13-14, Washington DC
NMFS will host a meeting of the Council Coordination Committee (CCC), consisting of the Regional Fishery Management Council chairs, vice chairs, and executive directors in January 2010. The intent of this meeting is to discuss issues of relevance to the Councils,
including FY 2010 budget allocations and budgetary planning, the Ocean Policy Task Force, Marine Spatial Planning, the draft Catch Shares Task Force Report, and implementation of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act)…
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-30694.htm

November 12, 2009

We will hold our Fall meeting on Tuesday November 17th and Wednesday November 18th at the Swedish Cultural Center near Lake Union in Seattle – paid members are invited to attend.

On Thursday, Nov 19th, the UFA meeting will be held as part of Pacific Marine Expo, at the Qwest Center.

Members, lapsed members & new members – pay  your UFA dues online at
http://www.ufa-fish.org/paymt.htm .

Please consider supporting UFA today, and join us at Pacific Marine Expo next week.

Table of Contents

1. Secretary Seeks Input for Review of Federal Subsistence Program
2. Secretary Seeks Federal Subsistence Board Chair
3. USFS & USFWS post proposed changes for Subsistence Board special action process – comment by Jan 12, 2010.
4. AFN Resolutions online:
5. Sea otters pose big threat to Southeast fisheries
6. USFWS posts ESA Critical Habitat for Southwest northern sea otters
7. Fisheries managers feel the heat in Bethel
8. Board of Fisheries summary of actions – Oct 13-14 meeting
9. Nobel Prize Winner Ostrom: Government oversight not only way to solve human problems
10. Federal scientists (NOAA): Limit offshore drilling plans
11. Coast Guard bill HR 3619 passes House, includes new safety mandates
12. Herron Calls for Continued Monitoring & Management of Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim's Declining Salmon Fisheries
13. State challenges polar bear listing
14. Gov. Defends State’s Mine Permitting Process
15. ADFG notes Anadromous Waters Catalog less than 50% complete
16. Pebble opponents target financial groups to chill investment
17. EPA issues more toxin protections for fish, shellfish
18. NOAA Scientists Fly to the Ends of the Earth to Measure Greenhouse Gases
19. NOAA and FDA to Combine Resources on Seafood Inspection
20. Murkowski Announces Senate Passage of Funding Bill That Includes Resources for Alaska Fisheries Research and Management
21. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Announces $234 Million to Promote U.S. Food and Agricultural Exports
22. Economic Value of Alaska Waters Stressed by Begich during Oceans Subcommittee Hearing
23. Senate Commerce Hearing Summary - The Future of Ocean Governance: Building Our National Ocean Policy 
24. Deadline Dec 2 for NPFMC Science & Statistical Committee nominations
25. NPFMC seeks input on Bering Sea Pollock Chum bycatch measures – by Dec 2.
26. NPFMC posts Items from the October Meeting
27. Rep. Neuman Named to National Sportsmen's Caucus Executive Committee
28. Risk assessment of Alaska oil infrastructure called flawed
29. Chamber: White House attacks are backfiring
30. Alaska Seafood Processors Advisory Council Meeting, Nov. 20, Seattle
31. Alaska DNR Aquatic Farming Public Notice – comment by December 8.
32. 40,000 fish escape Maine farm
33. MMRC: Time Flies When You’re Tagging Seals
34.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
35. NOAA Fisheries includes more rural residents in subsistence halibut fishery
36. NMFS posts Arctic FMP & Amendment 29 to the Crab FMP
37. NOAA Reports Latest Cook Inlet Beluga Population Estimate
38. Coast Guard Arctic Operations: An Overview (PDF - 2 MB):
39. NMFS posts web process for CDQ, Rockfish, Amendment 80 & BSAI Crab xfers
40. NPFMC Groundfish plan team meets Nov 16-20, Seattle
41. NPFMC Rural Community Outreach Committee will meet by teleconference Nov 20
42. NMFS Workshop on seaLandings & 2010 recordkeeping, Seattle Nov 18
43. IPHC 2009 Halibut Landing Report No. 9
44. USCG Kodiak NWR & Glacier Bay Communication site proposals available for public comment
45. Deadline Nov 30 for USDA Rural Dev. Value-Added Producer program
46. NPRB Online Proposal Submission deadline December 4
47. ADF&G posts Bristol Bay reports
48. ASMI Trade Mission to China Stimulates Business
49. Fishermen wanted -  Serve on an ASMI Committee
50. In memory of UFA Lifetime Member Steve Smith - Birder, fisherman's Alaskan dream cost $20

1. Secretary Seeks Input for Review of Federal Subsistence Program
On October 23, 2009, Secretary of the Interior Salazar announced to the
Alaska Federation of Natives Convention in Anchorage the initiation of a
Departmental review of the Federal Subsistence Management Program in
Alaska.  The review will focus on how the program is meeting the purposes
and subsistence provisions of the Alaska National Interest Lands
Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA), and how the program is serving rural
subsistence users as envisioned when the program was begun in the early
1990s.

The Alaska Affairs office of the Secretary will lead this review effort.
The Secretary has directed that the review be driven by input from
subsistence users.  Comments and suggestions are welcomed and encouraged
in this review.  In addition to legislative mandates, the review will
include the structures and operations of the Federal Subsistence Board,
the Federal Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils, and budgetary issues.
The Secretary has indicated his desire to complete the review and to
consider recommendations for possible actions in the next several months…

Additional information about the review of the Federal Subsistence
Management Program will be available shortly on the web at
http://www.doi.gov/subsistencereview 

Please send any comments or recommendations for consideration in this
review:
By mail:Department of the Interior
Office of the Secretary
1689 C Street, Suite 100
Anchorage, AK 99501
By e-mail:      subsistence@ios.doi.gov

By fax:  (907) 271-4102

Questions?  Contact the Office of the Secretary in Anchorage at (907)
271-5485.

Press release: http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/newsrel/r110609a.pdf  

2. Secretary Seeks Federal Subsistence Board Chair
As part of his call for a review of the federal subsistence program, Secretary of the Interior Salazar announced his intention to appoint a Chair of the Federal Subsistence Board. Nominations and applications for this position of Chair of the Federal Subsistence Board are now being solicited and welcomed through December 4, 2009. The appointment is expected to be made in the next several months…
Online at http://www.doi.gov/subsistencereview/

The Federal Office of Subsistence Management press releases are found at http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/news.cfml

3. USFS & USFWS post proposed changes for Subsistence Board special action process – comment by Jan 12, 2010.
We, the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are proposing to amend the regulations that manage take of wildlife and fish in Alaska for subsistence purposes to clarify them. In particular, we want to clarify the Federal Subsistence Board's process of accepting and addressing special action requests, along with the role of the Regional Advisory Councils in the special action process. We would also update public notice requirements to bring them into line with the practices of the digital age and accommodate a new biennial regulatory cycle.
Public meeting: The Federal Subsistence Board will hold a public
meeting on January 12, 2010, to receive comments on this proposed rule.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-24653.htm

4. AFN Resolutions online:
Resolution #01, as well as 08, 09,10,11, 13, 14, 27, 32, 34, 35,and 38 relate to subsistence or fisheries.
The entire document is online at:
http://www.nativefederation.org/documents/2009%20AFN%20
CONVENTION%20FINAL%20RESOLUTIONS%20WITH%20FLOO
R%20AMENDMENTS.pdf
&
(Oct 18) - Subsistence rights expected to headline AFN convention
CONTROL: State or federal management, consultation with users among themes.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/afn/story/978389.html

UFA’s  invitation to AFN to address the UFA Board was declined.
We have common ground nonetheless  on AFN resolution #08 concerning sea otters

5. Sea otters pose big threat to Southeast fisheries
By Laine Welch | Capital City Weekly
Several things pose dangers to various fisheries in Alaska, but there is one big threat in the Panhandle that is seldom mentioned: sea otters.

Sea otters in Southeast Alaska were hunted almost to extinction by Russian fur traders in the 18th and 19th centuries, and estimates peg the population at just 2,000 in 1911. Sea otters were re-introduced to the region by ADF&G in the 1960s; within a decade their numbers reached 160,000 animals, and otter counts have grown exponentially ever since.
No one knows how many sea otters have set up housekeeping in Southeast or how much shellfish they're feasting upon. Hoyt and Sunny Rice, the local Sea Grant marine advisor, aim to start finding out.

"The first step of our proposed project is to get an estimate of how many otters are in southern Southeast before we can move forward with anything else," Rice said, adding that concerns by fishermen and subsistence users prompted the study.
 http://capitalcityweekly.com/stories/090209/bus_488907462.shtml

Sunny Rice will present at UFA’s open session at Pacific Marine Expo, 4:30 PM on Thursday, November 19th.

6. USFWS posts ESA Critical Habitat for Southwest northern sea otters
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are designating critical habitat for the southwest Alaska Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 15,164 square kilometers (km2) (5,855 square miles (mi2)) fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. All the critical habitat is located in
Alaska.
DATES: This rule becomes effective on November 9, 2009.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-24087.htm

& USFWS Southwestern Sea Otter Fact Sheet
http://alaska.fws.gov/fisheries/mmm/seaotters/pdf/fact_
sheet_oct2009.pdf

7. Fisheries managers feel the heat in Bethel
Link: The Tundra Drums
Angry Western Alaska commercial fishermen lashed out at state fishery managers in Bethel on Monday during a meeting of the House Resources Committee, charging that they mismanaged Yukon River king salmon this summer. Fishermen said the state undercounted fish and needlessly restricted fishing, allowing too many kings to swim upriver into Canada's Yukon. Myron Naneng, head of the Association of Village Council Presidents in the Bethel region, said villagers must be involved in helping set fishery rules. "Lower Yukon villages are experiencing economic genocide," he said. State officials acknowledged inaccurate fish counting and promised to do a better job in the future…
http://www.adn.com/3437/story/973430.html

8. Board of Fisheries summary of actions – Oct 13-14 meeting
-Vince Webster elected chair
-ACR 5 - accepted & scheduled for March 2010 -   SE District 2 Dungeness Crab commercial closure
-ACR 7 -accepted & scheduled for March 2010 – Bering Sea Opilio TAC
ACR 9 -accepted & scheduled for March 2010 – Bering Sea Tanner Crab minimum size

Board generated Proposal A  - accepted & scheduled for Jan 2010 – Revise management triggers in the Yukon Summer Chum Management Plan
Board generated Proposal B  - accepted & scheduled for Jan 2010 – Revise management triggers in the Yukon Fall Chum Management Plan

Escapement Goals and Stocks of Concern: changed Kvichak River sockeye from a “management concern” to a “yield concern”.

Salmon Industry Restructuring proposals – additional information needed, to be requested from ADF&G, on #15 (repeal of 32 foot limit in Bristol Bay) and #168 (repeal of 58 foot Seine limit).

Heard reports on extended jurisdiction program, Bering Sea Chinook bycatch measures, sport guide service board & more…

Details are online at
http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/meetsum/2009-2010
/soa-oct-work09.pdf

9. Nobel Prize Winner Ostrom: Government oversight not only way to solve human problems
…The first woman to win a Nobel economics prize, announced today, emphasizes in her work, for example, how pools of users manage natural resources as common property, such as how lobster fishermen in Maine in the 1920s came together to self-police the industry due to too many of the sea creatures being captured threatened their extinction…
http://www.indystar.com/interstitial.html?ad_cat=local&campaign
=ryland&backto=http%3A//www.indystar.com/article/20091012/
LOCAL/910120361/

&&&

Pioneering Nobel Prize winner influenced Alaska, resources
The first woman to win a Nobel Prize in economics also has bolstered the credibility of Alaskans who worked for decades to instill the concept of public ownership of the state's natural resources.
 Elinor Ostrom, 76, and Oliver E. Williamson of the University of California Berkeley shared this year's economics prize, announced by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Monday.
       A political scientist at Indiana University, Ostrom studies the management of common resources, like fish, grazing lands and forests. She shed light on examples around the world -- including Alaska's fisheries -- in which people have worked cooperatively to sustain their resources rather than destroying them.

You can read the full story online at:
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/971399.html?story_
link=email_msg

10. Federal scientists (NOAA): Limit offshore drilling plans
The federal government's top ocean scientists are urging the Interior Department to drastically reduce plans to open the coast to offshore oil and gas drilling, citing threats to marine life and potentially devastating effects of oil spills in Arctic waters…
NOAA says the leasing plan's assessment of the risks of drilling, such as oil spills, is "understated and generally not supported or referenced."

For example, in Alaska's North Aleutian Basin and Chukchi Sea, the agency says it is "very concerned about potential impacts to living marine resources and their habitats, viable commercial and recreational fisheries, and subsistence use of marine resources as a result of future lease sales, exploration, and development."
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-ocean-drilling
12-2009oct12,0,2819272.story

11. Coast Guard bill HR 3619 passes House, includes new safety mandates
Gloucester Daily Times
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved new legislation that includes a number of fishing vessel safety improvements championed by Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank.
The 2010 Coast Guard Reauthorization bill increases funding for the Coast Guard, and enhances its ability to carry out homeland security missions. The bill passed the House on Friday by a vote of 385-11.
http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local_story_
299223436.html

To See HR 3619, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/ , enter H.R.3619 click to search on Bill Number

&&&

ADN Editorial: Our view: Safer seas
Coast Guard inspections vital
Too many fishermen die on the job. The deaths of five more in the sinking of the Alaska Ranger in the Bering Sea in 2008 drove home that truth once again, and for the fourth time after a fatal accident, the National Transportation Safety Board has said Congress should give the Coast Guard the power to do mandatory inspections of commercial fishing vessels…
http://www.adn.com/opinion/view/story/962645.html

For HR 2652 Vessel Safety legislation by Oberstar, see http://thomas.loc.gov/ , search by bill number.

One thing to keep in mind is that there are over 2,000 commercial fishing vessels registered in Alaska with a length of 20 feet or less, and many of these are in very small communities that are unlikely to host vessel inspection teams.

UFA encourages fishermen to participate in USCG dockside safety inspections, and we support the work of the Fishing Vessel safety Advisory committee and the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association-  http://www.amsea.org/ .

12. Herron Calls for Continued Monitoring & Management of Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim's Declining Salmon Fisheries
(Bethel) - Following on the heels of a pair of recent trips by government officials to the Yukon-Kuskokwim region, Rep. Bob Herron, D-Bethel, is calling for continued monitoring and improvements in the way the Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game manages the areas salmon fisheries. Herron hopes to raise public awareness on the issue, which is damaging the region's economy following the ban on commercial fishing in the Yukon earlier this year, and implementation of restrictions on subsistence fishing…
http://www.housemajority.org/item.php?id=item-399

13. State challenges polar bear listing
Parnell: Status threatens resource development along northern coast
ANCHORAGE - The state of Alaska is trying to bolster its efforts to overturn the listing of the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Attorney General Dan Sullivan announced Wednesday he has filed a supplement to the state's earlier lawsuit in federal court in Washington, D.C. In it, the state claims the U.S. Department of Interior did not respond to the state's concerns in a timely manner before polar bears were listed last year.
Gov. Sean Parnell, who succeeded Palin upon her resignation last summer, joined Sullivan at the Wednesday news conference in which they said the Endangered Species Act was being used as a way to shut down resource development along Alaska's northern coast.
Parnell said he does not intend to let that happen.
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/102209/sta
_507750760.shtml

&&&

Polar bear habitat given 'critical' status
WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is setting aside 200,000 square miles in Alaska and off its coast as "critical habitat" for polar bears, an action that could add restrictions to future offshore drilling for oil and gas.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/story/983238.html

&&&
Comment by December 28 on Polar Bear Critical Habitat
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-25876.htm

14. Gov. Defends State’s Mine Permitting Process
November 6, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sean Parnell today defended the state’s system of regulating and permitting mines, saying the misuse of the Endangered Species Act and proposed changes to federal mining laws threaten mineral exploration and development in the state.

In his speech to the annual convention of the Alaska Miners Association, the governor praised the state’s rigorous permitting process as a world-class system that protects the environment while providing jobs and services across Alaska.

“Our permitting standards start with many years of environmental baseline data collection,” Governor Parnell said. “Dozens of authorizations from state, federal and local agencies are required before a mine can begin operations, and denial of any one of these authorizations along the way can stop the project…
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=5134

15. ADFG notes Anadromous Waters Catalog less than 50% complete
“The Catalog of Waters Important for the Spawning, Rearing or Migration of Anadromous Fishes and its associated Atlas (the Catalog and Atlas, respectively) currently contain about 16,000 streams, rivers or lakes around the state which have been specified as being important for the spawning, rearing or migration of anadromous fish. Based upon thorough surveys of a few drainages it is believed that this number represents less than 50% of the streams, rivers and lakes actually used by anadromous species. It is estimated that at least an additional 20,000 or more anadromous water bodies have not been identified or specified under AS 16.05.871(a).
The Catalog and Atlas are important because they specify which streams, rivers and lakes are important to anadromous fish species and therefore afforded protection under AS 16.05.871. Water bodies that are not "specified" within the Catalog and Atlas are not afforded that protection…If you would like to request a change to the Catalog and Atlas you can download the nomination form.
ADFG Catalog of Anadromous Waters home page:
http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/SARR/AWC/

ADFG Summary of Habitat Statutes: http://www.habitat.adfg.alaska.gov/regs.php

16. Pebble opponents target financial groups to chill investment
By Tim Bradner, Alaska Journal of Commerce
A report released Oct. 29 by opponents to the proposed Pebble copper/gold project in Southwest Alaska and aimed at financial investment groups claims significant legal and political risks would jeopardize the project.
A spokesman for the companies that want to develop the mine discounted the report and says the project is still in its preliminary stages, too early for anyone to draw conclusions about its viability…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/110509/loc_19_001.shtml

The Earthworks press release that is the topic of this article is online at:http://www.earthworksaction.org/PR_JewelerMomentum.cfm

17. EPA issues more toxin protections for fish, shellfish
By Laine Welch, AK Journal of Commerce
Fish and shellfish will soon get more protection from mercury and other toxins in the atmosphere that end up in U.S. waters.
The Environmental Protection Agency announced in late October that for the first time, it is putting the brakes on fossil fuel emissions from U.S. power plants. About half of the carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels is absorbed by the oceans; the resulting off kilter chemistry is beginning to wreak havoc on sea creatures…
The EPA will be required by November 2011 to set controls for coal- and oil-fired power plants; oil is used to generate only a small percentage of U.S. electricity. Companies will have three years to comply after the new regulations go into effect.
Most of the atmospheric pollutants in the North Pacific come from emissions of coal-fired power plants in Asia. That's bad news for Alaska - water samples collected last spring from the Gulf of Alaska showed that acid levels are increasing more quickly and more severely than previously thought. The gulf findings are similar to those seen in the Chukchi and Bering seas…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/110509/fis_6_001.shtml

18. NOAA Scientists Fly to the Ends of the Earth to Measure Greenhouse Gases
November 2, 2009
Broomfield, Colo. – NOAA scientists took off Saturday on the second phase of a mission that, when complete, will provide a detailed view of how carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are distributed globally. Monitoring the increasing levels of greenhouse gases and black carbon aerosols in the atmosphere is crucial to understanding human-caused climate change…
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20091102_hippo.html

19. NOAA and FDA to Combine Resources on Seafood Inspection
NOAA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration unveiled an interagency agreement today to strengthen seafood inspection and improve seafood safety and quality.

The agreement formalizes the working arrangements between NOAA’s Fisheries Service Seafood Inspection Program and the FDA to reinforce each agency’s efforts through cooperation and information sharing in the inspection of fish, fishery products, and establishments. Inspection agents from both agencies will work together when appropriate, and NOAA will share inspection results with FDA.

“Americans are eating an average of 16 pounds of seafood a year--that’s a lot of fish,” said Jim Balsiger, acting NOAA assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service. “This partnership will help ensure that seafood consumers—who spent nearly $70 billion on seafood last year—continue to get safe, healthy seafood through combining our resources with FDA.”…
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20091026_
seafoodinspect.html

20. Murkowski Announces Senate Passage of Funding Bill That Includes Resources for Alaska Fisheries Research and Management
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, a member of the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee, today announced that the Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2010 Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill which includes a number of important projects for Alaska. The bill now goes to a joint House-Senate conference committee to reconcile differences in each chamber’s version of the bill.

“This bill provides important resources for fisheries research and management, extended continental shelf mapping and law enforcement,” Murkowski said. “I am pleased the Senate recognizes the crucial role that natural resources, especially fisheries, play in Alaska and has provided funding for these priorities.”

The bill provides funding for the following items important to Alaska…
• Bering Sea Crab Management and Research - $300,000…
• U.S./Canada Yukon River Salmon Agreement Studies - $500,000…
• Seal and Steller Sea Lions Biological Research - $300,000…
• University of Alaska, Fairbanks – Extended Continental Shelf Mapping - $300,000…
• Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund - $80 million…

Senator Murkowski press release:
http://murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressRelease
s&ContentRecord_id=ec5b7ad0-4780-42d1-b5b2-3e0b3d54a
5e1&ContentType_id=b94acc28-404a-4fc6-b143-a9e15bf92d
a4&Group_id=c01df158-d935-4d7a-895d-f694ddf41624

21. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Announces $234 Million to Promote U.S. Food and Agricultural Exports
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Nov. 11, 2009—Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that 70 U.S. trade organizations received more than $234 million in Fiscal Year 2009 to help promote American food and agricultural products overseas…

Including:
Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute $4,667,028
http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/PressRelease/pressrel_dout
.asp?PrNum=0278-09

22. Economic Value of Alaska Waters Stressed by Begich during Oceans Subcommittee Hearing
Probes Oceans Zoning Effort Considered by Administration
While welcoming increased attention to the health of America's oceans, U.S. Sen. Mark Begich today expressed concerns about whether limited federal resources currently used to manage fisheries and other economic activities from the nation's oceans could be at risk from changing national priorities.

Begich raised those concerns and others during a hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard on an interim report of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force appointed earlier this summer by President Obama. The task force held a hearing in Alaska this summer and issued a preliminary report about possible changes to federal management of the nation's oceans.

"Alaska's oceans provide more than half the nation's seafood landings annually, worth over $4 billion and which drive the economy of our coastal communities from the Southeast panhandle to the Aleutian Islands, but this is not reflected in the interim report," Begich said. "Neither is the fact that our waters support strategic routes of international commerce, attract over a million tourists annually, and that Alaska's outer continental shelf is a potential storehouse of oil and gas to help meet the nation's energy security.

"While I welcome the increased attention to the health of America's oceans, the economic impacts also need to be considered. I'm also concerned that federal dollars currently used to manage fisheries and other ocean resources could be shifted to a new ocean council led by the White House." he said.

http://begich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&Con
tentRecord_id=cf903845-1cf2-4237-a7bc-27e0203927c5&Cont
entType_id=ef710aa3-7e29-440a-b9de-316ee20df1b5

23. Senate Commerce Hearing Summary - The Future of Ocean Governance: Building Our National Ocean Policy 
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a subcommittee hearing today (11/4) on The Future of Ocean Governance: Building our National Ocean Policy.
http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=
PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=69b84995-e485-459
2-a4b3-03269e517428&Month=11&Year=2009

24. Deadline Dec 2 for NPFMC Science & Statistical Committee nominations
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/CallforNominations2010.pdf

25. NPFMC seeks input on Bering Sea Pollock Chum bycatch measures – by Dec 2.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is Evaluating Measures to Limit Chum Salmon Bycatch in the Bering Sea Pollock Fishery
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/bycatch/
chumoutreachflier909.pdf

26. NPFMC posts Items from the October Meeting
Observer motion
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/observer/
Observermotion1009.pdf

GOA Pcod sector allocaton motion
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/pcod/
GOAPcodmotion1009.pdf

Research Priorities
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/Research_priorities09.pdf

Rockfish Program Motion
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/groundfish/
Rockfish1009motion.pdf

October NEWSLETTER
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/newsletters/NEWS1009.pdf   (revised 10/19)

NPFMC home page: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/

27. Rep. Neuman Named to National Sportsmen's Caucus Executive Committee
(Big Lake) - House Resources Committee Co-Chair Mark Neuman, R-Big Lake/Su Valley, was recently elected to serve on the executive committee of the National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses. Neuman was elected along with four others to the ten-member panel.

"I'm pleased to be selected by my peers," Neuman said. "Alaska's sports and outdoor heritage are unlike any other in the world and that gives me a unique perspective to bring to the committee. The NASC brings together legislators from the state and federal government to debate policy on hunting, fishing, wildlife management, trapping, state-to-state cooperation, and federal regulations. This is a tremendous opportunity to help inform and direct the committee as we debate more issues important to sportsmen across the U.S."

The full text of this release can be found below:
http://www.housemajority.org/item.php?id=neum20091103-409

28. Risk assessment of Alaska oil infrastructure called flawed
EXPERTS: Study is too dependent on industry cooperation, panel says.
By ELIZABETH BLUEMINK
A panel of national scientific experts is raising serious concerns about the state-led, $5 million project to evaluate risks posed by Alaska's aging oil and gas infrastructure.
The study, initiated by former Gov. Sarah Palin, was triggered by recent spills, leaks and corrosion on the North Slope, including the 2006 spill that shut down half of Prudhoe Bay for weeks and resulted in multimillion-dollar penalties for BP, the Prudhoe operator.

But the National Academy of Sciences said in a 45-page report circulated Tuesday that the state's study -- as currently designed -- is unlikely to meet its own ambitious goals.

The study, funded by the Legislature in 2007, involves reviewing and ranking oil and gas-related risks along the 800-mile trans-Alaska oil pipeline, at the Valdez tanker port and at North Slope and Cook Inlet fields…

As designed, the study would involve sifting through a massive amount of data. Also, it assumes oil and gas "industry cooperation that is neither promised or likely to be forthcoming," the panel's report says…

The report notes that state regulators have not yet secured cooperation from oil and gas producers to provide their data. The state needed that cooperation early on in the project, the report says…
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/oil/story/980882.html

29. Chamber: White House attacks are backfiring
By: Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen - Politico
October 26, 2009 04:50 AM EST

U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue says a campaign by the White House and its allies to undermine his $200-million-a-year association has largely failed — and actually has helped raise even more money for its pro-business efforts.
http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=8E81FADE-18FE-
70B2-A8842C9313516AAE

UFA encourages fishing families and businesses to join, participate in, and thereby  influence their local and State Chambers. Please drop by our session with the Alaska and Greater Seattle Chambers, on the afternoon of Nov. 19th at Pacific Marine expo.

30. Alaska Seafood Processors Advisory Council Meeting, Nov. 20, Seattle
9:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M PST
(10 A.M. – 12 A.M. Alaska Time)
Location:  Seafood Products Association, 1600 S. Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98144
Or
For more info call in number contact Randy Pfeuffer, Alaska DEC/Food Safety and Sanitation, Anchorage, AK 99501
907-269-7505

31. Alaska DNR Aquatic Farming Public Notice – comment by December 8.
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting comments on preliminary best interest findings and decisions (PD) for the 2009 aquatic farm applications and amendments. Ten (10) applications are being reviewed for new aquatic farm proposals plus one amendment for an existing farm site. One (1) new application is proposed in southcentral Alaska within Kachemak Bay just north of Halibut Cove near existing aquatic farm lease sites; eight (8) new applications are being proposed in southeast Alaska plus one (1) amendment is being reviewed in southeast Alaska. One (1) farm site is being proposed south of Yakutat, one (1) south of Kake, and five (5) within bays north of Klawock and south of Edna Bay (Prince of Wales Island) and one (1) new aquatic farm site is being proposed northwest of Ketchikan within the Tatoosh Islands. One (1) aquatic farm amendment is being reviewed for an existing farm site on northwest Tuxekan Island.
http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7c156e7a892
5672a0060a91b/561b45ce21185bd589257664006d8fcd?Open
Document

32. 40,000 fish escape Maine farm
Gillnetters near Sointula report catching Atlantic salmon

A recovery vessel working for a fish-farming company recovered about 1,100 escaped Atlantic salmon yesterday, and will continue working over the weekend to catch more of the estimated 40,000 escaped fish…
"The response time really troubles me," said Chief Bob Chamberlin of the nearby Kwicksutaineuk-Ah-Kwaw-Ah-Mish band.
"One of the only reasons we found out was because a commercial fishery was going on and they were catching Atlantics."
http://www.timescolonist.com/fish+escape+farm/2141317/
story.html#

33. MMRC: Time Flies When You’re Tagging Seals
The field season has now drawn to a close and Consortium research teams returned home. But before they traded the Bering Sea for highways, traffic lights, and of course, data compilation, we caught up with Chad Nordstrom and Brian Battaile to find out how they fared.
http://www.marinemammal.org/2009/fieldseason09b.php

Marine Mammal Research Consortium home page: http://www.marinemammal.org/

34.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
Thursday 11/12/09 Fishing still #1 as most dangerous job
Wednesday 11/11/09 AK Highliner, Fishermen of the Year contest
Tuesday 11/10/09 Are you smarter than a 5th grader when it comes to AK salmon?
Monday 11/9/09 Fishing grounds give property rights, says UFA
Friday 11/6/09 Pollock livers pack omega 3s, uses for skins
Listen Online at: http://www.marineconservationalliance.org/fishradio.htm
& also see Laine Welch's Fish Factor at http://www.kinyradio.com/fishfactor.html

35. NOAA Fisheries includes more rural residents in subsistence halibut fishery
NOAA Fisheries has published new regulations, effective December 4, 2009, that mean more residents in remote areas will be able to participate in the subsistence fishery for Pacific halibut in waters in and off Alaska…
Press release: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2009/halibutsubsistence
_alert110409.htm

Federal register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-26559.htm

36. NMFS posts Arctic FMP & Amendment 29 to the Crab FMP
NMFS issues a final rule that implements the Fishery Management Plan for Fish Resources of the Arctic Management Area (Arctic FMP) and Amendment 29 to the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs (Crab FMP). The Arctic FMP and Amendment 29 to the Crab FMP establish sustainable management of commercial fishing in the Arctic Management Area and move the northern boundary of the Crab FMP out of the Arctic Management Area south to
Bering Strait. This action is necessary to establish a management framework for commercial fishing and to provide consistent management of fish resources in the Arctic Management Area before the potential onset of unregulated commercial fishing in the area…
DATES: Effective December 3, 2009.
Federal Register notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-26452.htm

NOAA Fisheries – Arctic Fisheries home page: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/arctic/

NOAA Press release: Arctic Fishery Management Plan goes into effect December 3
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2009/arctic
_alert110309.htm

37. NOAA Reports Latest Cook Inlet Beluga Population Estimate
The endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale population is not showing recovery, according to NOAA Fisheries Service’s latest annual survey and estimate. NOAA scientists, analyzing recent population estimates, find a continued trend of gradual population decline…
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2009/cibeluga100609.htm

38. Coast Guard Arctic Operations: An Overview (PDF - 2 MB):
http://www.uscg.mil/d17/ArcticOverview.pdf

39. NMFS posts web process for CDQ, Rockfish, Amendment 80 & BSAI Crab xfers
Alaska Community Development Quota Program, Rockfish Program, Amendment
80 Program; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area Crab Rationalization
Program
NMFS issues regulations to provide harvesting cooperatives, crab processing quota share holders, and Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) groups with the option to make intercooperative transfers, crab individual processing quota transfers, and inter-group transfers through an automated, web-based process…
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-24217.htm

40. NPFMC Groundfish plan team meets Nov 16-20, Seattle
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's GOA and BS/AI
groundfish plan teams will meet in Seattle, WA. The meetings will be held November 16 20, 2009. The meetings  will begin at 9 a.m. on Monday, November 16, and continue through Friday, November 20.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Building 4, Observer Training Room (GOA Plan Team) and Traynor Room (BS/AI Plan Team), Seattle, WA…

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jane DiCosimo or Diana Stram, North
Pacific Fishery Management Council; telephone: (907) 271-2809.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The plan teams will prepare and review the
stock assessments for groundfish fisheries in the BSAI and GOA and
recommend catch specifications for 2010/2011. Agenda posted on website
at: http://www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc/ .

NPFMC home page: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/

41. NPFMC Rural Community Outreach Committee will meet by teleconference Nov 20
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's Rural Community Outreach Committee will meet by teleconference, (907) 271-2896.
DATES: The teleconference will be held on November 20, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: North Pacific Fishery Management Council; telephone: (907) 271-2896.
    Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Kimball, North Pacific Fishery
Management Council; telephone: (907) 271-2809.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The committee is scheduled to receive updates from staff on several ongoing outreach efforts stemming from committee and Council recommendations. The committee's primary task at this meeting is to provide recommendations toward developing a Bering Sea chum salmon bycatch outreach plan.
    The Agenda is subject to change, and the latest version will be
posted at http://www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc/ .

42. NMFS Workshop on seaLandings & 2010 recordkeeping, Seattle Nov 18
NMFS, Alaska Region, and the U.S. Coast Guard, North Pacific Fisheries Training Center, will present a workshop on seaLandings, a consolidated electronic means of reporting production of commercial groundfish to multiple management agencies for Federal and State fisheries off the coast of Alaska, and 2010 recordkeeping and reporting
requirements for the Alaska groundfish fisheries and Individual Fishing Quota fisheries.

DATES:  The workshops will be held on November 18, 2009, 9 a.m. to 5
p.m., Pacific Standard Time.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held at the Swedish Cultural Center
Seattle, WA, 1920 Dexter Ave. N in the Svea Room on the Main Level.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Patty Britza, 907-586-7376.

Federal Register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-27186.htm

43. IPHC 2009 Halibut Landing Report No. 9
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel/2009
/nr20091102.htm

IPHC home page: http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/Default.htm

44. USCG Kodiak NWR & Glacier Bay Communication site proposals available for public comment
JUNEAU, Alaska – The Coast Guard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service are seeking input on proposals to permit, construct, operate and maintain search and rescue communications facilities in Middle Cape area of the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge and within Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.

This input marks the beginning of the process under the National Environmental Policy Act used to decide whether to issue a Right-of-Way permit and authorize construction.  Such comments will help the agencies to determine what issues will be addressed in an Environmental Assessment…
The agencies have sent out letters inviting any comments, issues and concerns that interested parties might have.  Comments may be sent to William Freeland, Environmental Protection Specialist with Rescue 21 PRO Alaska, 100 Savikko Rd., Douglas, AK 99824…
Comments may be posted concerning Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve on the National Park Service Planning, Environment and Public Comment website at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkId=12&projectId
=26546&documentID=30163.  People interested in receiving further information on this and other projects may request to be place on a mailing list…
USCG Notice: http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/780/392519/

45. Deadline Nov 30 for USDA Rural Dev. Value-Added Producer program
& USDA corrects dates in Value-Added Producer program
(NOFA) on September 1, 2009 stating an anticipated award date of
January 7, 2010 for Value-Added Producer Grants. Due to the delay in
publication of the NOFA in the Federal Register, this award date does
not allow sufficient time for scoring and processing applications.
Therefore the anticipated award date is May 3, 2010…
(Deadline still Nov. 30)
Federal Register Notice http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-23939.htm

Value-added producer Grants program home page:
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm

In Alaska contact USDA Rural development office at (907) 761-7705

46. NPRB Online Proposal Submission deadline December 4
Online proposal submission is now available for respondents to the 2010 RFP. Proposal deadline is Friday, December 4, 2009, at 4:00 pm Alaska Standard Time.

Also  - See opportunity to suggest a research priority for the 2011 RFP – on the NPRB home page at: http://www.nprb.org/

47. ADF&G posts Bristol Bay reports
New reports are posted:
-Review of Salmon Escapement Goals in Bristol Bay, Alaska, 2009.
-Overview of the Bristol Bay Salmon Fishery 2007 2009, a Report to the Alaska Board of Fisheries.
-Summary of Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon Harvests by Gear Type, 2007–2009.
-Kvichak River Sockeye Salmon Stock Status and Action Plan, 2009; a Report to the Alaska Board of Fisheries.
-Overview of the Togiak District Herring Sac Roe and Spawn on-Kelp Fisheries of Bristol Bay, Alaska, 2009; a Report to the Alaska Board of Fisheries.
-Salmon Spawning Ground Surveys in the Bristol Bay Area, Alaska, 2008
And more all online at http://www.cf.adfg.state.ak.us/geninfo/pubs/
pubs_recent.php

48. ASMI Trade Mission to China Stimulates Business
World’s Third Largest Market Warms Up To Alaska Seafood:
NOVEMBER 12, 2009. JUNEAU, ALASKA. Stimulating the demand for Alaska’s seafood exports and setting the stage for business transactions were top priorities of a week-long trade mission to China conducted by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI). “China is obviously thriving amidst a global downturn,” observed Joe Jacobson, director of ASMI’s international marketing program. “China’s rapidly growing middle class is willing to spend something extra for high quality, safe imported food.”

Members of the Alaska seafood industry met in early November with members of the seafood trade from each major region of China, and participated in the 2009 China Seafood and Fisheries Expo, where ASMI’s exhibit was a beehive of activity.

ASMI Press releases are posted at http://pressroom.alaskaseafood.org/

49. Fishermen wanted -  Serve on an ASMI Committee
There are vacancies on ASMI committees. If you are interested in serving on an ASMI committee please send a letter of interest and a resume to the ASMI Executive Director Ray Riutta and to his assistant Lynn Coffee at these addresses: rriutta@alaskaseafood.org and lcoffee@alaskaseafood.org.
Operational Committees:

• Foodservice Marketing Committee
• International Marketing Committee
• Retail Marketing Committee
• Seafood Technical Committee

Species Committees:

• Halibut-Sablefish Committee
• Salmon Committee
• Shellfish Committee
• Whitefish Committee

To find out more about Alaska Seafood and Sustainability visit
http://www.alaskaseafood.org/sustainability/

50. In memory of UFA Lifetime Member Steve Smith - Birder, fisherman's Alaskan dream cost $20
Cordova resident Steven R. Smith, 71, died Oct. 20, 2009, in Anchorage, while engaged in one of his favorite pastimes: watching the baseball playoffs on television.Steve was born Aug. 18, 1938, in the small farming community of Annawan, Ill., to Hugo and Irene Smith. The family, augmented by younger siblings Annette, Mark and Joan, made their home in Geneseo, Ill., for most of Steve's school years. He received a bachelor of science in soils and zoology in 1960 from the University of Illinois.

After graduation, Steve and his lifelong friend, Dave Law, came to Alaska. They and a third friend picked up a new Chevy wagon off the assembly line in Detroit and drove it up to Anchorage for Hertz. They got paid $100 by Hertz for the trip, which cost them $160. He was always proud that it cost them $20 each to get to the Alaskan dream!

Steve was a wildlife aficionado and was particularly passionate about birds. He met Pete Isleib, Alaska's leading ornithologist, in the early '60s and they became fast friends, fellow birders and fellow fishermen. Steve started fishing in Cordova in 1962 and, over the years, engaged in almost every kind of commercial fishery in Prince William Sound and later Bristol Bay. He seined herring, ran a herring-roe-on-kelp operation, gillnetted sockeye and silver salmon, seined pink salmon, fished Bristol Bay, pot-fished for Dungeness crab and engaged in more ventures than could be named. When he wasn't fishing, Steve pursued his passion for wildlife and birds. He was an accomplished photographer and made several films on Alaskan wildlife that were part of a lecture tour in the mid-'60s. A film about the bald eagle that he made for BBC in the mid-'70s is considered some of the finest documentary footage taken. Steve hunted, fished and filmed his way around Alaska and the world for almost half a century. A multitalented man, Steve was also an accomplished cook. His hospitality and storytelling were legendary, and friends and family enjoyed wonderful meals and good company at his beautiful home on Eyak Lake.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/1001911.html

UFA dues for Alaska commercial fishing permit holders are $150 and we also welcome crew/supporter nonvoting members at $50 per year.
To support UFA see http://www.ufa-fish.org/members.htm

October 2, 2009

Members and lapsed members – renew your UFA dues online at
http://www.ufa-fish.org/paymt.htm .
We will hold our Fall meeting on Tuesday November 17th and Wednesday November 18th at the Swedish Cultural Center near Lake Union in Seattle – AND On Thursday, Nov 19th, the UFA meeting will be held as part of Pacific Marine Expo, at the Qwest Center. We will hold a reception and seafood barbeque on the evening of Thursday Nov 19th at the Swedish Cultural Center.

Health Care, Ocean Acidification, Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations, Ocean Policy, Federal Offshore Aquaculture Legislation, Sustainability Certification Programs, the need for comprehensive public relations on behalf of fishing families and your fishing businesses, and the need for a National Seafood Coalition are all likely to be on our agenda.  Please consider supporting UFA today, and join us at Pacific Marine Expo in November.

Table of Contents
1. Comment Deadline October 17th on Ocean Policy Task Force Interim Report
2. Coast Guard head wants tougher fishing safety laws
3. Qualifications and Credentialing of Mariners: A Continuing Examination
4. Don Young speaks on Coast Guard Reauthorization
5. House hearing Sept. 30 - Review of the Coast Guard's Search and Rescue Mission
6. Pacific Fishing Magazine Photo Contest- Deadline Oct 15.
7. Preliminary value of Bristol Bay salmon nears $130M
8. Coalition sues to block Pebble mine permits
9. Lawmakers deny funding for Cook Inlet salmon report
10. ADN Our view: Sole-source contract
11. Sen. Begich Comments on Boxer-Kerry Climate Change Bill
12. Sen. Murkowski’s Comments on Boxer-Kerry Cap-and-Trade Bill
13. Emergency Funds Granted to City of Pelican by Governor Sean Parnell
14. Parnell Selects Alaskans for Salmon Treaty Boards
15. Lubchenco Improving Engagement with the Recreational Fishing Community
16. Catch share strife grows
17. Fishermen must follow trucking laws
18. USDA Secretary Vilsack Highlights Healthcare Disparities in Rural America
19. ADF&G Internal Review of Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation.
20. Kookesh subsistence trial delayed
21. Herring value could rise in world food aid programs
22. Bill introduced re qualified withdrawals from capital construction fund. 
23. Restoration effort helps heal Tongass
24. NOAA to Pursue National Policy for Sustainable Marine Aquaculture
25. BC Sea Lice Levels Said Dropping, but Morton Issues Caution
26. House Resources Oversight Hearing On Offshore Aquaculture docs posted
27. 247-acre open-ocean fish farm nears launch off Hawaii's Big Isle
28. “Sustainable Milestone for (farmed) Atlantic Salmon in America”
29. Bordallo Praises House Passage of Ocean Conservation Bills
30. Obama Follows Bush on Columbia Salmon Recovery
31. Utility agrees to removal of 4 Klamath River dams
32. Boom in hydropower pits fish against climate
33. Hydropower boom may not be a bust for salmon
34. New Limits on Pesticide Uses Will Protect Salmon
35. Vancouver Sun: Is the Pacific salmon fishery collapsing or sustainable?
36. Coast Guard hosts Alaska Oil Spill Awareness Seminar (Sept 29)
 37. As Oil Enriches Australia, Spill Is Seen as a Warning
38. Just a reminder: there's lots of competition for Alaska seafood
39.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
40. Comment Deadline October 30 on North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program
41. Comment by October 16 on Data Collection for the Trawl Rationalization
42. NOAA posts Experimental Permitting Process, Exempted Fishing Permits, and Scientific Research Activity final regs.
43. NMFS posts BSAI and GOA Groundfish LLP rule.
44. NMFS posts BSAI Crab post-delivery Transfer final rule (Amendment 28)
45. Comment by October 13 on  ESA Humpback Whale Status and Request for Information
46. NOAA releases results of 2009 pollock surveys
47. All Councils website debuts with links to all regions’ Councils
48. IPHC Request for Proposals - Bait Needed for 2010 IPHC Stock Assessment
49. 2009 IPHC Interim Meeting Announcement – December 7 & 8, Seattle
50. North Pacific Research Board 2010 Request for Proposals Released
51. Fisheries of the United States - 2008
52. AK Board of Fisheries work session October 13-14, Anchorage

1. Comment Deadline October 17th on Ocean Policy Task Force Interim Report
On June 12, 2009, the President established an Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, led by the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality.
   
On September 10, 2009, the Task Force submitted its interim report to the President addressing the first three tasks outlined above. To allow for additional public engagement and comment before the President makes any final decision on the interim report, the Task Force is issuing it for a 30-day public comment period.

DATES: Comments should be submitted on or before October 17, 2009.

The Task Force Interim Report is available – and Comments on the Task Force Interim Report should be submitted electronically at http://www.whitehouse.gov/oceans
 (or in writing to the Council on Environmental Quality, Attn: Michael Weiss, 722 Jackson Place, NW., Washington, DC 20503.)

Federal Register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-22868.htm

Interim Report document: http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/09_17_09
_Interim_Report_of_Task_Force_FINAL2.pdf

NOAA Press Release:
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20090918_ceq2.html

2. Coast Guard head wants tougher fishing safety laws
CAPE MAY - Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen called on Congress to pass new regulations to make the commercial fishing industry operate more safely.

Allen, speaking at Training Center Cape May, said the Coast Guard wants mandatory safety training of fishermen, inspection of vessels and stability tests on the boats, especially when they have been retrofitted to alter their original purpose, as doing so can change a vessel's center of gravity.

"I think it's time to come to grips with fishing vessel safety. We could close safety gaps and prevent some tragic loss of life," Allen said.
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/cape_ma
y/article_087d806c-8951-11de-b090-001cc4c002e0.html

For HR 2652 Vessel Safety legislation by Oberstar, see http://thomas.loc.gov/ , search by bill number.

3. Qualifications and Credentialing of Mariners: A Continuing Examination
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing October 7 -
http://transportation.house.gov/hearings/hearing
Detail.aspx?NewsID=1020

4. Don Young speaks on Coast Guard Reauthorization
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rokwpHn-TH
8&feature=player_embedded#

5. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing Sept. 30 - Review of the Coast Guard's Search and Rescue Mission
http://transportation.house.gov/hearings/hearing
Detail.aspx?NewsID=997

6. Pacific Fishing Magazine Photo Contest- Deadline Oct 15.
have pretty nice photo contest going. Top prize is two tickets to anywhere Alaska Airlines flies. Go to www.pacificfishing.com  and clck on the "Click here to enter the photo contest" banner.
-Don McManman

7. Preliminary value of Bristol Bay salmon nears $130M
By Margaret Bauman , Alaska Journal of Commerce
Above average 2009 harvests of more than 32 million Bristol Bay salmon of all species were worth nearly $130 million to commercial fishermen, 8 percent above the 20-year-average, state fisheries officials said Sept. 22…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/100209
/fis_32_003.shtml

8. Coalition sues to block Pebble mine permits
By ELIZABETH BLUEMINK
State regulators violated the Alaska Constitution when they approved exploration permits for the proposed Pebble copper and gold mine without first allowing the public to weigh in, a civil lawsuit filed today contends.

The suit was filed in Anchorage Superior Court by a coalition of Bristol Bay Native village corporations, former Alaska first lady Bella Hammond, state constitutional convention delegate Victor Fischer and several people who live in Southwest Alaska villages.
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/mining/
story/880648.html

9. Lawmakers deny funding for Cook Inlet salmon report
State lawmakers have denied a $20,000 request from a legislative task force to complete a report, due last February, that was supposed to make recommendations on sport/commercial salmon fishing issues in Cook Inlet.
Instead, Rep. Craig Johnson, R-Anchorage, who chaired the now-defunct Cook Inlet Salmon Task Force, plans to release an unfinished draft report in early October…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/100209/
fis_32_001.shtml

10. ADN Our view: Sole-source contract
Rep. Johnson requests work for former campaign consultant
It may well be a good idea for the Legislature to spend $20,000 on a long-overdue report from its Joint Cook Inlet Salmon Task Force -- but Chair Craig Johnson went about it wrong. The South Anchorage state representative pushed a sole-source contract that would give the job to his former campaign consultant, Mark Higgins, a person who also just happens to be married to a woman on Rep. Johnson's committee staff…
http://www.adn.com/opinion/view/story/927330.html

11. Sen. Begich Comments on Boxer-Kerry Climate Change Bill
(Sept. 30) U.S. Sen. Mark Begich released the following statement today following the release of the Boxer-Kerry Climate Change bill:

"Our nation is experiencing dramatic changes from climate change and no one knows that better than Alaskans who are at ground zero for its impacts. It's clear the federal government needs to act, in partnership with state and local governments and industry.

"I appreciate the efforts of Senators Boxer and Kerry to deal with climate change through the bill they released today. This bill is a solid first start with many placeholders and lots of room for improvement.

http://begich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases
&ContentRecord_id=7794a394-5afa-4dd8-8096-3f571a65
a383&ContentType_id=ef710aa3-7e29-440a-b9de-316ee
20df1b5

12. Sen. Murkowski’s Comments on Boxer-Kerry Cap-and-Trade Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – (Sept. 30) U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today made the following comments on the introduction of the Boxer-Kerry cap-and-trade bill:

“Right now health care reform is taking center stage, the Senate Finance Committee is marking up the bill and rejecting the massive costs associated with it, yet the Boxer-Kerry climate bill is like déjà vu when we look at how much it costs,” Murkowski said. “Once again we are given a massive bill with massive costs.”…

http://murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases
&ContentRecord_id=d3035cf9-eb11-4206-abd3-852ac6d1c752
&ContentType_id=b94acc28-404a-4fc6-b143-a9e15bf92da4&
Group_id=c01df158-d935-4d7a-895d-f694ddf41624

13. Emergency Funds Granted to City of Pelican by Governor Sean Parnell
September 30, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sean Parnell today signed Administrative Order 251, granting the City of Pelican access to disaster relief funds.

Severe rainfall in August collapsed the city’s water flume. Pelican was without drinking water for several days until a temporary bypass line and gasoline-powered pump restored the water-supply system.

“The failure of this simple flume created a number of complex threats requiring immediate emergency measures,” Governor Parnell said. “The quick response and teamwork from local and state agencies averted those threats.”

Administrative Order 251 will allow for distribution of state relief funds up to $100,000. The funds will cover emergency response efforts and temporary and permanent repairs to the Pelican water supply system…

Governor Parnell Press Release: http://www.gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=5085&type=1

14. Parnell Selects Alaskans for Salmon Treaty Boards
Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sean Parnell today nominated Alaskans for service on the Pacific Salmon Commission and its panels relating to management of salmon fisheries in Southeast Alaska and Canadian waters.

The Pacific Salmon Commission was established by the 1985 Pacific Salmon Treaty between the United States and Canada to coordinate management of Pacific salmon stocks off their coasts. Members of the commission and its panels include representatives of government and fishing interests.

Pacific Salmon Commission
Governor Parnell nominated David Bedford to continue serving as Alaska’s commissioner in the U.S. Section of the Pacific Salmon Commission, and James Bacon to continue serving as Alaska’s alternate commissioner in that section. The nominations are subject to final approval and appointment by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.

Pacific Salmon Commission, Northern Panel
Governor Parnell nominated William F. Auger, Mitchell L. Eide, Arnold M. Enge, Dennis E. Longstreth, Howard T. Pendell and Robert M. Thorstensen Jr. to continue their service on the Pacific Salmon Commission’s Northern Panel, as public members with experience in salmon fisheries. These nominations are subject to final approval and appointment by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce…

Governor Parnell Press Release:http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=5059

15. Lubchenco Improving Engagement with the Recreational Fishing Community
September 2, 2009
“Saltwater recreational fishing is among the most popular outdoor sports in America with anglers representing one of NOAA's largest organized constituencies. Not only are anglers stewards of our ocean, they contribute greatly to the economic vitality of our coastal communities. For these reasons, I believe it is in NOAA's best interests to adopt polices and practices that will protect ocean ecosystems and ensure one of America's most treasured pastimes endures for future generations.
… As a first step, I will create a new position of senior policy advisor for recreational fishing that will report directly to the assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries and be charged with addressing the interests of the recreational community within the agency as we consider policy…
   As a first task, the advisor will coordinate, in cooperation with the angling community, a recreational fishing summit to identify issues of concern and possible solutions. This national meeting will be followed by a series of joint problem-solving roundtables to identify roadblocks to an improved relationship and to design reasonable solutions…”
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/
20090902_recfishing.html 

16. Catch share strife grows
By Richard Gaines - Gloucester Times Staff Writer
Recreational fishing interests have registered their intense opposition to "catch shares" — the high-priority regulatory policy sought by the Obama administration to commodify and limit access to fisheries in an effort to align investment with conservation interests and reduce competition among individual fishing boats…
http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local
_story_271224237.html

17. Fishermen must follow trucking laws
Joy Landaluce – Cordova Times
September 24, 2009 at 12:02PM AKST
Frustrated fishermen jammed into the old courthouse in the upstairs of the U.S. Forest Service building on Sept. 16. As a follow-up to their visit earlier in the season, two representatives from the Department of Transportation were in Cordova to clearly outline the towing regulations as they pertain to fishing vessels and trailers.

Cordova District Fisherman United executive director Rochelle van den Broek took notes during the meeting, and later relayed an eight-step to-do list to the fleet..
“I’d suggest working your way down the list, step-by-step. With luck, Harris’ proposed legislation to exempt fishermen from this rule will slide through easily.”
http://www.thecordovatimes.com/news/show/7406

18. USDA Secretary Vilsack Highlights Healthcare Disparities in Rural America
"Almost one in four Americans living in towns with less than 2,500 people have no health insurance coverage, and it's this disparity that demonstrates the need for health reform in our country," Vilsack said. "President Obama and I are committed to helping revitalize rural America and building strong, robust communities and reforming our healthcare system will help further that goal."
… Recent studies show that rural Americans pay 39% of their total health care costs, out of pocket - the highest percentage for all Americans. Meanwhile, rural Americans are more likely than their urban counterparts to postpone or forego medical care because of the cost - 9% say they delayed care and 7% skipped treatment. At the same time, rural residents are more likely to report fair to poor health status than urban residents, have a higher mortality rate and are more likely to have a chronic condition such as arthritis, diabetes and heart disease.

From the USDA Press release at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_
1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/09/0482.xml

19. ADF&G Internal Review of Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation.
Special Publication No. 09-10. ADF&G (Alaska Department of Fish and Game) 2009.
11.mb pdf file is online at http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/FedAidPDFs/SP09-10.pdf

ADF&G recent reports are online at: http://www.cf.adfg.state.ak.us/geninfo/pubs/pubs_recent.php

20. Kookesh subsistence trial delayed
The trial of Sen. Albert Kookesh, D-Angoon, and three co-defendants over subsistence fishing violations will not take place on Monday as previously scheduled…
The trial is likely to be rescheduled to January, Sitka Superior Court Judge David George said during a telephone hearing on Wednesday…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/100109
/loc_499469100.shtml

Previous item: SITKA, ALASKA (2009-08-14) State senator Albert Kookesh and three others have pleaded not guilty to a subsistence fishing violation, and will contest the charges. Kookesh appeared in district court in his home town of Angoon on Wednesday (8-12-09) to enter his plea… KFSK Petersburg audio:
http://kfsk.org/modules/local_news/index.php?op=
sideBlock&syndicated=true&ID=767

21. Herring value could rise in world food aid programs
A pilot project to introduce canned herring into international food aid programs could provide critical protein to hungry people, as well as open markets to generate a much-needed boost to coastal Alaska communities, said the fisherman who developed the program.
The potential for Alaska fisheries is about a $13 million market, said Bruce Schactler, a Kodiak salmon and herring fisherman who works primarily these days as food aid coordinator for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. ..
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/073109/fis
_img15_003.shtml

22. Bill introduced re qualified withdrawals from capital construction fund.  Representative Davis (D-AL) introduced the Vessel Repair Enhancement Act of 2009 (H.R. 3370) to permit qualified withdrawals from a capital construction fund account for the maintenance or repair of United States-flag vessels provided that the maintenance or repair is performed within the United States. (7/29/09-Bryants Maritime Blog).
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?
dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3370ih.txt.pdf

For HR 3370 see http://thomas.loc.gov/ , and search by bill number.

23. Restoration effort helps heal Tongass
Conservation groups, Forest Service team up for recovery projects
By Mary Pemberton | The Associated Press
…In Alaska, The Nature Conservancy and Trout Unlimited and other groups have teamed up with industry and the U.S. Forest Service on recovery projects…
http://juneauempire.com/stories/092809/sta_498314713.shtml

24. NOAA to Pursue National Policy for Sustainable Marine Aquaculture
On September 3, 2009, NOAA announced its intent to develop a comprehensive national policy for sustainable marine aquaculture in the coming months, providing a framework for addressing aquaculture activity in federal waters. The national policy also will provide context for the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Regulating Offshore Aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico, which took effect on Sept. 3.
http://aquaculture.noaa.gov/news/welcome.html#natlpolicy

25. BC Sea Lice Levels Said Dropping, but Morton Issues Caution
Courier-IslanderJuly 24, 2009
Preliminary results from the joint Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform (CAAR) and Marine Harvest Canada (MHC) sea lice monitoring program in the Broughton Archipelago indicate that sea lice levels in 2009 on juvenile pink and chum salmon migrating through the region are lower than in recent years.

But environmental activist Alexandra Mortion says that was to be expected.

"This plan calls for an alternating strategy and this is the year where the most problematic fish farms, the ones in the long narrow Tribune Channel, were emptied or fallowed," writes Morton. "But next year these fish farms will be stocked with more farm salmon than ever. The lower lice levels seen this year are telling us that when you remove the farm salmon, the number of lice on the wild juvenile salmon decreases."…
http://www.canada.com/Lice+Levels+Said+Dropping+Morton
+Issues+Caution/1824570/story.html

26. Oversight Hearing On Offshore Aquaculture – House Resources 'Subcommittee On Insular Affairs, Oceans And Wildlife
Documents posted from September 9 hearing… NOAA’s Balsiger, UFA E.D. Vinsel and FVOA’s Alverson testified…
http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com
_jcalpro&Itemid=27&extmode=view&extid=285

27. 247-acre open-ocean fish farm nears launch off Hawaii's Big Isle
12 million pounds of fish per year target of project off Big Island
…The Honolulu company proposing to raise sashimi-grade 'ahi last week published a final environmental impact statement with the state, clearing a major regulatory hurdle in the effort to start operations projected to generate more than $100 million in annual sales.

The venture, if realized, would be the third aquaculture farm in Hawai'i raising fish from eggs and growing them to market size in underwater ocean cages.

It also would be the biggest in terms of production and space occupied — 12 million pounds of fish a year raised below 247 acres of sea surface 2.6 miles off Kawaihae, north of the resorts in West Hawai'i….
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090727/
NEWS01/907270345/247-acre+open-ocean+fish+farm
+nears+launch+off+Hawaii+s+Big+Isle

The EIS is online at http://bit.ly/CpIBI

Company press release: http://www.kingahi.com/myGrid.aspx?base=News

28. “Sustainable Milestone for (farmed) Atlantic Salmon in America”
CANADA - Cooke Aquaculture, under its marketing division, True North Salmon, is the first Canadian company to offer Eco Certified farmed Atlantic salmon in North America.
Certified under the internationally-recognized Seafood Trust Eco Label…
http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/10057/sustainable-milestone
-for-atlantic-salmon-in-america

29. Bordallo Praises House Passage of Ocean Conservation Bills
September 22, 2009
The U.S. House of Representatives today advanced two important ocean-related conservation measures, introduced and guided by Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-GU), who is the Chairwoman of the House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife.

The first bill, the Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Enhancement Act of 2009 (H.R. 1080), would help address the growing threat posed by illegal, unreported, and unregulated - or IUU - fishing by strengthening the enforcement authorities of existing U.S. fisheries laws and assisting other countries in combating the problem…
The second bill, the Coral Reef Conservation Act Reauthorization and Enhancement Amendments of 2009 (H.R. 860), would bolster America's coral reef conservation efforts by promoting international cooperation to protect coral reefs and codifying the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. 
House Resources Press release: http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?
option=com_content&task=view&id=597&Itemid=1

30. Obama Follows Bush on Columbia Salmon Recovery
NY Times  - Published: September 15, 2009
SEATTLE — In its first major effort to address the plight of endangered salmon in the Pacific Northwest, the Obama administration on Tuesday affirmed basic elements of a recovery plan set forth last year by the Bush administration.

The announcement angered critics of federal conservation policies, who said the Bush plan did not go far enough in improving fish habitats in the Columbia River basin or water levels in rivers for migrating fish and did not take immediate action to explore whether to remove four dams on the lower Snake River…
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/us/politics/16salmon.html

31. Utility agrees to removal of 4 Klamath River dams
It won't happen until after 2020, but is seen as vital to restoring California's dwindling salmon stocks. The decommissioning would be the nation's largest and most complex dam removal project.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-klamath30-2009
sep30,0,3525101.story
&
SF Chronicle Editorial: Opening the Klamath
An agreement to demolish four dams on the upper Klamath River is nothing short of amazing. The project will be the largest such removal project on the planet, the risks and advantages are largely unproved, yet a contentious army of interest groups have ended a major fight in the Western water wars…
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/
30/EDML19V308.DTL

32. Boom in hydropower pits fish against climate
http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/lifestyle/green/sns
-green-hydro-power-climate,0,3240572.story

33. Hydropower boom may not be a bust for salmon
With the big push for renewable energy, hydropower is getting a new lease on life. The Chelan County Public Utility District in Washington state is trying to get more power out of the Columbia River without harming endangered salmon. How will this change the dialogue about dams and fish?
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2009/07/hydro
power-boom-may-not-be-a-bust-for-salmon.html

34. New Limits on Pesticide Uses Will Protect Salmon
WASHINGTON – EPA has announced plans to place additional limitations on the use of three organophosphate pesticides — chlorpyrifos, diazinon and malathion — to protect endangered and threatened salmon and steelhead in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
Anticipated changes to product labels include the addition of pesticide buffer zones; application limitations based on wind speed, soil moisture and weather conditions; and fish mortality incident reporting requirements. New, enforceable labels could be available as early as the 2010 spring growing season…
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/a543211f64e4
d1998525735900404442/cd1f6f9dbe3db7d68525762e00
4f693a!OpenDocument

& for further background see: EPA Announces Alternative Plan to Protect Salmon from Pesticides http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/09/11-7

35. Vancouver Sun: Is the Pacific salmon fishery collapsing or sustainable?
As a consumer, it's hard to know what to do. On the one hand, we're told the U.K.-based Marine Stewardship Council may soon bestow its coveted international certification declaring that wild BC sockeye salmon is a sustainable source of seafood.

But it's been a disastrous summer, especially for Fraser River sockeye. The fishery was closed due to the low number of returning fish, and a Toronto newspaper ran an alarming front page headline: "Salmon Run Disaster: 10.6 million sockeye expected . . . only 1.7 million came."
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Pacific+salmon+fishery+
collapsing+sustainable/2049806/story.html#

36. Coast Guard hosts Alaska Oil Spill Awareness Seminar (Sept 29)
 VALDEZ, Alaska – Members of more than 13 federal, state, local and industry meet together during the first Alaska Oil Spill Awareness Seminar, Tuesday Sept. 29, 2009. The Alaska Oil Spill Awareness Seminar brought together experts in oil, legal, prevention, response and industry in a two-day event to learn and discuss best practices in prevention and mitigation of potential environmental impact from a oil spill…
http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/780/332769/

37. As Oil Enriches Australia, Spill Is Seen as a Warning
A damaged oil well in the region has been spewing thousands of gallons of crude oil into the Timor Sea since Aug. 21, when a blowout forced the evacuation of all 69 workers on the platform. Emergency crews have been working overtime to contain the spill, but officials say it could take about three more weeks to plug the leak…
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/28/world/asia/28timor.html?hp

38. Just a reminder: there's lots of competition for Alaska seafood
By Laine Welch For the Journal

Alaska's abundant fisheries can prompt people to forget that its seafood industry is just one relatively small player in a very competitive world market. And factors driving fish prices occur far beyond the docks.

"Whether you're talking fish or crude oil or timber or minerals, people around the world are producing competing products and selling into the same markets. And they are working very aggressively - as hard as we are - to try to increase their share of those markets. So we are always affected by what our competitors are doing, and their ups and downs in supply," said Gunnar Knapp, a fisheries economist at the University of Alaska Anchorage…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/100209/fis_32_002.shtml

39.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
Friday 10/2/09  Some surprises for Bering Sea crab quotas
Thursday 10/1/09  Big line up of fall fisheries gets underway today
Wednesday 9/30/09  CSF surveys: support for local fishing #1
Tuesday 9/29/09  Bristol Bay gets better pay day
Monday 9/28/09  Status of Bering Sea crab stocks
Listen Online at:
http://www.marineconservationalliance.org/fishradio.htm
& also see Laine Welch's Fish Factor at
http://www.kinyradio.com/fishfactor.html

40. Comment Deadline October 30 on North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program
NMFS proposes this rule to amend regulations supporting the North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program (Observer Program). This action is necessary to improve the operational efficiency of the Observer Program, as well as improve the catch, bycatch, and biological data provided by observers for conservation and management of the North
Pacific groundfish fisheries, including that provided through scientific research activities…
DATES: Written comments must be received by October 30, 2009
Federal Register Notice Sept. 30:  http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-23606.htm

41. Comment by October 16 on Data Collection for the Trawl Rationalization Program
NMFS proposes to collect data to support implementation of a future trawl rationalization program under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). NMFS proposes to collect ownership information from all potential participants in the trawl
rationalization program. In addition, NMFS is notifying potential participants that the agency intends to use the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission's Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PacFIN) database and NMFS' Northwest Fisheries Science Center's Pacific whiting observer data from NORPAC (a database of North Pacific fisheries and Pacific whiting information) to determine initial allocation of quota
share (QS) for the trawl rationalization program, if it is approved and
implemented.

DATES:  Comments on this proposed rule must be received no later than 5
p.m., local time on October 16, 2009.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-22325.htm

42. NOAA posts Experimental Permitting Process, Exempted Fishing Permits, and Scientific Research Activity final regs.
NMFS issues new and revised definitions for certain regulatory terms, and procedural and technical changes to the regulations addressing scientific research activities, exempted fishing, and exempted educational activities under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). This action is necessary to provide better administration of these activities and to revise the regulations consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act (MSRA). NMFS intends to clarify the regulations, ensure necessary information to complete required analyses is requested and made available, and provide for expedited review of permit applications where possible.

DATES: Effective September 24, 2009…
Federal register: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-20489.htm

43. NMFS posts BSAI and GOA Groundfish LLP rule.
NMFS issues regulations to implement Amendment 92 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area and Amendment 82 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. This action removes trawl gear endorsements on licenses issued under the license limitation program in specific management areas if those licenses have not been used on
vessels that met minimum recent landing requirements using trawl gear. This action provides exemptions to this requirement for licenses that are used in trawl fisheries subject to certain limited access privilege programs. This action issues new area endorsements for trawl catcher vessel licenses in the Aleutian Islands if minimum recent landing requirements in the Aleutian Islands were met…
DATES:  Effective September 14, 2009.

Federal Register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-19568.htm

44. NMFS posts BSAI Crab post-delivery Transfer final rule (Amendment 28)
NMFS issues regulations implementing Amendment 28 to the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner  Crabs (FMP). These regulations amend the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization Program to allow post-delivery transfers of all types of individual fishing quota and individual processing quota to
cover overages. This action is necessary to improve flexibility of the fleet, reduce the number of violations for overages, reduce enforcement costs, and allow more complete harvest of crab allocations…
DATES: Effective September 14, 2009…

Federal Register Notice  http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-19567.htm

45. Comment by October 13 on  ESA Humpback Whale Status and Request for Information
SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces a status review of the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). A status review is a periodic undertaking conducted to ensure that the listing classification of a species is accurate. A status review is based on the best scientific
and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we are requesting submission of any such information on the all humpback whale populations in all waters worldwide that has become available since the last humpback whale status review in 1999. Based on the results of this review, we will make the requisite findings under the
ESA.

DATES: To allow us adequate time to conduct these reviews, we must receive your information no later than October 13, 2009. However, we will continue to accept new information about any listed species at any time.

Federal Register Notice
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-19336.htm

ADF&G Humpback Whale page: http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/special/esa/whale_h
umpback/humpback_whale.php

CBC News Canada: Humpback whales make West Coast comeback
A threatened species of whale that was nearly hunted to extinction seems to be making a comeback off Canada's West Coast, according to observers…
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/10/01/bc-
humpback-whales-recovery.html

46. NOAA releases results of 2009 pollock surveys
NOAA fisheries researchers have released scientific data from their 2009 bottom trawl and mid-water acoustic surveys of pollock in the Bering Sea. One survey index is lower than expected based on the 2008 population analysis while the other is higher. The 2009 surveys confirm that the population is low and indicate that the number of incoming young fish may be down also…
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2009/psurvey091809.htm

47. All Councils website debuts with links to all regions’ Councils
http://www.fisherycouncils.org/

48. IPHC Request for Proposals - Bait Needed for 2010 IPHC Stock Assessment
90,000-120,000 pounds semi-bright chum salmon
Closing date: October 31, 2009
Proposals will be evaluated as they are received…
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel/2009/
nr20090922b.htm

49. 2009 IPHC Interim Meeting Announcement – December 7 & 8, Seattle
The International Pacific Halibut Commission's 2009 Interim Meeting will be held in Seattle, Washington, on December 7 and 8 at the Hotel Deca, Seattle, WA (www.hoteldeca.com). These dates are changed from the preliminary dates announced at the 2009 IPHC Annual Meeting…
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel/2009/
nr20090922a.htm

International Pacific Halibut Commission home page:
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/

50. North Pacific Research Board 2010 Request for Proposals Released
The 2010 RFP is now available. Online submission begins October 23 and will remain open until 4pm Alaska Standard Time on December 4, 2009.
NPRB home page: http://www.nprb.org/

51. Fisheries of the United States - 2008
This publication is a preliminary report for 2008 on commercial and recreational fisheries of the United States with landings from the U.S. territorial seas, the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and on the high seas. This annual report provides timely answers to frequently asked questions…
http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st1/fus/fus08/index.html

52. AK Board of Fisheries worksession October 13-14, Anchorage
The Alaska Board of Fisheries will conduct a two-day work session beginning at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at the Hilton Hotel, 500 West Third Avenue, Anchorage, AK. No regulatory action will be taken at this meeting. Agenda topics include:

• election of officers;
• board committee reports (including Joint NPFMC/BOF, Federal/State Subsistence, Salmon Industry Restructuring, other);
• 2010/2011 cycle meeting dates and locations;
• agenda change requests (ACRs);
• petitions;
• meeting organization and establishment of committees for 2009/2010 cycle;
• application of the Sustainable Salmon Fisheries Policy, including stocks of concern;

….and other informational report and/or administrative issues that may come before the board. This meeting is open to the public. No oral public testimony will be taken. Written comments may be sent to: Boards Support Section, P.O. Box 115526, Juneau, AK 99811-5526, or FAX to: 907-465-6094. For further information call 465-4110. An agenda will be available prior to the meeting and will be posted online at the following website: http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/index.php . The board will also hold a new member orientation session at Anchorage Hilton Hotel on October 12, 2009 for the purpose of providing information about the regulatory process.
Online public notice:
http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7c156e7a89256
72a0060a91b/2639f9d8c8afcdae892576390003814b?
OpenDocument

The agenda and other informational items are posted at http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/meetinfo/fcal.php  (see October worksession)

July 17, 2009

The Halibut Coalition needs your financial support for their fees in intervention proceedings in the ongoing lawsuit against the guided halibut bag limit reduction. To donate by credit card ($200 minimum) see: http://www.halibutcoalition.org/docs/Donation%20
Form%20HC%2012Jul08.pdf

UFA is now on Facebook as United Fishermen of Alaska,  and  Ufa Mark Vinsel.

Table of Contents
1. Comment deadline July 31 Sport Fish Draft Strategic Plan
2. Exxon to pay $500 million in interest to spill victims
3. HB 134 Cruise ship wastewater bill signed into law by Governor Palin
4. Governor Sarah Palin signs SB3 (CFEC data) and HJR 19 (EVOS) bills
5. BOF prohibits sale of kings taken in Yukon chum fishery
6. Yukon residents take fishing matters into their own hands
7. Halibut travel up the Copper River – with CDFU’s help
8. Donated salmon reaching more kids in Bristol Bay
9. Murkowski Calls for Mining Reform
10. Senate and House health care bills move in DC
11. Congressman Young defends fishing industry in H.R. 21 hearing – you tube
12. Delegation Announces Grants to Alaska Programs - $4M+ fish related
13. AK Journal of Commerce: Palin's replacement is her polar opposite
14. Secretary of Commerce Names 30 to Fishery Management Councils
15. Glut of reds overwhelms Bristol Bay processors - again
16. 2009 brings mixed salmon returns
17. Salmon Wars: KTUU five part series by Jason Moore
18. Poor Yukon salmon run threatens treaty
19. Smart Gear competition gets three entries from Alaska
20. Environment Groups Praise Senate Panel For New Clean Water Bill S.787
21. Diesel spill near Iliamna River still seeping into river
22. Pebble commentary: Are salmon as precious as gold?
23. AP: Failed policies, corruption is leading to overfishing
24. National Geographic “the Long Haul” featuring F/V Krusof & the Hubbard family, airs Aug 13 at 3:00 pm Eastern time.
25. NFI Open Letter to Journalists from the Seafood Community on
Errors and Distortions in News Coverage
26. Alaskan native brings catch to western Pennsylvania
27. 17th Coast Guard District to hold change of command ceremony – July 16, Juneau
28. USCG Safety Alert - EPIRB and PLB Registration
29. Juneau to forgive half of fishermen's memorial debt
30. Barbecue at Ballard marina 7/28 will benefit Seattle Fishermen’s Memorial
31. Out the Juneau road, a new research forest and new roads into Cowee Creek
32. Mystery goo floating off North Slope coast
33. Scientists Report First Remote, Underwater Detection of Harmful Algae, Toxins
34. WholeFoods Blog - On the Waterfront features Alaska salmon
35. SE Gillnetters vote down regional marketing assessment, again
36. Louisiana: Branding local seafood like Maine lobster could help fishermen
37. Massachusetts: States lure consumers with seafood branding
38. W.Va. chef headed to Great American Seafood cook-off (no AK or WA?)
39. Maine - Nonprofits, state buying fishing rights for fishermen
40. UK: ‘Out of touch’ Prince Charles condemned for remarks on fish stocks 
41. UK: Fish and chip shops accused of selling Vietnamese cobbler as cod
42. Scientists Say Farmed Fish May Carry 'Mad Cow' Disease
43. Kona Blue's paper - "The Ecological Efficiencies of Farmed Fish"
44.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
45. Attention Salmon Fishermen: Reward for Returned Radio Tags
46. Channel Islands State Marine Park Management Plan meeting July 28, 2009
47. Coast Guard imposes $1,000 fines for boaters in Port Valdez ($2K for Commercial)
48. 17th Coast Guard District command transfers to Rear Admiral Colvin
49. NOAA Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2010
50. BSAI Crab Rationalization zero percent cost recover fee for 2009/2010
51. Deadline Sept 14, 2009 for nominations for NOAA Science Advisory Board
52. Comment by Sept 24, 2009 on draft Marine Mammal Stock Assessment Reports
53. NOAA Bans Commercial Harvesting of Krill in WA, OR, CA
54. Comment by August 28 on Pac. NW salmon and steelhead ESA monitoring guidance
55. Comment Deadline on Council Operations extended to Nov 2
56. Comment Deadline August 3, 2009 on Gulf of Mexico aquaculture plan
57. USDA Rural Development withdraws Value-Added Producer Grant notice
58. NOAA Research Vessels Conduct Gulf of Alaska Bottom Trawl Survey
59. NOAA Imposes Fine and Penalty for False Reporting in Alaska Fishery
60. Feds to investigate NMFS enforcement tactics
61. IPHC Bycatch Workshop Sept. 29 in Seattle, and landing reports
62. Comment deadline August 31 on Fed Fisheries data collection paperwork
63. Public asked to weigh in on commercial fishing in the Arctic – by July 27
64. NW Trade Adjustment Assistance Center – memo from DCCED’s Kevin O’Sullivan

1. Comment deadline July 31 Sport Fish Draft Strategic Plan
The Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADFG), Division of Sport Fish (DSF) is requesting public comment on its draft strategic plan.

The five-year plan is a guiding document that outlines goals, objectives, and activities that will direct the division’s budget and assist staff in fulfilling DSF’s mission.

DSF recognizes that input from recreational anglers and those that support recreational fishing is crucial to the development of a complete, workable plan.

To review and comment on the draft strategic plan go to http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/StratPlan/index.cfm/FA/main.home or contact Klaus Wuttig at (907) 459-7344 for more information.  All comments must be submitted by July 31, 2009.  Comments received after that date cannot be considered.  The complete, final strategic plan will be published by year end and will be available on the ADF&G website.

2. Exxon to pay $500 million in interest to spill victims
ANCHORAGE — Exxon Mobil said Monday it won't appeal nearly $500 million in interest a court recently ordered it to pay to Alaska fishermen, business owners and others harmed by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.

Exxon said it will pay $470 million in interest on the $507.5 million in punitive damages it has already begun paying out to claimants.

The only sum that remains in dispute in the long-running lawsuit is $70 million in court fees, according to a company spokesman.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009400014
_exxon30.html

3. HB 134 Cruise ship wastewater bill signed into law by Governor Palin
I find no news stories on this, though it is mentioned in this KTUU item:
Sail Away Pt.5: Cruise industry aims for better environmental practices
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=10735189 

UFA worked closely with cruise ship representative John Binkley, DEC, sponsors of the original initiative Responsible Cruising in Alaska, and Representative Harris to hold vessels to the best available technology rather than simply remove the words “at the point of discharge” which would create moving mixing zones. Congratulations to all on the success of this collaborative effort.

The bill and info is online at:
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=
HB%20134&session=26

4. Governor Sarah Palin signs SB3 (CFEC data) and HJR 19 (EVOS) bills
SB 3, sponsored by Senator Donny Olson, requires the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission to share data with Alaska Regional Development Organizations (ARDORs) at no cost…
HJR 19, sponsored by Representative Alan Austerman, recognizes the 20th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and puts the Alaska Legislature on record as supporting vessel escorts for any loaded oil tanker using Prince William Sound. Current federal law only requires vessel escorts for single-hulled tankers of 5,000 gross tons or more…
Governor Palin press release:
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1966

SB3 is online at http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?b
ill=SB%20%20%203&session=26

HJR 10 is online at http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session=26&bill=hjr+19

5. BOF prohibits sale of kings taken in Yukon chum fishery
On June 30, 2009, the Alaska Board of Fisheries adopted as emergency regulations, changes in Title 5 of the Alaska Administrative Code dealing with a prohibition on the sale of king salmon taken during the commercial summer chum salmon fishery in the Yukon River (5 AAC 05.362).

The emergency regulations took effect on July 1, 2009 and will expire October 28, 2009. The Board of Fisheries does not intend to make the emergency regulations permanent.
http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7c156e7
a8925672a0060a91b/7591079f023f0f48892575ec00053a
29?OpenDocument

6. Yukon residents take fishing matters into their own hands
Tribal leaders say as the waters of the Yukon grow more troubled, not enough is being done to bridge the gaps. 
Every village has a story. And in Marshall, the story has taken a defiant turn.
Last Friday, six boats set out to net king salmon during a closed fishing period.  Eighteen people broke the law to catch 100 kings.
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=10642984
&
Issues arise while adviser on trip
Q&A: Moller addresses illegal fishing protest and Yukon King concerns.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/852920.html

7. Halibut travel up the Copper River – with CDFU’s help
In the tradition of community sharing, building connections and strengthening relationships, the proposition of delivering fresh-caught halibut to residents of the Copper River Basin on behalf of Cordova’s commercial fishing fleet seemed like a no-brainer. Add a beat-up SUV, a warped sense of geography and a tagalong 2-year-old to the mix…
http://www.thecordovatimes.com/news/show/6508

8. Donated salmon reaching more kids in Bristol Bay
A program that brings donated sockeye salmon to students in Bristol Bay has ballooned in the past two years, an organizer says.
This month, Bristol Bay fisherman gave schools 14,000 pounds of sockeye, said Patty Luckhurst, food service manager and head cook for Dillingham schools. The point is to put local fish on local cafeteria trays so kids don't have to eat trout shipped from who-knows-where.
Compare the new numbers to the 8,000 pounds of sockeye donated in the first year of the program, in 2007.
http://community.adn.com/adn/node/142403

9. Murkowski Calls for Mining Reform
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today called for modernization of the 137-year-old law governing mining on federal lands.
“The current mining law is woefully out of date,” Murkowski said. “We need to overhaul the law to ensure that it strikes the right balance between protecting the environment, obtaining a fair return for taxpayers, creating jobs and maintaining a secure supply of American minerals.”
http://murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=
PressOffice.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=79d2a340-90
07-1fa3-4bf4-6cd4c92e0d40&Region_id=&Issue_id=

Salazar: Now's time to revamp 1872 mining law
WASHINGTON — Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Tuesday set the stage for a showdown on reform of hard rock mining law, telling a Senate panel that the Obama administration intends to end 30 years of gridlock on the issue.

"There is a new administration in town, and we do want to get the 1872 mining law reformed. We are committed to that and are committed to deploying significant resources from the Department of Interior to get this done," Salazar said.

Recent attempts to revamp hard rock mining law have often foundered on the shoals of Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader and protector of an industry that arguably benefits more than any other from the status quo — Nevada's gold mines…
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_12838758

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Hearing on S.796 and S.140 (July 14) is online at:
http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings
.Hearing&Hearing_ID=eaad8749-9d88-3c39-10c0-688b2dcad10b

10. Senate and House health care bills move in DC
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate health committee has passed legislation to revamp health care, becoming the first congressional committee to act on President Barack Obama's goal of overhauling the system this year.

The Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted 13-10 along party lines to pass a $600-billion measure that would expand coverage to nearly all Americans by requiring individuals get insurance and employers to contribute to the cost. The bill would provide federal aid to families and individuals making less than four times the poverty level, or about $88,000 for a family of four…
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jlMpJ
Gn28kqCcgU-aGcYE_ZHW-ywD99EUB600

Senate HELP committee Health Care bill:
http://help.senate.gov/BAI09A84_xml.pdf

&&&&

Senate Finance Committee chairman Baucus “Call to Action” white paper (3.5 megabytes)
http://finance.senate.gov/healthreform2009/finalwhitepaper.pdf

&&&&

House Health Care bill:
H.R. 3200: “To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes” can be found online at http://thomas.loc.gov/  - enter H.R. 3200 and select search by bill number and.

11. Congressman Young defends fishing industry in H.R. 21 hearing – you tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzw4_Mr8ZeU

H.R. 21 (Rep. Farr, CA & 62 co-sponsors)  the `Ocean Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act', to establish a national policy for our oceans, to strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to establish a national and regional ocean governance structure, and for other purposes.

To read the bill go to http://thomas.loc.gov/  - enter H.R. 21 and select search by bill number..

12. Delegation Announces Grants to Alaska Programs - $4M+ fish related
The Alaska Congressional Delegation is pleased to announce the following grants awarded to communities in the State of Alaska…
-$973,886 to the Copper River Watershed Project of Cordova for Eyak Lake
-$992,062 to the Nature Conservancy of Arlington, Virginia, for the Klawock River Salmon passage and Habitat Restoration project.
-$1,575,996 to the Kenai Watershed Forum of Soldotna. The Kenai Watershed Forum will restore salmon habitats within Daves Creek
-$1,012,640 to the Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation of Juneau for an Alaska-wide coastline Marine Debris removal…
http://begich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&
ContentRecord_id=9b986fb3-8d1e-439a-b485-eb26196c1f5
6&ContentType_id=ef710aa3-7e29-440a-b9de-316ee20df1b5

13. AK Journal of Commerce: Palin's replacement is her polar opposite
… The lesser-known lieutenant governor, an attorney with a long history in public service, is quiet in both dress and demeanor.
Republican state Rep. Mike Hawker described Parnell, who is inheriting Palin's office with her sudden resignation, as a "public craftsman, not a swashbuckling crusader." …
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/071009/
loc_imga42_001.shtml
&
Better flow of communication anticipated with Parnell
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/071009/loc_a40_002.shtml
&
Rural Alaskans have hope in Parnell
http://www.thesewardphoenixlog.com/news/show/6668

14. Secretary of Commerce Names 30 to Fishery Management Councils
The Commerce Department today announced the appointment of 30 new and returning members to the eight regional fishery management councils – important partners with NOAA’s Fisheries Service in determining how ocean fisheries are managed…

The North Pacific Council appointees for 2009 fill obligatory seats for Alaska and Washington.
*David W. Benson
*Robert E. “Ed” Dersham (A
Howard D. Hull (Alaska)
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/mediacenter/docs/
councilappts_june09.pdf

15. Glut of reds overwhelms Bristol Bay processors - again
LAINE WELCH, KODIAK
Salmon fishermen at Bristol Bay were bracing for another surge of reds over the July 4 weekend -- and likely more catch limits…
"The fishermen are angry. All winter long we've been told the processors have the capacity to handle large runs. The fishermen have been told they are going to work hard to keep them off limits and bring more tenders into the bay. This is the sixth season in a row that they've gone on limits, and they've been caught unprepared…
http://www.adn.com/money/welch/story/853730.html

16. 2009 brings mixed salmon returns
Questions remain whether sockeye will meet 10-year-average numbers
By Naomi Klouda
Homer Tribune
July 15, 2009

While the summer of 2009 may go down for many as the season of relatively small salmon returns, many Alaskans who rely on the fishery for income and food are more concerned about the impact the lower numbers will have in terms of providing for their families throughout the cold winter months ahead.
http://www.homertribune.com/article.php?aid=4416

17. Salmon Wars: KTUU five part series by Jason Moore
Pt.1: A delicate balancing act for Fish and Game
KENAI, Alaska -- The Kenai River is Alaska's playground -- and in July it's home to the biggest salmon in the world. That's when hundreds of thousands of sockeye salmon, along with the coveted...
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?s=10660292

Pt.2: Conflict between commercial and sport fishers
Editor's note: This story has been changed to correct the spelling of Ricky Gease throughout. KENAI, Alaska -- For generations families have made their living harvesting the salmon of Cook Inlet while at the same time many of the salmon caught in those...
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?s=10667479

Pt.3: The debate over over-escapement
The glut of the July sockeye salmon run is still on its way to the mouth of the Kenai River. And while the commercial fishermen, dip netters and in-river anglers stand ready to catch them, the Department of Fish and Game has a different,...
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?s=10702966

Pt.4: Science supplements nature
Wild Alaska salmon are a cherished resource for Alaskans. But not all of the salmon runs in Alaska are purely wild. Hatcheries create runs by releasing fry and smolt in river and lake systems, and they maintain those runs…
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?s=10710155

18. Poor Yukon salmon run threatens treaty
FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- The number of king salmon that reach the Canadian border might not satisfy a treaty agreement between Alaska and Canada despite massive cuts in subsistence fishing up and down the Yukon River in Alaska.

The state has failed for the past three years to meet obligations laid out in the Pacific Salmon Treaty.

Biologists are projecting the size of this year's chinook run to be 120,000 to 130,000.

Biologist Steve Hayes said 50,000 to 55,000 of those fish will have to make it to Canada to meet Canadian escapement and harvest objectives.

"It's too early to say whether or not we're going to meet the Canadian escapement goal," he said. "It's going to be a while before we can tell how we did with the conservation measures we put in place."
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_ak_alaska_fishing
_treaty.html?source=mypi

19. Smart Gear competition gets three entries from Alaska
By Laine Welch | Fish Factor
The international Smart Gear competition this year attracted 71 entries from 26 countries, including three from Alaska.

The contest was created five years ago by the World Wildlife Fund to inspire and reward new ideas to reduce bycatch - the accidental take of marine mammals, sea birds or small/unwanted fish by various fishing gear.

"Last time we had only one entry from Alaska, so three is certainly an improvement," said WWF program director Mike Osmond. "Maybe next time we'll go for five or six. There's a lot of fishermen in Alaska and I have no doubt there's a lot of good ideas up there"

The ideas from Alaska include a halibut excluder device for trawl nets, and an escape panel for Tanner crab in the Gulf pot cod fishery. Past Smart Gear winners have used magnets to repel sharks from longline gear - one made changes to the chemical properties of fishing ropes and nets. The 2007 winner was a net called the "Eliminator" that uses fish behavior to reduce cod bycatch in haddock fisheries…
http://www.capitalcityweekly.com/stories/071509/
bus_463969454.shtml

20. Environment Groups Praise Senate Panel For New Clean Water Bill S.787
WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--Environmentalists praised Senate lawmakers on Thursday for approving legislation that more clearly defines which bodies of water are subject to federal regulation.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted, 12 to 7, to approve legislation sponsored by Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc., that would amend the federal law - Clean Water Act of 1972 - by replacing the term "navigable waters" with "waters of the United States," among other changes.

The legislation, dubbed the Clean Water Restoration Act, now faces approval by the full Senate…
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090618-713693.html
&
Ag Groups Say Clean Water Act Overreaches Federal Authority
http://www.agweb.com/get_article.aspx?pageid=151730

To view the bill and tracking see http://thomas.loc.gov/, select “search by bill number” and enter S. 787 in the search box.

21. Diesel spill near Iliamna River still seeping into river
A diesel fuel spill near the Iliamna River, which flows into Lake Iliamna in the Bristol Bay watershed, has seeped into bedrock and continues to pollute the river, despite removal of contaminated soil, state officials said July 2.

Gary Folley, the on-scene coordinator for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, said the spill would continue to require long-term monitoring.

Meanwhile, absorbent pads are being used to recover the diesel fuel, which continues to spread a thin sheen on the river, he said.

The spill occurred June 6, when landing gear under a 9,500-gallon tanker trailer fuel tank, owned by the Iliamna Development Corp., collapsed after it was unhitched by a towing vehicle, according to DEC reports.
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/071009/
nat_a115_002.shtml

22. Pebble commentary: Are salmon as precious as gold?
By Laura Sevier
Alaska's long-standing wild salmon-fishing industry could be under threat from large-scale mining development…
http://www.theecologist.org/take_action/campaigns/287489
/are_salmon_as_precious_as_gold.html

23. AP: Failed policies, corruption is leading to overfishing
Government policies have failed to combat overfishing in the world's oceans because most regulations ignore scientific recommendations and are routinely undermined by politics or corruption, according to a study released June 23.

Researchers found that only 7 percent of all coastal states surveyed worldwide based their policies on sound science while fewer than 1 percent have a mechanism that ensures that fishermen adhere to regulations. The study found that none of the countries managed their fisheries' sustainability…
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/071009/fis_
imga32_001.shtml

24. National Geographic “the Long Haul” featuring F/V Krusof & the Hubbard family, airs Aug 13 at 3:00 pm Eastern time.
For overview and video clips see http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/the-lo
ng-haul-3434/Overview#tab-Overview

25. NFI Open Letter to Journalists from the Seafood Community on
Errors and Distortions in News Coverage
Over the last several years, the public has been hearing false messages about mercury levels in fish communicated through the mass media. These messages largely come from environmental groups pressing for stronger mercury emission standards and falsely claim women of childbearing age may have unsafe levels of mercury in their blood, putting their unborn babies and young children are at risk for neurological impairment. At the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), we agree discussions about eating fish should be central to our national discourse on nutrition. However, the way this subject is being covered raises troubling issues about the objectivity, accuracy, balance and sourcing of this specialized nutrition issue…
http://www.aboutseafood.com/press/open-letter-journalists

26. Alaskan native brings catch to western Pennsylvania
A native of Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, where her father was a commercial fisherman, Pozonsky runs Internet-based Wild Alaskan Salmon Co. It is in its fifth year of selling freshly caught fish directly to consumers across the United States, and at farmers' markets and restaurants in the Pittsburgh area.
Her goal is twofold. "I want people to realize that when they buy wild Alaskan salmon, they're getting their food from fishermen and women in Alaska who go out with their families and work their butts off to get this awesome fish," she said…
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/
business/s_633487.html

27. 17th Coast Guard District to hold change of command ceremony – July 16, Juneau
JUNEAU, Alaska - The 17th Coast Guard District will hold a formal change of command ceremony Thursday, 10 a.m. at Centennial Hall where Rear Adm. Christopher C. Colvin will relieve Rear Adm. Gene Brooks as Commander, 17th Coast Guard District. Vice Adm. Jody Breckenridge, Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area, will preside at the ceremony…
http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/780/288271/

28. USCG Safety Alert - EPIRB and PLB Registration
This Safety Alert addresses the importance of ensuring your Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) and Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) are properly registered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)…
http://homeport.uscg.mil/cgi-bin/st/portal/uscg_docs/
MyCG/Editorial/20090713/0409.pdf?id
=6c43be1946ac9a80ecf409b07c155a162bc836f9

29. Juneau to forgive half of fishermen's memorial debt
Money will come from city's general operating fund
By Kim Marquis | JUNEAU EMPIRE
A 13-year-old debt to the city by an organization that built the Alaska Commercial Fishermen's Memorial should be partially forgiven, the Assembly Finance Committee said Wednesday.

The committee voted in favor of accepting $43,000 from the nonprofit that built the granite memorial on the downtown waterfront. That's about half of nonprofit's outstanding $81,000 debt and leaves the memorial board with about $10,000 to pay for ongoing maintenance…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/071309/loc_462725543.shtml

30. Barbecue at Ballard marina 7/28 will benefit Seattle Fishermen’s Memorial
On Tuesday, July 28, 7 p.m. at Corinthians Yacht Club at Shilshole Marina there will be a benefit to support the Seattle Fisherman's Memorial, which was dedicated in 1988.
There is a $25 minimum donation at the door for each attendee.  A minimum donation entitles all to all you can eat food, beer and wine at the Marina…
http://www.ballardnewstribune.com/2009/07/07/news/barbecue
-marina-will-benefit-fishermen%25E2%2580%2599s-memorial

31. Out the Juneau road, a new research forest and new roads into Cowee Creek
Forest Service will invite long-term studies of climate impacts in Heen Latinee
(and build roads into Juneau’s Cowee creek drainage.)
By Kate Golden | JUNEAU EMPIRE
Tongass National Forest managers recently declared 40 square miles at the end of the Juneau road the newest "experimental forest" of the U.S. Forest Service and given it a central research focus of climate change.

Nationwide, it is only the fourth such forest to be approved in the last 40 years.

The new forest will be one of the largest in a network of more than 80 experimental forests and grasslands nationwide. The Tongass has another at Young Bay on the near side of Admiralty Island, but no one uses because of its limited accessibility. The new forest's lead scientist, Rick Edwards, said he hopes this new forest will become more of a hub for world-class research…
All this activity will require more access than the forest currently has. That means road-building, generally a controversial topic on the Tongass…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/071009/
loc_461807421.shtml

32. Mystery goo floating off North Slope coast
North Slope helicopter crew spots strand of stuff 15 miles long
ANCHORAGE - Something big and strange is floating through the Chukchi Sea off the Alaska coast.
Hunters from Wainwright first started noticing the stuff sometime probably early last week. It's thick and dark and "gooey" and is drifting for miles in the cold Arctic waters, according to Gordon Brower with the North Slope Borough's Planning and Community Services Department…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/071609/
sta_464473582.shtml

33. Scientists Report First Remote, Underwater Detection of Harmful Algae, Toxins
Scientists at NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) have successfully conducted the first remote detection of a harmful algal species and its toxin below the ocean’s surface. The achievement was recently reported in the June issue of Oceanography…
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/
20090713_mbari.html

34. WholeFoods Blog - On the Waterfront features Alaska salmon
The main challenge is the state’s huge size - over twice the size of Texas. How can we cover 34,000 miles of Alaskan coastline seeking out the best salmon the state has to offer? This would take a small army, right? Actually, no! Instead, we created an Alaska Port Buyer position based out of Anchorage and brought in Whole Foods Market Team Member and Ketchikan, Alaska native Keith Harris, who has 25 years of Alaskan seafood buying experience...
http://www.haulinggear.com/2009/07/wholefoods-
blog-on-waterfrontin-alaska.html

35. SE Gillnetters vote down regional marketing assessment, again
Southeast Alaska salmon gillnetters voted 132-80 against self-imposing a 1 percent landings tax to pay for marketing and other initiatives under a regional branding effort called Rainforest Wild (Deckboss, June 6).
It's the second time Southeast gillnetters have rejected the idea.
http://deckboss.blogspot.com/2009/07/juneau-
gillnetters-reject-tax-for.html

36. Louisiana: Branding local seafood like Maine lobster could help fishermen
Branding local seafood like Maine lobster could help fishermen
… As of now, there is no guarantee that seafood sold in Louisiana is actually from Louisiana. With imports from Asia showing up in the state, a new push is underway to create a certified seafood program that would guarantee some of the seafood sold here is caught here…
http://www.wwltv.com/topstories/stories/wwl071109
mlfish.2f5557af.html

37. Massachusetts: States lure consumers with seafood branding
…States are increasingly looking to hook consumers by branding their local seafood specialties, both to help reel in revenue and to give a boost to commercial fishermen struggling with declining stocks and tighter regulations...
"In the marketplace there's a lot of confusion these days about where things come from and how fresh they are," said Edward Barrett, a commercial fisherman and president of the Massachusetts Fisherman's Partnership, who stressed conservation and clean-water efforts in Massachusetts.http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/
ALeqM5jfBbEEjpPhejjr7iWfTNDQKN94FQD99AF5E83

UFA would like to help spread the positive results from the Alaska Fisheries Marketing Board and Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute by utilizing the Saltonstall-Kennedy Fund from seafood import duties to fund regional seafood marketing entities throughout the USA. Read our proposal online at http://www.ufa-fish.org/doc/UFA%20Proposal%20for
%20US%20Seafood%20marketing%20funding%20102408.pdf

38. W.Va. chef headed to Great American Seafood cook-off (no AK or WA?)
CABINS, W.Va. — Ed Fischer of North Fork Mountain Inn will represent the Mountain State at the sixth annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans on July 18. Fischer is among more than 20 chefs from across the nation who will vie for the title of King or Queen of American Seafood…
http://www.times-news.com/local/local_story_186220836.html

West Virginia is the only U.S. State without an Alaska 2008 commercial fishing permit holder.  Fifteen States are represented in the cookoff after responding to LA Govermor Jindal’s invitation, but neither Alaska nor Washington State will be represented at the Great American Seafood Cook-Off this year. Our best hope is that Alaska might be represented by some salmon, halibut crab, cukes, geoducks, or one of the many other products that represent more than half of US seafood production.

CORRECTION! –I misread the home page - -  Alaska was represented not only through co- host Sig Hansen, but Alaska's Patrick Hoogerhyde, executive chef of WildFin Seagrill in Anchorage, captured third with Wild Alaska King Salmon with cranberry-infused birch syrup molasses and Susitna Valley hash of potatoes nested in Alaska summer greens.  I am please to have been incorrect – here’s a story on the 2009 results:
http://www.qsrmagazine.com/articles/news/story.phtml?id=
9003&CFID=852342&CFTOKEN=17233341

Great America Seafood Cookoff home page: http://www.greatamericanseafoodcookoff.com/
(careful – the item below the current story is about the results from 2008)

39. Maine - Nonprofits, state buying fishing rights for fishermen
Permit banks will help Maine boat owners stay in business and keep the industry alive in coastal towns.
Three nonprofit groups announced Tuesday that they have created the state's first "permit banks" by purchasing fishing rights and sharing them with local fishermen. In these cases, the fishing rights – days at sea – are being given out to Down East or midcoast fishermen who help study and rebuild fish populations.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.
php?id=266978&ac=PHnws

40. UK: ‘Out of touch’ Prince Charles condemned for remarks on fish stocks 
Prince Charles has come under fire from fishing leaders for suggesting the industry is not doing enough to prevent falling stocks, comparing the campaign to safeguard key species with his own battle to highlight climate change 20 years ago.

During a speech at a Marine Stewardship Council reception in London on Tuesday, he said science had shown that the fishing industry was facing a massive fall in stocks which would have a knock-on effect on feeding people in the world’s poorest countries, and the issue was being neglected.

Scottish fishing leaders condemned the prince’s comments, accusing him of ignoring the country’s efforts to conserve stocks, and said he should listen to experienced fishermen rather than scientists. Some have labelled it a classic case of a member of Royal Family putting their foot in it.
 http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/1007622/out-of-touch-prince
-charles-condemned-for-remarks-on-fish-stocks

41. UK: Fish and chip shops accused of selling Vietnamese cobbler as cod
…To connoisseurs they are as divergent as chalk and cheese. Yet in more and more of Britain’s 11,000 fish-and-chip shops they are the cause of a culinary scandal as some unscrupulous friers — albeit a minority — try to pass off the Vietnamese river cobbler as traditional British cod…
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/
food_and_drink/real_food/article6695267.ece
&
Nothing fishy going on in the tasteless basa fillets
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/
food_and_drink/article6694844.ece

42. Scientists Say Farmed Fish May Carry 'Mad Cow' Disease
U.S. scientists are concern about the potential of people contracting Creutzfeldt Jakob disease — the human form of "mad cow disease" — from eating farmed fish who are fed byproducts rendered from cows…
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529385,00.html

More details:
Scientists study risks of contracting fatal brain diseases from eating farmed fish fed rendered cows
http://www.examiner.com/x-7160-Sacramento-Nutrition-
Examiner~y2009m6d28-Scientists-study-risks-of-contracting
-fatal-brain-diseases-from-eating-farmed-fish-fed-rendered-cows

43. Kona Blue's paper - "The Ecological Efficiencies of Farmed Fish"
- can now be found online at: http://kona-blue.com/download/pr_ecologicalefficiencies.pdf
FWW’s rebuttal can be found at: http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/press/releases/Kona.pdf

44.  Laine Welch's Fish Radio –topics from this week
Thursday 7/16/09  Southeast AK salmon fishermen give thumbs down again to RSDA 
Wednesday 7/15/09  Chilean farmed salmon shortfall helps AK
Tuesday 7/14/09  Online calculator computes health benefits/risks of favorite seafoods
Monday 7/13/09  Why all the hoopla over sockeye salmon from Bristol Bay?
Friday 7/10/09  Bristol Bay salmon run one of best ever

Listen Online at: http://www.marineconservationalliance.org/
fishradio.htm
& also see Laine Welch's Fish Factor at http://www.kinyradio.com/fishfactor.html

45. Attention Salmon Fishermen: Reward for Returned Radio Tags
If you catch and keep a Fraser sockeye or chinook with a spaghetti tag and with a hole in the adipose fin, remember to look for an antenna coming out of the mouth. Remove the internal transmitter and the spaghetti tag and contact LGL at once at the TOLL FREE phone number listed below.
Individuals returning transmitters to LGL along with information on time and place of capture will be sent the complete tracking history of the fish and their name will be entered into a $1000 lottery once for each transmitter returned…
TOLL FREE: 1-866-221-3444
http://www.psc.org/pubs/TagNotices/tagging_notice_radio_2009.pdf

46. Channel Islands State Marine Park Management Plan meeting July 28, 2009
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation will hold a public scoping meeting on Tuesday, July 28, 2009, at 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the Egan Room, Centennial Hall, Juneau, Alaska. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss development of an initial management plan for the Channel Islands State Marine Park. For more information, contact Jan Caulfield, Project Facilitator at 907-523-4610 or janc@gci.net, or Mike Eberhardt, State Parks Superintendent, at 907-465-2481 or mike.eberhardt@alaska.gov
DNR Public notice: http://notes5.state.ak.us/pn/pubnotic.nsf/cc52605f7c156e7a
8925672a0060a91b/4dec08a49e8fbc77892575f2007240d4?
OpenDocument

47. Coast Guard imposes $1,000 fines for boaters in Port Valdez ($2K for Commercial)
VALDEZ, Alaska – The Coast Guard Captain of the Port for Prince William Sound increased fines last week for recreational boaters entering local security zones in Port Valdez from $250 to $1,000.

While a $1,000 fine may be surprising to much of the Alaska boating public, the amount is actually the national standard for security zone violations.  For commercial vessels, the fine doubles to $2,000.  Repeat offenders will immediately receive fines of $5,000 to $10,000, with the potential for a maximum penalty of $32,500.

So far this year, three recreational boaters have been issued fines of $250 by the Coast Guard for entering into the local security zones. 

Maps of the security zone locations are available at the Valdez Harbor Master’s office, the Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit, and at many businesses around Valdez which cater to the boating public…

USCG 17th District Press Release: http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/780/289581/

48. 17th Coast Guard District command transfers to Rear Admiral Colvin
http://www.uscgalaska.com/go/doc/780/288271/
We thank Rear Admiral Arthur "Gene" Brooks for his leadership in hightened enforcement of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fisheries; focus on the importance of the Arctic, protection of our marine environment, and especially in the search and rescue operations that have saved hundreds of Alaska fishermen. And we welcome Rear Admiral Christopher Colvin to Alaska.

49. NOAA Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2010
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration publishes this notice to provide the general public with a consolidated source of program and application information related to its competitive grant and cooperative agreement (CA) award offerings for fiscal year (FY) 2010. This Omnibus notice is designed to replace the multiple Federal Register notices that traditionally advertised the availability of NOAA's discretionary funds for its various programs. It should be noted that additional program initiatives unanticipated at the time of the publication of this notice may be announced through subsequent Federal Register notices. All announcements will also be available through the http://grants.gov/   Web site…
Federal Register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-16810.htm

50. BSAI Crab Rationalization zero percent cost recover fee for 2009/2010
NMFS publishes a notification of a zero (0) percent fee for cost recovery under the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization Program. This action is intended to provide holders of crab allocations with the fee percentage for the 2009/2010 crab fishing
year.

DATES: The Crab Rationalization Program Registered Crab Receiver permit
holder is responsible for submitting the fee liability payment to NMFS
on or before July 31, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gabrielle Aberle or Gretchen
Harrington, 907-586-7228.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-16811.htm

51. Deadline Sept 14, 2009 for nominations for NOAA Science Advisory Board
NOAA is soliciting nominations for members of the NOAA Science Advisory Board (SAB). The SAB is the only Federal Advisory Committee with the responsibility to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator on long- and short-range strategies for research, education, and application of science to resource management and environmental assessment and prediction…
Nominations should be sent to the address specified and must be received by September 14, 2009.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-16913.htm

52. Comment by Sept 24, 2009 on draft Marine Mammal Stock Assessment Reports
NMFS reviewed the Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific regional marine mammal stock assessment reports (SARs) in accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act. SARs for marine mammals in the Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific regions were revised according to new information. NMFS solicits public comments on draft 2009 SARs.

DATES:  Comments must be received by September 24, 2009…

The 2009 draft stock assessment reports and summaries of them are available in electronic form via the Internet at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/sars/ .
Copies of the Alaska Regional SARs may be requested from Robyn  Angliss, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE  BIN 15700, Seattle, WA 98115-0070.
Federal register:  http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-15200.htm

53. NOAA Bans Commercial Harvesting of Krill in WA, OR, CA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) today published a
final rule in the Federal Register prohibiting the harvesting of krill in the Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington. The rule goes into effect on August 12, 2009. Krill are a small shrimp-like crustacean and a key source of nutrition in the marine food web.
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/mediacenter/docs/nr_krill
_final_swr_v1.pdf

Federal Register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-16531.htm

54. Comment by August 28 on Pac. NW salmon and steelhead ESA monitoring guidance
…The National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) Northwest Region has drafted guidance on monitoring the recovery of Pacific Northwest salmon and steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This draft Pacific Northwest monitoring guidance is intended to assist NMFS' recovery partners in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho in
understanding the recovery monitoring needs under the ESA. NMFS' Northwest Region is soliciting public review and comment on the draft Pacific Northwest monitoring guidance.
DATES: All comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. Pacific
Standard Time on [August 28, 2009.
…Copies of the draft Pacific Northwest monitoring guidance are available on the Internet at: http://www.nwr.noaa.gov …

(to go directly to this page use URL: http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/Salmon-Recovery-
Planning/recovery-monitor.cfm )
Federal Register Notice:  http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-15199.htm

55. Comment Deadline on Council Operations extended to Nov 2
NMFS extends the comment period for proposed regulations that address the operations and administration of regional fishery management councils (Councils).
DATES:  Comments must be received by November 2, 2009…
…The Councils have now requested that the comment period be extended to allow all Councils to have two meetings during the comment period. NMFS agrees with this request and extends the comment period until November 2, 2009
Federal Register notice:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-15466.htm
&
Previous item – March 27 - proposed Councils operations and admin changes…
NMFS proposes changes to the regulations that address the operations and administration of regional fishery management councils (Councils).
The regulatory changes are needed to implement amendments to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) that, among other things, govern the Council Coordination Committee (CCC), expand the role of the Councils' Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), require that SSC members disclose their financial interests, and provide for training of Council members and staff. Additionally, the proposed rule would make changes to the regulations requiring Councils to provide procedures for proposed regulations, clarifying restrictions on lobbying (by Council members, staff, and contractors), and clarifying timing in the Council member nomination process. The proposed rule would also make technical and minor corrections to the regulations unrelated to the most recent Magnuson-Stevens Act
amendments…
DATES: Written comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. e.d.t. on July 6, 2009…
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-6896.htm

56. Comment Deadline August 3, 2009 on Gulf of Mexico aquaculture plan
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted the FMP for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. The FMP is intended to establish a comprehensive permitting and regulatory framework to manage the development of an environmentally sound and economically sustainable aquaculture industry in the Gulf of Mexico exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The FMP would establish application and permit requirements, aquaculture operational requirements and restrictions, siting requirements and conditions, and recordkeeping and reporting requirements; specify allowable aquaculture species; provide for evaluation and approval/disapproval of proposed aquaculture systems (e.g., cages or net pens); establish restricted access zones around aquaculture facilities; and establish a regulatory framework for modifying certain aquaculture-related management measures consistent with the provisions of the FMP. In addition, the FMP would establish biological reference points and status determination criteria specific to aquaculture in the EEZ.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-13090.htm

57. USDA Rural Development withdraws Value-Added Producer Grant notice
Rural Development is withdrawing the May 6, 2009, Federal Register notice (74 FR 20900), announcing the availability of approximately $18 million in competitive grants for fiscal year 2009 to help independent agricultural producers enter into value-added
activities… Federal Register July 1: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-15533.htm

The Notice of Funds Availability for the FY 2009 Value-Added Producer Grant Program originally Published on May 6, 2009 is in the process of being re-issued.
From the program website at: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm  

58. NOAA Research Vessels Conduct Gulf of Alaska Bottom Trawl Survey
NOAA Fisheries NOAA scientists on three vessels chartered by NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center are bottom trawling to survey groundfish and invertebrates in the Gulf of Alaska. The series of surveys started in 1984…
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2009/
trawlsurvey070609.htm

59. NOAA Imposes Fine and Penalty for False Reporting in Alaska Fishery
A hired master, vessel owners and permit holders of the Alaskan fishing vessel Trident have agreed to pay more than $18,000 in penalties and $241,000 worth of sanctions for falsely reporting areas fished by the vessel on five trips during 2006 and 2007…
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2009/
fv_trident_fine_0709.pdf

60. Feds to investigate NMFS enforcement tactics
The inspector general of the federal Department of Commerce this week began planning its investigation into the enforcement practices at NOAA fisheries — a probe requested in contrasting forms by the Massachusetts congressional delegation and the U.S. administrator for oceans and fisheries.
http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local_story
_161232414.html?keyword=secondarystory

61. IPHC Bycatch Workshop Sept. 29 in Seattle, and landing reports

Halibut Commission Bycatch Workshop Preliminary Announcement
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel
/2009/nr20090626.htm

2009 Halibut Landing Report No. 5 (July 14, 2009)
 http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel
/2009/nr20090714.htm

 2009 Halibut Landing Report No. 4 (June 30, 2009)
 http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel/
2009/nr20090630.htm

 2009 Halibut Landing Report No. 3 (June 17, 2009)
http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/newsrel/
2009/nr20090617.htm

62. Comment deadline August 31 on Fed Fisheries data collection paperwork
The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 31, 2009…
Federal Register Notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-15681.htm

63. Public asked to weigh in on commercial fishing in the Arctic – by July 27
http://www.capitalcityweekly.com/stories/060309/
bus_446660226.shtml

NOAA Arctic Fisheries home page: http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/
sustainablefisheries/arctic/  .

Federal Register Notice May 26:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-12151.htm

Federal register Notice June 10 – Proposed rule, also for comment by July 27.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-13314.htm

64. NW Trade Adjustment Assistance Center – memo from DCCED’s Kevin O’Sullivan

Hello,
I’d like to bring to your attention the following federal funding opportunity you may wish to share with your membership.  I have excerpted the following information from the Northwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center’s web site http://www.nwtaac.org/index.html  If you would like to discuss the program , benefits, process, and how to qualify, please contact Patrick Meuleman at 208-343-6855 or
via email at: NWTAAC@nwtaac.org

Northwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (NWTAAC), in cooperation with the Economic Development Administration of the U. S. Department of Commerce works with companies in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.
Working with the Northwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (NWTAAC) benefit businesses in a number of ways:

• Eligible companies can receive up to $75,000 in grant funds for a wide range of projects to assist them in maintaining their competitiveness.
• Companies have the opportunity to pursue projects that will:
• enhance their strategic positioning
• improve their overall performance
• increase growth and profits
• adapt to changing conditions of the market
• Grant funds enable companies to develop and complete important projects that they might not have considered without assistance, and to do so in an effective and structured way.
• Staff will assist you in every aspect of the process:
• initial evaluation
• application (petition)
• development of the strategic plan (adjustment proposal)
• implementation of funded projects as outlined in the plan

Typical Projects
The list below includes examples of the types of projects that have been funded by NWTAAC.  These projects can be tailored to your firm’s specific needs. NWTAAC grant funds are typically used to pay for projects that require outside consulting services.

Marketing

• Website design
• Brochure design
• Catalog design
• Package design
• Trade show booth design
• Market research & market feasibility analysis
• Design & testing of new products
• Development of new markets
• Development of sales representative network
• Advertising and Sales Promotion
• Public Relations Planning and Implementation
• Product Planning and Diversification
• Product Pricing
• Customer Service Analysis
• Export Assistance

Manufacturing

• Lean manufacturing
• Design for manufacturability
• Site layout and process control design for new equipment
• Re-engineering process layout
• Manufacturing equipment design
• Printed circuit design
• Kaizen training
• Inventory Management
• Production Planning, Control and Scheduling
• Cost Identification and Reduction
• Statistical Process Control

Quality Assurance

• Development of QA procedures
• ISO 9000 preparation
• Gap audits
• Documentation prep & ISO 9000 certification audit
• ISO 14000 environmental standards
• Product Certification

Information Systems

• E-commerce
• Strategic planning
• Custom software
• Search Engine Optimization