California Changing Domoic Acid Protocols for Upcoming Crab Season

SEAFOOD.COM NEWS by Susan Chambers - August 11, 2016 

Anticipating potential harmful algal blooms that could produce domoic acid in Dungeness and rock crab fisheries, state leaders and lawmakers are changing management and outreach efforts to avoid a repeat of the disastrous 2015-16 season. Commercial and recreational seasons were delayed or closed last year due to high levels of the toxin.

Industry and state officials identified problems with last year's season and potential solutions before the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture in Sacramento on Wednesday...

Salmon Tensions Rise in Prince Rupert as DFO Enforces Retained Sockeye, Purse Seine Rules

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [The Northern view] by  Kevin Campbell  August 11, 2016

California Marine Monument Plan Not Backed by Science

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - August 8, 2016

A proposal to protect Califnornia's seamounts and other underwater seabeds, that has been criticized by many groups as not having scientific justification, is being circulated among lawmakers in an effort to convince President Obama to use his executive power to designate eight separate areas off the coast of California as marine monuments.

The largest of the group, located off the north coast, is many times larger than the other proposed areas, which span offshore waters along the entire coast as far south as near the U.S. Mexican border. 

Precautionary policies for protecting resources in federal waters already exist under the federal Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, as well as under many other bipartisan laws, such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act.

Each of these statutes require science-based analysis that is conducted in a fully public...

West Coast Salmon Prices Started High This Spring But Have Leveled Out

SEAFOOD.COM NEWS by Susan Chambers - Aug. 2, 2016

It’s been a slow season so far for West Coast salmon fishermen, but a strong market demand appears to have offset the limited landings and prices have leveled out this summer. 

In Oregon, the ocean salmon fisheries started with high prices in the spring, at around $11 a pound, Oregon Salmon Commission Administrator Nancy Fitzpatrick said. The average price reported by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife was $10.77 a pound in April, $9.45 per pound in May and preliminary figures reported in late June were $9.46 a pound. Fishermen were landing between 10 and 30 fish per boat, she said, with a handful bringing 50 or more fish to the dock.

“When Copper River (Alaska) comes on in May, our price usually goes down,” Fitzpatrick said. “It didn’t. Copper River was slow in their numbers.”

Since early spring, the ex-vessel prices have decreased continually ...

NFWF Announces $1.19 Million in Grants to Support Sustainable Fisheries in the U.S.

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - July 27, 2016

Washington D.C. — Last month the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)  announced the sixth round of grant awards from its Fisheries Innovation Fund, a program launched in 2010 to foster innovations that support sustainable fisheries in the United States. 

The 11 grants for 2016 total $1.19 million, and will be matched by over $1.3 million in additional support from the grantees, for a total conservation impact of more than $2.5 million. Altogether, the grants will support conservation work in 15 states: Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington.

In the North Pacific, the Bristol Bay region won $114,450 to expand marketing opportunities for salmon through Fiar Trade Certificaiton. Alaska Marine Conservation Council was granted $105,000 to build the Alaska Young Fishermen's Network. The Alaska Sustainabile Fisheries Trust won $150,000 to remove barriers for younger fishermen to enter the Gulf of Alaska groundifsh fishery.

In the Western Pacific, $82,000 was given to Oceanic Libra/Kula Lawaia to preserve traditional fishing practices in Hawaii.

Along the Pacific Coast, the Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust won $60,000 to develop a fish hub for Monterey in central California. San Diego's Scripps Institute of Oceanograph won $118,000 to "develop a progressive curriculum of classwork and on-the-water training for students and recruit veteran fishermen...

F/V Alaska Juris Sinks Near Kiska Island, All 46 Crew Rescued

 SEAFOODNEWS.COM  By Peggy Parker and John Sackton - July 27,2016

The F/V Alaska Juris, a 220-foot catcher processor owned by Fishing Company of Alaska, was abandoned yesterday as it began taking on water on Petrel Bank in the Western Aleutians.

All 46 crew members put on survival suits and boarded three life rafts, after the crew could not control flooding in the vessel, which may have started with mechanical problems in the engine room.

The Coast Guard sent helicopters, and called for vessels in the area to steam to assist.  The first to arrive were two cargo ships, the Norwegian-flagged bulk cargo carrier Spar Canis recovered 28 people from two lift rafts, which were secured to the vessel to keep them from drifting.

The third life raft, with 18 occupants, could not secure a line and drifted away. All 18 occupants were picked up by the German-flagged container ship Vienna Express.

The Coast Guard diverted the cutter Midgett and dispatched two C-130 transport planes and two helicopters from Kodiak to the site of the sinking ship.  One C-130 monitored the rescue situation overhead. Photos show the vessel listing to port...

News Summary July 18, 2016 
Today's Main Story: Bristol Bay Run Reaches Pre-Season Forecast of 40 Million with Catch at 30 Million Sockeye

Today’s news begins reporting that last Friday marked a peak in the daily sockeye landings in Bristol Bay with 2.4 million sockeye caught in 24 hours. That was followed by 1.7 million landed on Saturday. By Saturday evening, cumulative catches had reached 29.3 million sockeye with escapement exceeding 9.5 million throughout the Bay. The total run has by now reached 40 million as fishing is ongoing in several districts. Escapements are in the mid- to upper-end of the preseason forecast ranges in all districts except Togiak.

In other news, Massachusetts will conduct its first summer season cod stock survey in the Gulf of Maine. The Miss Emily made her first of two scheduled tows last week about seven miles off this South Shore port. The 55-foot gillnetter, skippered by owner Capt. Kevin Norton, has the primary mission of of assisting the state agency with its ongoing industry-based trawl survey, which aims to help determine the true status 

Japan's Squid Prices Up 18% in Hokkaido Markets With Catches Below Historical Averages

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [JAPAN REPORTS] - July 14, 2016

Squid prices surge 18% at Hakodate Fish Market in June while catch volume slightly gained over a year before

Fresh flying squid traded at the Fish Wholesale Market in Hakodate, western port city of Hokkaido, in June totaled 179 tons, up 4% from the same month a year ago, with trading value gaining 23% to Y90.81 million.

One month after the opening of the season, the catch exceeded the amount in the same period of the previous year--a year with exceptionally stagnant catch--while the squid is traded at relatively high level.

While the first month result appears to have marked a favorable start of the season, fishermen are still concerned about the future course of fishing, saying that the current catch level is far from those of ordinary levels...

NOAA Predicts 30 Percent Lower Brown Shrimp Catch off Texas and Louisiana

NOAA is predicting a 12-month brown shrimp harvest of 39.2 million pounds in the western Gulf of Mexico, far below the historical 55-year average of 56.4 million pounds. The prediction covers the period from July 2016 through June 2017 for state and federal waters off Louisiana and federal waters off Texas. NOAA blames torrential rainfalls and record flooding across the Gulf Coast but especially in Texas. "These extreme environmental factors may impact our forecast of the harvest of brown shrimp this year since it is unknown whether survival of shrimp was reduced or shrimp just moved out of our sampling area because of the reduced salinities and low oxygen levels."

Alaska Gov. Bill Walker unveiled proposals for a new 3 percent statewide sales tax and two oil-tax increases as part of his latest deficit-reduction package released at the start of the state Legislature's second special session of the year. The legislation will be considered during the session along with a separate omnibus tax bill that increases existing charges on alcohol, cigarettes, commercial fishing, mining and motor fuel.

In other news, tilapia prices in China are either stable or down slightly in June as reports indicate poor market conditions for the fish in overseas markets. Producers are reporting small profits from low export prices. According to US Census data, the overall import price per pound for frozen tilapia fillets sold in the US market through May is down about 11 percent compared to this time last year.

Meanwhile, Susan Chambers writes of opposition to establish marine monuments around nine seamounts, ridges and banks of the California coast. Nearly 40 people representing sport and commercial fisheries signed on to a letter opposing the designation of monuments that could include Gorda Ridges and Mendocino Ridge off of northern California; Gumdrop and Pioneer seamounts, Guide Seamount and Taney Seamounts off of central California; and Rodriguez Seamount, San Juan Seamount, Northeast Bank and Tanner and Cortes Banks off of southern California. “Those are productive fishing grounds and to lose them forever would be a huge economic blow to many fishermen, processors, and local communities," said Diane Pleschner-Steele, one of the signatories to an opposition letter.

Finally, updated harvest figures from Bristol Bay show this year's salmon season is running close to 2015 timing. As of yesterday the cumulative catch in the Bay was 17 million sockeye. This year’s forecasted harvest is 29.52 million sockeye, which if realized, means the season is at about the halfway point, writes Peggy Parker.

A 40-Year Perspective on Kodiak's Trawl Industry From Al Burch (Opinion)

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [OPINION]  By Al Burch - July 11, 2016

A pioneer in Alaska’s fishing industry, Al Burch helped develop the groundfish industry in the Gulf of Alaska. Al also helped found the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, which set up the infrastructure for pollock and other groundfish processing in the state. He has served on numerous national and international fishing boards, including a 30-year career on the Advisory Panel of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and was the executive director of the current Alaska Whitefish Trawlers Association for nearly 40 years.  In 2009, Al was inducted into the United Fishermen of Alaska’s Seafood Hall of Fame.


Something remarkable happened in my home town of Kodiak recently. 

Roughly 1,000 people turned out to celebrate our groundfish trawl fishery. It was a family affair, with processing workers and their kids, fishing families, support businesses, and local officials all participating in the parade and the barbeque picnic that followed.  Over 2,000 meals were served, and $17,000 was raised for the local Brother Francis Shelter.

For me this was very special. My brother and I were some of the pioneers of the trawl fishery here in Kodiak. We started from scratch when...

Pacific Warm Water "Blob" Had Larger Impact on West Coast Fisheries Than El Nino

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Michael Milstein - July 7, 2016

Milstein is a public affairs officer at NOAA Fisheries. 

El Niño exerted powerful effects around the globe in the last year, eroding California beaches; driving drought in northern South America, Africa and Asia; and bringing record rain to the U.S. Pacific Northwest and southern South America. In the Pacific Ocean off the West Coast, however, the California Current Ecosystem was already unsettled by an unusual pattern of warming popularly known as “The Blob.”

$1.2 Million Will Fund Study to Identify Commercial Fisheries in Canada's Eastern, Arctic Waters

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] July 6, 2016

The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) is among a group of government and non-government bodies that will fund a study of fisheries data from Eastern and High Arctic waters in order to identify potential commercial fisheries for three communities in Nunavut.

CanNor will contribute over $200,000 to the continue research that started last year on on board the fishing vessel Kiviuq. Scientists studied the waters near the communities of Arctic Bay, Resolute Bay, and Qikiqtarjuaq.

A total of $1.2 million will be used to continue the study. In addition to CanNor's contribution the Arctic Fishery Alliance will provide $630,832; the Government of Nunavut $182,000; the National Research Council $144,851; Oceans North $60,000; and the Ocean Tracking Network $20,000...

Univ. Washington and NOAA Create Reliable Forecast Tool for Pacific Northwest Waters

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] June 24, 2016

Researchers from the University of Washington and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have created a seasonal outlook for Pacific Northwest waters.

The University says the forecast can be used as a tool to predict the productivity of West Coast fishing seasons like sardines and crab. A paper evaluating the forecast's performance was published in June in the interdisciplinary, open-access journal Nature: Scientific Reports.

Maine Coast Hires Peter Kendall as General Manager of Boston Fish Pier Lobster Facility

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] June 15, 2016

Maine Coast has hired seafood industry veteran Peter Kendall as the general manager for its Boston Fish Pier facility, which is slated to open later this month.

Kendall was most recently the operations manager at Mazzetta-company subsidiary Gloucester Seafood Processing and a manager at the Yankee Fishermen's Co-Op. Before that, Kendall spent 15 years with the Portsmouth Co-op where he worked his way up to manager of the operation...

Whale Entanglements Rise; NGOs Urge Crabbers to Act

SEAFOOD.COM NEWS - by Susan Chambers - June 10, 2016

Nearly 40 reports of whales entangled in fishing gear have been recorded off the West Coast in 2016 — including at least 20 whales that are estimated to still be entangled — putting this year on pace to break the record for the third straight year, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Although some whales are able to escape from fishing gear, often with the help of California Whale Rescue teams, those that continue to drag fishing gear can die slow, painful deaths.

In response to the latest figures, the Center for Biological Diversity today called on Dungeness crab fishermen to heed last month’s voluntary advisory and remove more fishing lines from Monterey Bay and other entanglement hot spots where whales, including endangered humpback and blue whales, are now feeding – despite a united effort by the California crab fleet to remove much of their gear already. The Center also urged regulators to take swift action to address the problem. In addition to whales, one critically endangered leatherback sea turtle was reported entangled, and ultimately disentangled, in the Monterey area in April.

“This has become a crisis. We recognize that crabbers don’t want to harm whales ...

In Their Own Words

Gulf Rationalization: Two Different Points of View

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  By Peggy Parker and John Sackton - June 10, 2016

Campbell River BC - Center of Farmed Salmon Industry - Strongly Supports Funding for Wild Salmon

SEAFOODNEWS.COM   [SeafoodNews]  August 9, 2016

The BC City of Campbell River said today that they fully support the David Suzuki Foundations call for more funding and for open and transparent scientific research on Canadian salmon fisheries.  

Science is the key to the future for aquaculture and the natural environment, and the sustainability of wild fisheries.

Western Pacific Council Asks for Transparent Analysis of Proposed Marine Monument Expansion

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - August 8, 2016

HONOLULU -- The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council agreed to a resolution asking the U.S. government to address a suite of concerns before acting on the proposed expansion on the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (MNM) in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

The resolution requests a “public, transparent, deliberative, documented and science-based process” to address the proposed expansion, which could prohibit fishing in two-thirds of the 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around Hawaii. The resolution is being sent to President Obama, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Secretaries of Commerce, Interior and State.

The resolution follows a letter sent to President Obama last June from Senator Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, calling for expansion of the Papahānaumokuākea MNM and asking for protection of businesses relying on resources from that area on an economic basis. The Council responded to Schatz...

Stock Assessments Overwhelmingly Support Raising Atlantic Menhaden Quotas (Opinion)

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] Opinion by Al Dudley - August 2, 2016

Dudley is a commercial fisherman based in Beaufort, North Carolina.

This week, fisheries managers have the chance to expand opportunities for fishermen as they consider a scientifically supported increase in the coastwide menhaden quota. Although generally not consumed in their own right, menhaden are the bait of choice for both commercial and recreational fishermen and are prominent producers of the Omega-3 nutrients often used in health supplements.

In recent years, commercial fishing of menhaden has been needlessly restricted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), the regulatory body charged with managing the species and maintaining the health of the stock...

LeBlanc Says Newfoundland's Inshore Harvesters Will Be First to Get Northern Cod Allocations

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] July 27, 2016

Canada's Federal Fishery Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Newfoundland's inshore harvesters will be allocated Northern cod quota once the fishery is viable.   

He made the assurance during a meeting this week with members of Newfoundland's Fish, Food and Allied Worker's Union.

Those discussions also focused on getting harvesters increased access to halibut, scallop and sea cucumber...

WesPac Defensive About Proposed Monument Expansion

SEAFOODNEWS.COM By Susan Chambers - July 21, 2016

The marine monument fight is not over. In addition to seafood industry battles on the U.S. East and West Coasts, Hawaii also is fighting to retain access to fishing grounds.

Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, in June proposed expanding the size of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (PMNM) fourfold.

In his letter to Pres. Barack Obama, Schatz stated, "Greater marine protection for the [Northwest Hawaiian Islands] and its surrounding waters will protect their unique ecology and their historical and cultural value, but this region also supports a variety of Hawai'i residents and businesses. I will not support an expansion proposal that does not adequately take these interests into account. Recreational and subsistence fishing; cultural practices and ocean sports; and commercial longline fisheries -- these traditional and customary practices all depend on access to and use of waters that currently lie outside the PMNM."

However, repeated requests by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council to Schatz and Pres. Obama to discuss the proposal have gone unanswered, according to a Council press release.

"We are dismayed that you did not consult with the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council prior to distribution of your letters ...

Letters: California's Fishery Permit Policy Allows for Private Ownership of Public Resource

SEAFOOD.COM NEWS [Letters] - July 14, 2016

Dear Seafood News Editor, 

I very much enjoyed the article (California's "Squid Cartel" is the Result of State's Confidential Fishing Permit Rights) on California squid fisheries and the secret ownership of permits. However, I feel the bigger issue is completely missed here as it often is throughout the whole West Coast. The problem is not who owns the fishery; it’s more that “anyone” can own the fishery. I come from a family three generations deep of fishers. My grandfather, my father, my uncles, all fishermen. I, however, as a young kid saw opportunity in marketing. It is what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a fair, honest, marketer of the fish that arrives portside along the West Coast. I had no visions of owning or loaning to boats, had no goals of buying quota and that was not even an option when I began as it did not work that way. Yet.

NOAA Fisheries Updates U.S. Congress on Deep Sea Coral Research

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Peggy Parker - July 13, 2016

A report to Congress submitted last month describes the 2014 and 2015 research activities on the nation’s deep-sea coral areas. The report also briefly describes progress during this period in MSA-related management actions that contribute to protecting deep-sea coral areas.

Feldwork in two regions was done during 2014-15. A survey of 31 submarine canyons between Maine and Virginia and the discovery of coral gardens just 25 miles off the coast of Maine was done by the Northeast Fieldwork Initiative.

In Alaska, images of the seafloor at more than 200 stations throughout the 1,200-mile Aleutian Islands chain were taken, confirming widespread corals and commercially important fish using the coral areas.

These initiatives tell researchers about many deep-sea coral communities that no humans had seen before. The involved scientists shared their findings and enabled the respective  management councils to act on the newest data.

NOAA’s Deep Sea Coral Research Program is a central partner for new research in the Pacific Islands region...

Opposition to California Offshore Monuments Mounts After Draft Proposal Leaked

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Susan Chambers - July 12, 2016 -

What do creation of national monuments have in common? A lack of transparency when it comes to discussing the potential access restrictions with stakeholders. That same closed-door effort is happening off of California, as effort mounts to create offshore monuments on both west and east coasts.

California sport and commercial interests first became aware of the proposal to establish monuments around nine seamounts, ridges and banks...

Opposition and Uncertainty Among Industry Reactions to Canada's Decision to Scrap LIFO Shrimp Policy

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Michael Ramsingh - July 8, 2016

Outright opposition to uncertainty are among some of the immediate reactions to Canadian Fishery Minister Dominic LeBlanc’s decision to ditch the Northern Shrimp fishery’s Last In, First Out (LIFO) policy.

Mark Strahl issued a statement on behalf of the Conservative wing of the DFO that was critical of the choice.

LeBlanc’s decision was based on a federally appointed advisory panel that recommended abolishing the LIFO policy in favor of a quota sharing regime. Strahl also opposed the Panel’s findings...

Canada to Replace LIFO Shrimp Policy in Newfoundland; Minister LeBlanc Sets Interim Quotas in Area 6

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Michael Ramsingh - July 7, 2016

Canada’s fishery minister will scrap the Northern Shrimp Fishery’s Last In, First Out (LIFO) management policy for a quota sharing regime and in the meantime set an interim catch limit in shrimp fishing area (SFA) 6 so commercial harvesting can resume in the region.

The announcement from Canada’s Federal Fishery Minister Dominic LeBlanc accepts a recommendation from a federally appointed panel that said the LIFO policy should be abolished...

Support For Repealing USDA Catfish Inspection Program Gaining Strength in House 

A letter signed by 180 Representatives was sent to the House leadership that favors taking up a measure to repeal the USDA's Catfish Inspection Program. A majority of the signees are Republican representatives that control the House. “There’s little doubt that, by and large, the House wants to take this up,” said Gavin Gibbons, Vice President of Communications for the National Fisheries Institue. In May, it was Senate Republicans, led by Arizona Senator John McCain, that fast tracked Joint Resolution 28 in an effort to remove the program from the Farm Bill. The Resolution only needs House approval and a White House signature to disapprove the program from law.

John Sackton comments on the widespread repercussions that last night's vote in favor of removing Britain from the European Union will have on US and Canadian seafood sales. The unexpected vote caused some of the largest currency movements in decades, which left many buyers of US and Canadian seafood products poorer. Additionally, the "Brexit" vote is likely to freeze available liquidity among major financial institutions, which will limit investment in the seafood industry. Lastly, the vote is another sign of weak leadership among the world's political figures that have been largely unable to solve an assortment of state and federal financial issues.

In other news, NOAA said it will refund as much as 85 percent of the costs needed to fund fishery observers for the Northeast's groundfishing fleet. NOAA said any groundfish sector trip beginning on or after July 1 may be eligible for the reimbursement of at-sea monitoring costs through a program the federal fisheries regulator is developing with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Details of that plan remain a work in progress, but it appears fishermen will still have to pay for the monitoring services for which they or their sector have privately contracted and then submit those expenses for reimbursement.

Meanwhile, chum salmon landings out of the Yukon River's commercial dip-net fishery are more than double last year at this time. To date, the Lower Yukon River total catch (both district 1 and 2) is 145,892 chum salmon and 0 chinook salmon. Dip-nets are being used in order to protect the Yukon king salmon run, which has been severely low over the last several years. “Our best opener so far was on June 14th, when 107 dip net boats hauled in over 15,000 fish, which is rather remarkable when taking into consideration the inefficiency of dip nets and fishing a river that is 7 miles wide at the mouth,” said Jack Schultheis, owner of Emmonak-based Kwik-Pak Fisheries.

Finally, a group of East and West Coast Senators introduced a bill to prohibit the sale of shark fins in the U.S. The Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act of 2016 seeks to: Remove the U.S. contribution of shark fins to the global market; allow for stronger enforcement of the “no finning” ban in the United States;and put the U.S. in a stronger position to advocate internationally for abolishing the fin trade in other countries. The proposal was met with opposition from commercial fishing groups that say the law is unfair to legal, responsibly managed commercial shark fisheries in the US.

Have a good weekend.

Pacific Bluefin Tuna: NGO Wants it on the Endangered List, NMFS Offers Plan to Rebuild Stocks

SEAFOODNEWS.COM (SeafoodNews) By Peggy Parker - June 23, 2016

Pacific bluefin tuna is in trouble and both environmental groups and international managers are trying to save it, albiet from different approches. Earlier this week, an alliance of environmental organizations asked National Marine Fisheries Service to consider listing Pacific bluefin as an endangered species. Yesterday, the agency announced a proposed framework for rebuilding Pacific bluefin tuna stocks. 

NMFS's long-term plan for rebuilding Pacific bluefin spans the Pacific and many international boundaries. It will be presented at the annual Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) meeting next week in La Jolla, CA.

While the 21 member countries of the IATTC will be negotiating catch limits, the scientific advice from IATTC's staff is to extend current catch limits in the eastern Pacific for another two years. But the environmental groups want to ban all removals, immediately. 

A May 2016 stock assessment conducted by the...

N. Pacific Council Advances Motions That Restrict Catch Shares

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [News Analysis] by John Sackton June 14, 2016

The intense debate at the North Pacific Fishery Management Council this week culminated in a series of votes by the council that will likely mark a turning point in consideration of catch shares in US fisheries.

 

The most significant vote was on a motion made by Glenn Merrill (NMFS) that slightly softened the language ADF&G Commissioner Sam Cotten had proposed regarding the council's position against creating new economic assets through quota shares.  Cotten's language was to "avoid creation of new economic assets" in the bycatch program, and Merrill substituted language that defined the council's objectives as  "minimizing economic barriers for new participants."  This motion carried 6-5 after one of the 6 member Alaska Delegation, David Long, voted for it. 

 

The Gulf of Alaska groundfish trawlers must comply with stricter by-catch caps on chinook salmon and halibut. But at the same time they..