Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Tanner Crab Fishery Closes in Pavlof Bay, Jude Island in Eastern Section of South Peninsula


According to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G), all waters between 161 degrees W. longitude and 162 degrees W. longitude in the Eastern Section of the South Peninsula District will close to Tanner Crab fishing at 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 26, 2012. Catch reports indicate the harvest will approach survey estimates of allowable Tanner crab surplus. Further harvest is not warranted in order to protect the long-term health of Tanner crab in this area.

All pots within the closed area must be unbaited and doors open at the time of the closure. Unbaited pots may be stored in the closed area in waters deeper than 25 fathoms for 72 hours. After 72 hours, all pots remaining in the closed area must be removed from the water or placed in waters shallower than 25 fathoms. Vessel operators are not required to deliver crab harvested from the closed prior to targeting Tanner crab in other areas of the Eastern Section of the South Peninsula District that remain open to Tanner crab fishing.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Western Section of South Peninsula District Tanner Crab Fishery Closes Tonight


According to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game, all waters of the Western Section of the South Peninsula District will close to Tanner crab fishing at 5:59 p.m. tonight (Friday, January 20, 2012). Catch reports indicate that the total harvest will approach survey estimates of allowable Tanner crab surplus. Further harvest is not warranted to protect the long-term health of Tanner crab in this area.

All pots within the closed area must be unbaited and doors open at the time of closure. Unbaited pots may be stored in the closed area in waters deeper than 25 fathoms for 72 hours. After 72 hours, all pots remaining in the closed area must be removed from the water or placed in waters shallower than 25 fathoms. Vessel operators are required to deliver crab harvested from the Western Section prior to targeting Tanner crab in the Eastern Section of the South Peninsula District.

2012 Chignik District Tanner Crab Season Delayed Again

The National Weather Service (NWS) 4 a.m. 48-hour marine forecast for Area 155 on January 20th contained gale warnings. So according to the ADF&G, the Chignik Tanner crab final registration and season opening will be delayed again for 24 hours.

If the 48-hour marine weather forecast in Area 155 issued at 4 a.m. on Saturday, January 21st contains a small craft advisory, final registration and the fishery opening will again be delayed for 24 hours.

If the 48-hour marine weather forecast for Area 155 issued Saturday, January 21st does not contain a small craft advisory, final registration will begin at 12:00 noon on January 21st and the fishery will open at 12:00 noon on January 22nd.

Any action to further delay or open the fishery will be announced in a subsequent ADF&G news release by 9 a.m. on Saturday, January 21st. According to the fishery management plan for the Chignik District, season opening delays may continue on a rolling 24-hour basis until 12:00 noon on January 25th, when the season will open regardless of National Weather Service marine weather forecasts.

For additional information, please contact ADF&G in Kodiak at (907) 486-1840.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

2012 Chignik District Tanner Crab Season Delayed Once Again

The National Weather Service 4 a.m. 48-hour marine forecast for Area 155 today (January 18, 2012) contained a gale warning. According to ADF&G, the Chignik District Tanner crab final registration and season opening will be delayed for 24 hours.

If the 48-hour marine weather forecast in Area 155 issued at 4 a.m. on Thursday, January 19th also contains a small craft advisory, final registration and the fishery opening will again be delayed for 24 hours.

If the 48-hour marine weather forecast for Area 155 issued Thursday, January 19th does not contain a small craft advisory, final registration will begin at 12:00 noon on January 19th and the fishery will open at 12:00 noon on January 20th.

Any action to further delay or open the fishery will be announced in a subsequent ADF&G news release by 9 a.m. on Thursday, January 19th.

According to the fishery management plan for the Chignik District, season opening delays may continue on a rolling 24-hour basis until 12:00 noon on January 25, when the season will open regardless of National Weather Service marine weather forecasts.

Closure of Cold Bay and Morzhovoi Bay Tanner Crab Fishery in the Western Section of the South Peninsula District

According to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G), the waters of Cold Bay and Morzhovoi Bay in the western section of the South Peninsula District closed inside a line from Cape Pankof (54 degrees 39.37’ N. lat.; 163 degrees 03.49’ W. long.) to Bold Cape (55 degrees 01.26’ N. lat.; 162 degrees 15.59’ W. long.) to Tanner crab fishing at 5:59 p.m. yesterday (Tuesday, January 17, 2012). Catch reports indicated the harvest approached survey estimates of allowable Tanner crab surplus. Further harvest is not warranted to protect the long-term health of Tanner crab in this area.

All pots within the closed area must be unbaited and doors open at the time of the closure. Unbaited pots may be stored in the closed area in waters deeper than 25 fathoms for 72 hours. After 72 hours, all pots remaining in the closed area must be removed from the water or placed in waters shallower than 25 fathoms. Vessel operators are not required to deliver crab harvested from the closed area.

Fishing in the remainder of the South Peninsula District - Western Section will remain open until further notice.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

2012 Chignik District Tanner Crab Season Delayed Again

The National Weather Service (NWS) 4 a.m. 48-hour marine forecast for Area 155 on January 17th contained a gale warning. According to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G), the Chignik District Tanner crab final registration and season opening will be delayed for 24 hours.

If the 48-hour marine weather forecast in Area 155 issued at 4 a.m. on Wednesday, January 18th also contains a small craft advisory, final registration and the fishery opening will again be delayed for 24 hours.

If the 48-hour marine forecast for Area 155 Wednesday, January 18th does not contain a small craft advisory, final registration will begin at 12:00 noon on January 18th and the fishery will open at 12:00 noon on January 19th.

Any action to further delay or open the fishery will be announced in a subsequent ADF&G news release by 9 a.m. on Wednesday, January 18th.

For additional information, please contact ADF&G in Kodiak at (907) 486-1840.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Fish Calendar of Events

WASSIP 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 17, 2012 Anchorage Hilton

Federal Subsistence Board 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 17th Anchorage Egan Center

AK Marine Science Symposium 8 a.m. on Jan. 17th Anchorage Hotel Captain Cook

IPHC Jan. 24 - 27, 2012 Anchorage Hotel Captain Cook

NPFMC Jan. 30 - Feb. 7, 2012 Renaissance Hotel - Seattle

For more information, go to: http://www.aebfish.org/ or click on the headline to this posting.

Borough to Send Two AEBSD High School Students to AYFS in Juneau

The Aleutians East Borough would like to send two AEBSD high school students to the Alaska Young Fishermen's Summit (AYFS) in Juneau on February 13th and 14th. Acceptance for AEB-funded travel will be competitive, based on scholastic achievement (grades), prior involvement in the fishing industry and a one-page letter of interest to attend the Summit from the student.

As part of the AEB-funded trip to the AYFS, the Borough will provide round trip travel for two studnets from the home Borough community to Juneau, overnight lodging and appropriate school district approved chaperones for the trip, including overnight in Anchorage.

AEB Consultant and Former Speaker of the Alaska State House Sam Cotten is the key-note speaker for the event. He will meet with the AEB students during their stay.

Interested students should submit a letter of interest, including a summary of fishing industry experience to the Borough Clerk/Planner, Tina Anderson, by Thursday, January 19, 2012. Letters of interest should be submitted either in person, by fax to (907) 383-3496 or by email to tanderson@aeboro.org.

More information on the Alaska Young Fishermen's Summit can be found by clicking on the headline of this blog posting or cut and paste the link below into your browser:

http://seagrant/uaf.edu/map/workshops/2012/ayfs.index.html

2012 Chignick District Tanner Crab Season Delayed

The National Weather Service (NWS) 4:00 am 48-hour marine forecast for Area 155 on January 16, 2011 contained a small craft advisory. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), the Chignik District Tanner crab final registration and season opening will be delayed for 24 hours.

If the 48-hour marine weather forecast in Area 155 issued at 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 17th also contains a small craft advisory, final registration and the fishery opening will again be delayed for 24 hours.

If the 48-hour marine weather forecast for Area 155 issued Tuesday, January 17th does not contain a small craft advisory, final registration will begin at 1:00 Noon on January 17th and the fishery will open at 12:00 Noon on January 18th.

For additional information, please contact ADF&G in Kodiak at (907) 486-1840.

Friday, January 13, 2012

2012 South Peninsula District Tanner Crab Season Final Registration Requirements

South Peninsula District Tanner crab vessel tank inspection will not be required prior to the start of the 2012 South Peninsula District Tanner crab fishery, according to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G). However, all vessel operators must validate their Tanner crab vessel registration with the ADF&G prior to participating in the fishery. Vessel operators may validate registrations no earlier than 12:00 noon on Saturday, January 14, 2012 unless final registration and the season opening have been delayed due to weather.

Vessel operators may validate registrations with ADF&G staff at the harbormaster offices in Sand Point and King Cove or from other locations by fax to the ADF&G office in Kodiak beginning 12:00 noon on Saturday, January 14, 2012 unless delayed by weather. The Kodiak ADF&G fax number is (907) 486-1824.

For additional information, please contact ADF&G in Kodiak at (907) 486-1840.

Call for Proposals: Alaska Board of Fisheries

Proposal Deadline - 5 p.m., Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The Alaska Board of Fisheries is accepting proposed changes to the subsistence, commercial, personal use, sport, guided sport, and guided sport ecotourism finfish regulations for the Bristol Bay, Artic-Yukon-Kuskokwim and Alaska Peninsula/Aleutian Islands management areas. Finfish includes: salmon, herring, trout, groundfish, char, burbot, northern pike, whitefish, Pacific cod, sablefish, shark, pollock, etc., but does not include halibut.

The board is accepting proposed changes to the subsistence, commercial, personal use, sport, guided sport, and guided sport ecotourism finfish provisions regulations. Examples of "statewide finfish" regulations can be found in Title 5 of the Alaska Administrative Code and include, but are not limited to, policy for the management of sustainable salmon fisheries, policy for the management of mixed stock fisheries, policy for statewide salmon escapement goals, possession of sport-caught fish, fishing by proxy, etc.

To ensure that the proposed booklets are distributed well in advance of the board meetings and the fishing season, the board has set 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 10, 2012 as the proposal deadline.

Proposals may be submitted by mail, fax or online:
Mail:
ADF&G, Boards Support Section
P.O. Box 115526
Juneau, AK 99811-5526

Fax:
(907) 465-6094

Online:http:///boardoffisheries.adfg.alaska.gov/

Proposals must be received by the 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 10, 2012 deadline at the Board Support Section office in Juneau. A postmark is NOT sufficient for timely receipt. You are encouraged to submit proposals at the earliest possible date.

Please use the Board of Fisheries proposal form, available from any office of the Boards Support Section or on our website at:
http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/index.php.

Proposals must contain a contact telephone number and address. Please print or type the individual's name or organization's name as appropriate. A fax is acceptable and considered an original. Currently, we are unable to accept submission of proposal via email. We are working with our information technology section and hope to be able to offer this option soon.

All proposals are reviewed by the board's proposal review committee prior to publication. Language that is emotionally charged detracts frm the substance of the proposal. It may draw opposition that may not be germane to the element(s) of the proposal and may elicit nonresponsive charges from the public/board members. The proposal review committee reserves the right to edit proposals containing offensive language. Proposals published in the proposal book will be referenced with the appropriate Alaska Administrative Code citation and include a brief description of the action requested. Following publication, proposal booklets will be available to advisory committees and the public for review and comment.

Proposals received per the above "Call for Proposals" deadline will be considered by the Board of Fisheries during the October 2012 through March 2013 meeting schedule.

For more information, please contact the Alaska Board of Fisheries Executive Director at (907) 465-4110.

Cold Bay's Strategic Location Ideally Suited for Transporting Live Crab to Asia


By Ernie Weiss, AEB Natural Resources Director

It's an idea that's been around for quite a while, but whose time may finally have come: the transport of live crab directly from the Aleutians East Borough 'hub' port of Cold Bay to markets in China and other Asian countries.

Former Cold Bay terminal manager Monty Martin was a founding member of the Cold Bay International Airport Enhancement Committee (CIAEC) in the fall of 2009, soliciting support for the shipment of raw fish products such as king crab, cod milt, fresh salmon fillets and roe through the Cold Bay hub. The idea is far from new, but has new life, due to recent events.

Back from an official trip to China, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development Commissioner Susan Bell was featured on a recent KTUU Channel 2 news story.

"The administration is definitely increasing our visibility throughout the world, where we see opportunity for increasing our exports and building investment in Alaska, particularly adding value to our products," Bell said.

Last month, Commissioner Bell, along with Department of Transportation Commissioner Marc Luiken and other state officials, met with AEB Mayor Stanley Mack and other representatives from the Borough and crab industry. The Governor's Rural Affairs Advisor, John Moller, had set up the meeting for the attendees to discuss the potential new Asian-Alaskan seafood connections. The State of Alaska expects China to be its top export customer in 2012, overtaking Japan, which until recently, had been purchasing more of Alaska's goods than any other country.

Alaska Crab Coalition Executive Director Arni Thomson hand-carried a letter from Mayor Mack to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) Board of Directors and shellfish committee meeting in Seattle.

"We believe the time is right and markets are ready for live crab harvested in Aleutian East Borough waters to be enjoyed worldwide," Mayor Mack said in his letter.

Additionally, Mayor Mack is looking for support from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute in the AEB's effort to get a tarmac built to the new AEB airport terminal. State DOTPF will need to take the lead on getting an apron to the runway built.

Thomson has been working with Aleutians East Borough Natural Resources Director Ernie Weiss on the transport of live crab proposal for several months, building on previous work done by Monty Martin.

There is a heightened interest for live crab in China, Korea and other points in Asia, and there are 500 planes a week from Anchorage heading to Asia. However, this project aims not to take any business away from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, but to establish a brand new market option, making use of the location of the 10,415-foot main runway in Cold Bay (with the additional 5,125-foot crosswind runway) so critically close to the crab fishing grounds.

DOT Commissioner Luiken stated at the meeting that regulatory issues wouldn't be the biggest obstacle to the success of the project, but that success would depend on getting the interest of both the airlines and the processors. The business model needs to look at how much product will be available, and how often, to determine if the project is feasible. If needed, a customs agent should be a cost-sharing item between industry and government.

Jim Stone with the Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers told the teleconference that his group of harvesters and processors are planning on shipping live snow crab out of Dutch Harbor this January, but are expecting significant dead loss, due to the extra stop in Anchorage. The world class airfield in Cold Bay will support larger planes that can fly directly from the Aleutians East to Asia, eliminating nearly all dead loss.

Ernie Weiss will continue to work with DCCED Deputy Commissioner Curtis Thayer and Arni Thomson to facilitate the forward momentum of the initiative to ship live crab directly to China from Cold Bay.

NOAA Seeks Comment on Proposed 2012 and 2013 Harvest Specs for Groundfish in BSAI through Jan. 26th

NOAA Fisheries proposes 2012 and 2013 harvest specifications, apportionments and prohibited species catch allowances for the groundfish of the Bering Sea and the Aleutian Islands management area. This action will establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2012 and 2013 fishing years to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands according to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

To read more or submit a comment, click on the title of this post to go to that website.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Reminder: South Peninsula District Tanner Crab Pre-Season Stakeholders' Meeting on Jan. 13th


The Alaska Department of Fish and Game will host a pre-season commercial shellfish and groundfish stakeholders' meeting this Friday, January 13, 2012 at 10 a.m. at the Borough office in Sand Point. The meeting will also be teleconferenced to the Harbor House in King Cove and the City office in False Pass. Nick Sagalkin, ADF&G Management Biologist and Kally Spalinger, ADF&G Trawl Survey Coordinator, will also dial in from Kodiak.

The purpose of this meeting is to provide commercial fishery stakeholders the opportunity to discuss the 2012 South Peninsula District Tanner crab fishery and recent changes to South Alaska Peninsula state-waters Pacific cod regulations. This meeting is open to the public and all interested parties are encouraged to attend.

For additional information, please contact Mark Stichert with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Kodiak at (907) 486-1853.

Friday, January 6, 2012

NPFMC Publishes February Meeting Agenda

The agenda for the February 2012 North Pacific Fishery Management Council in Seattle is now available on the web. Copy the link below into your browser:
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/PDFdocuments/meetings/0212Agenda.pdf

or click on the title of this post to go directly there.

Happy New Year!

AEB Fishermen Meet with NOAA Officials to Discuss Pcod Sector Split Changes

Aleutians East Borough (AEB) fishermen from King Cove, False Pass and Sand Point recently (12/28/11) met telephonically with NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Brent Pristas and Ken Hansen to discuss changes in the Pacific cod (Pcod) fishery with the implementation of the sector split beginning January 1, 2012. Also on the line were Nick Sagalkin and Mark Stichert from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The rules regarding the Federal Fisheries Permit (FFP) and License Limitation Program (LLP) are complex.

FFPs are is issued on a 3-year cycle, which started Jan. 1, 2012. Fishermen who surrender their FFP will not get it back for 3 years. They may amend the FFP as many times as needed. For example, some FFP holders may wish to amend the FFP by removing the Pcod endorsement, thereby allowing the vessel operator to turn off the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS). Pollock and Pcod are VMS fisheries, and pollock and Pcod endorsements on the FFP require the VMS to be on during those fishery openings.

To amend the FFP, the permit owner should download the form from the www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov website and fax the completed 3-page form to the Restricted Access Management (RAM) division in Juneau. RAM will mail the permit back within 1 - 2 days.

Both the FFP and the LLP can have Pcod endorsements. Fishermen who hold an FFP, and fish in the parallel fishery (inside 3 miles) must also hold an LLP with a Pcod endorsement applicable to the adjacent federal water fishery. The reason for this rule is to limit the fishing effort and to prevent other FFP holders from moving inside 3 miles and into the local parallel fishery. Fishermen who don't hold an FFP do not need the LLP to fish in the parallel fishery. Those who hold an LLP with a Pcod endorsement do not need an FFP to fish in the parallel fishery. In fact, fishermen who wold an LLP don't need an FFP unless they are fishing for halibut or groundfish in federal waters.

Halibut and Sablefish IFQ fishermen are required to retain bycatch of Pcod less than 20%. An FFP is required in federal waters, however, a Pcod endorsement is not required for halibut and sablefish.

Jig fishermen using 5 jig machines, one line per machine, and a maximum of 30 hooks per line, do not need an FFP to fish in the parallel fishery. Fishermen who have an FFP and jig with 5 or fewer machines (as described above) in the parallel fishery, do not need an LLP. Jig vessels need an FFP to fish in waters outside of 3 miles, and vessels that carry 6 or more machines must have an LLP with a jig endorsement.

Detailed information regarding FFPs and LLPs can be found in Federal Fisheries Regulations: 50 CFR 679.4 and at 50 CFR 679.7(b).

The above information is not intended to supplement or substitute fishery regulations, but is merely an attempt by AEB staff to describe the explanations by NOAA Enforcement to AEB fishermen.

The following information regarding Western Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod and Pollock 2012 allocations is from NOAA Sustainable Fisheries in Kodiak:

Western Gulf of Alaska (WGOA) Pollock 2012 seasonal allocations:

A season 5797 tons
B season 5797 tons
C season 9338 tons
D season 9338 tons
Total: 32,070 tons


Western Gulf of Alaska (WGOA) Pacific cod 2012 sector allocations by season: Jig gear sector receives 1.5% of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) in WGOA

Jig A season: 189 tons B season: 126 tons Total: 315 tons
Hook and Line Catcher Vessel(HAL CV) A season: 145 tons B season: 145 tons Total: 290 tons
Hook and Line Catcher Processor A season: 2257 tons B season: 1843 tons Total: 4100 tons
Trawl CV A season: 5736 tons B season: 2216 tons Total: 7952 tons
Trawl CP A season: 186 tons B season: 311 tons Total: 497 tons
Pot CV / CP A season: 4100 tons B season: 3769 tons Total: 7869 tons
Total WGOA Pcod TAC 21,023 tons

Fisheries management will determine rollovers between sectors, usually in mid-November.