United Southeast Alaska Gillnetter’s Association

A few summer issues … USAG is still following the Sealaska Lands Bill.  We have been actively engaged with United Fishermen of Alaska to make sure our concerns are well represented.  The bill is expected to be formally adopted in committee in the coming weeks.  Sen. Murkowski has issued a press release highlighting some changes, but as of yet the bill needs substantial provisions to adequately address the fishing industry’s concerns especially regarding land selections outside the existing ANCSA approved lands on salmon producing systems.    We will continue to be engaged with our fellow fishermen in the Troller’s Association and at the Southeast Seiner’s Association as we have been in active conversations the last few weeks.

There are other issues regarding observer coverage regarding porpoises and seabirds moving forward.  We will try to find out more and be engaged as the federal agencies continue to move forward.

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:

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

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.

USAG’s executive director also works as the group’s lobbyist during the legislative session. The board makes decisions on the more weighty issues. We are engaged on most if not all legislative bills directly impacting the Southeast Gillnetters and the commercial fishing industry. Here is a summary of some of the issues we were working on this year to represent your interests.

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!)