In Mixed Catch, NF Senior Editor Linc Bedrosian spotlights a wide range of commercial fishing-related news items from coast to coast.
Friday, 14 September 2012
With the Commerce Department's disaster declaration for the Northeast groundfish fishery, it's now up to Congress to appropriate the $100 million being sought to help the region's fishermen and fishing communities weather substantial harvest cuts for key species like cod and yellowtail flounder in 2013.
"This is a big deal for our fishermen and the entire industry because it paves the way for the financial assistance that will determine whether they can stay open for business," said Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) in a press statement. "This is exactly what we needed to strengthen our hand as we continue to go after the funding."
Word is that the disaster relief funds would be included in an emergency assistance bill for drought-plagued farmers. Congress is slated to take up the bill in the encouragingly named lame-duck session after the November elections.
"If and when money is approved by the members of Congress," Massachusetts State Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), the Senate Minority leader, said in a statement posted on his website, "the focus must be on preserving the industry from capsizing rather than expediting its end by focusing on consolidation measures and buy-outs."
One would hope Congress sees fit to allocate the disaster relief funds. As Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank noted in her letter to Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick announcing the fishery disaster declaration, fishermen are co-operating with regulations designed to rebuild troubled groundfish stocks. Climate changes and ecosystem shifts appear to be preventing the fish from doing their part.
Our elected officials in Washington were able to find billions of dollars to bail out Wall Street, banks and automobile manufacturers. Surely they can scrounge up $100 million to help this iconic fishery and the region's fishing communities.
Callifornia crabbing: Here's a fun video shot on the decks of the Majestik while catching Dungeness crab off the coast of northern California.
Over 500 lots of seafood processing equipment formerly owned by Adak Seafood will be sold at auction on Tuesday, June 18, starting at 10 a.m. Hawaiian-Aleutian Daylight Time at the Hilton Garden Inn in Anchorage Alaska.
The equipment is located in a recently updated 250,000 square foot state-of-the-art processing facility in Adak, Alaska. Farmington Hills, Mich.-based Hilco Industrial, which conducts 75 machinery and equipment auctions in a wide range of industries annually, will conduct the auction.
Adak Seafood opened originally as Ada Fisheries in Anchorage in 1986. The facility, updated in 2005, is located on the island of Adak, the southernmost city in Alaska near the western end of the Aleutian Islands. The facility processed cod primarily, as well as halibut, blackcod, crab and pollock, Hilco says.
Alaska fisherman and commercial fisheries activist Kevin Adams was elected chairman at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute board of directors meeting on May 9 in Anchorage.
The governor-appointed board consists of seven members: five seafood processors and two industry representatives actively engaged in commercial fishing. Adams was appointed to fill a harvester seat by Gov. Frank Murkowski in 2004.
With 38 years of fishing experience in Bristol Bay, Adams has long been an active member in the Alaska fishing industry, ASMI says. He has worked for both the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation and the Bering Sea Fisherman's Association, and represents Alaska fishermen on numerous boards.
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