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#04-19-2013 - ComFish News Roundup

Illegal Russian Crab Exports Surge in 2012
ASMI
By Stephanie Joyce
Thursday, April 18 2013
After several years of steady declines, illegal crab fishing in Russia spiked in 2012. The resulting glut of crab hurt Alaskan prices, and reignited concerns about how to combat the illegal harvest. Andy Wink tracks the Russian fisheries for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. He says  Russia’s illegal harvest is staggering. “Alaska caught a lot of crab. Alaska caught more crab in 2012 than.... http://kucb.org/news/article/illegal-russian-crab-exports-surge-in-2012/

Apr 18, 2013 - 03:43 PM AKST
Legislature’s fisheries research funding tops $12 million
MOLLY DISCHNER, ALASKA JOURNAL OF COMMERCE
Fisheries projects throughout the state would receive a boost in the Legislature’s budget.
The Legislature’s fiscal year 2014 capital budget included more than $12 million to study Alaska’s fisheries, much of it for work in Cook Inlet including drainages in the Matanuska-Susitna borough. Topping the list of projects was $7.5 million for Gov. Sean Parnell’s Chinook Salmon Research Initiative. In Parnell’s version of the budget, that item came in at $10 million. Parnell’s research initiative included an additional $20 million over the subsequent four years, for a total $30 million, five-year effort. The initiative, which was a response to declining king salmon runs throughout the state, is meant to look at what was happening to the salmon. As proposed, the undertaking would look at 12 indicator river systems from Southeast Alaska to the Arctic, gain a better understanding of the factors affecting salmon, and offer strategies to enhance viability and increase returns. The budget would also include $2.5 million to look at Susitna River drainage salmon and $2 million for king salmon in Northern Cook Inlet. Those projects would be undertaken by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, or ADFG. ADFG’s Susitna drainage project would look at research, restoration and enhancement, while the..... http://www.alaskajournal.com/Alaska-Journal-of-Commerce/April-Issue-3-2013/Legislatures-fisheries-research-funding-tops-12-million/

Alaska's GM salmon protest comes to P.E.I.
Alaska concerned over economic impact of genetically-modified fish
CBC News Posted: Apr 18, 2013 11:57 AM AT
A member of Alaska's state government is meeting with P.E.I. politicians Thursday to share concerns over genetically-modified salmon. Representative Geran Tarr doesn't want the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve AquaBounty's fast-growing salmon. AquaBounty's GM fish grow at twice the rate of regular salmon. One of the company's facilities is in Bay Fortune, P.E.I. AquaBounty says its fish, shown here prepared for cooking, does not need to be labelled because it is not significantly different from Atlantic salmon. Tarr launched a resolution last month in Alaska calling on the FDA to require more research before approval, or at least require AquaBounty salmon be labelled GMO. That motion was supported unanimously in both the house of representatives and the senate. Tarr told CBC News the sale of.... http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2013/04/18/pei-genetically-modified-salmon-alaska-584.html

Fishermen's Fund benefits now at $10,000
Posted 04/19/2013
by - Cordova Times Staff
Alaska's Fishermen's Fund, an emergency medical fund for commercial fishermen now has a benefit limit of $10,000, up from the old maximum of $2,500, program director Velma Thomas told participants in COMFISH Alaska 2013 on April 11. The fund, which is financed from revenue received for commercial fishing licenses and permit fees, has approved 185 claims since the fiscal year began July 1, with another 100 claims still.... http://www.thecordovatimes.com/article/1316fishermens-fund-benefits-now-at-10000

Apr 18, 2013 - 03:42 PM AKST
Scallop bill shucks regional development
BOB TKACZ, FOR THE JOURNAL
JUNEAU — The Alaska Regional Development Organization celebrated the “silver jubilee” of its 25th anniversary in its annual report this year, and the Alaska Legislature marked the occasion by letting the program die after the bill to extend its sunset date for five years fell victim to an obscure fish war involving Korean hair crab and weathervane scallops. The failure to pass House Bill 71 before the legislative session ended April 14 means the Alaska Regional Development Organization program expires on July 1 and the 12 ARDORs will each lose $62,000 in state funding. Established on a regional basis.... http://www.alaskajournal.com/Alaska-Journal-of-Commerce/April-Issue-3-2013/Scallop-bill-shucks-regional-development/

NIOSH to fishermen: wear your PFD
Posted 04/19/2013
by - Cordova Times Staff
It's not one size fits all, but there are enough styles of personal floatation devices out there now to fit every commercial fish harvester's needs, says Ted Teske of the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety. "Our message to fishermen is find something.... http://www.thecordovatimes.com/article/1316niosh-to-fishermen-wear-your-pfd

Education
9:39 AM THU APRIL 18, 2013
Bristol Bay Students Invited to Apply to Attend "Salmon Camp"
By MIKE MASON
Salmon Camp scheduled for July
The annual "Salmon Camp" in Bristol Bay has been scheduled for July 24th through the 30th on the shores of Lake Aleknagik (Gmap > http://goo.gl/maps/9CK9l ) . "Salmon Camp" is sponsored by the Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation and the UAF..... http://kdlg.org/post/bristol-bay-students-invited-apply-attend-salmon-camp

Alaska anglers face increased king salmon restrictions
Published: April 18, 2013 Updated 11 hours ago
By BETH BRAGG
ANCHORAGE — When Valley fishing guide Andy Couch talked to prospective clients at recent sportsman shows in Anchorage and Wasilla, he got the same question again and again. "They were asking, 'Is there even going to be a season for king salmon?' " Couch said. The short answer is, yes. The long answer is...... http://www.adn.com/2013/04/18/2870381/alaska-anglers-face-increased.html

The Alaska Fisheries Report with Jay Barrett
Apr 18, 2013
Coming up this week, the king quota is down again in Southeast while a small Petersburg salmon packer is getting substantially bigger, and the Business of Fish. We had help from KFSK’s Matt Lichtenstein in Petersburg, KDLG’s Mike Mason in Dillingham and KHNS contributor Tara Bicknell in Haines..... http://www.kmxt.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4619

The Sealaska Bill Should Die
By Rebecca Knight
April 18, 2013
Most SE Alaskans are united in opposition to S. 340 (formerly S. 881 & S. 730), the Southeast Alaska Native Land Entitlement Finalization and Jobs Protection Act. These are real folks whose lives will be directly impacted including sport, commercial and subsistence fishermen as well as hunters, recreationists and the hundreds of residents of nine communities (click here) that will suffer the direct hit of this horrible, forest high-grading bill. Everyone knows S. 340 is unnecessary. Native claims in Alaska were settled in.... http://www.sitnews.us/0413Viewpoints/041813_rebecca_knight.html

Sea lice spreads in salmon farms
CHILE
Friday, April 19, 2013, 23:40 (GMT + 9)
The National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca) confirmed the existence of 68 Atlantic salmon and trout farms with high caligus (sea lice) spread rate. Under the Specific Caligidosis Health Surveillance and Control Programme (PSVEC Caligidosis), these centres had an average weekly load higher than nine caligus parasites per specimen. Out of that total, 10 centres were farming rainbow trout and the remaining ones, Atlantic salmon. Out of all the centres that were reported to have high caligus spread (CAD), seven..... http://fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&country=0&special=&monthyear=&day=&id=60270&ndb=1&df=0