"If you demand products that don’t cost anything, people will make them out of poison, mud and s**t." .... Bill Maher

13:21/01. PCFFA AND NFU ANNOUNCE AFFILIATION, DISCUSS FARM BILL: PCFFA announced on 7 August its affiliation with the National Farmers Union (NFU). The announcement was made at the offices of PCFFA in conjunction with a meeting with NFU President Tom Buis and NFU’s California Chapter President, Joaquin Contente. The announcement took place as NFU President Tom Buis visited the west coast to discuss the 2008 Farm Bill with the organization’s California membership. The House of Representatives just passed its version of the Farm Bill and the U.S. Senate is expected to take it up after the August recess.

Zeke Grader of PCFFA said provisions in the Farm Bill, particularly the conservation programs, highlight a convergence of interests among farmers and fishermen – particularly those programs designed to conserve soil, preserve farm land and protect water quality as it affects fish populations. “It’s time for our nation’s family farmers and family fishermen to work together on behalf of America’s food producers – whether they harvest the soil or the sea,” said PCFFA Executive Director Zeke Grader. “Our common interests include conservation of our lands and waters, preservation of our communities, the production and promotion of safe, healthful and affordable food, fair prices for food producers, and fair trade.”

NFU’s membership includes 250,000 farm and ranch families. PCFFA is not the first fishing organization to affiliate with the NFU. Recently hook fishermen from Cape Cod joined with the area’s cranberry farmers to form the New England Farmer’s Union.

13:21/02. CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION REJECTS EXPERIMENTAL LONGLINE SWORDFISH PERMIT: On 10 August the California Coastal Commission rejected a request by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to issue an exempted fishing permit (EFP) for an experimental long line fishery for swordfish within the US exclusive economic zone (EEZ) three to two hundred miles off the coast of California. The permit would have allowed one boat operator, Peter Dupuy, up to four fishing trips from 15 September 2007 to December 2007 with an observer on board at all times. The purpose of the experiment would have been to determine if long lines would have been a superior alternative to drift gill nets, which are currently in use off the coast of California, for catching swordfish while reducing bycatch of leatherback turtles and marine mammals.

In their request NMFS acknowledged that “long line fishing is clearly preferable to drift gill when it comes to marine mammals; comparisons for turtles are not so clear.” Several environmental groups, including the Turtle Island Restoration Network, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Ocean Conservancy and Oceana, vehemently opposed the EFP, fearing that it would open the door to a permanent long line fishery off the California coast and imperil the endangered leatherback turtle, which migrates from New Guinea to the waters off the coast of California and Oregon. Environmental advocates favor a harpoon fishery for swordfish which has virtually no bycatch, but according to fishermen, including Peter Dupuy, is no longer an economically viable way to fish for swordfish.

NFMS can appeal the decision and if it does Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez could override the decision and issue the permit. However, the issuance of the permit could get tied up in judicial wrangling as groups who oppose the permit could sue in federal court under the Coastal Zone Management Act. An attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, Brendan Cummings, has vowed to take this step if the permit is issued.

Fishing advocates regard the Coastal Commission’s decision as a lost opportunity to develop a fishery for swordfish that could reduce levels of bycatch of both turtles and marine mammals. They cite the use of circle hooks and that the fishery would include, like the current drift gill net fishery, outside observers on board at all times. For a 9 August Jane Kay article in The San Francisco Chronicle go to http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/09/BA49RFALQ.DTL. For a copy of NFMS EFP request go to http://documents.coastal.ca.gov/reports/2007/8/F4e-8-2007.pdf.

13:21/03. WARM CONDITIONS THREATEN OUTMIGRATING MATTOLE SALMON: As the water heats up in the estuary of California’s Mattole River, threatening outmigrating chinook smolt trapped by the closed river mouth, so too is the conflict between the Mattole Salmon Group and the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) also heating up. At issue it whether or not to capture the remaining smolts stuck in the warming estuary in order to rear them in tanks to be released when the weather permits. The smolt which appear to have moved down from the upper river to the estuary because of the July rains in the region are easy prey for birds in addition to being vulnerable to rising temperatures.

The Mattole Salmon Group has asked federal agencies and DFG for permission to capture 5,000 smolts in order to save a portion of the outmigrating year class. Tom Campbell of the Mattole Salmon Group noted that the condition of the trapped smolts is becoming urgent as the numbers decline and the remaining smolts are showing signs of poor health and stress. Campbell sees trapping a portion of the smolts as the only option available to save a year class of chinook and thereby ensure the genetic diversity of the imperiled Mattole chinook salmon. In the past two decades there have been significant restoration efforts on the Mattole River. However, the system is far from fully restored and it could be several more decades until the system is back to good rearing capacity when shade canopies depleted by logging grow back and gravel conditions for spawning beds in the river improve. In the meantime the Mattole Salmon Group wants to preserve the genetic legacy on the river through efforts such as trapping and rearing smolts threatened by short-term difficulties.

While NMFS and US Fish and Wildlife officials have offered assistance if the Mattole Salmon Group were able to obtain the requisite permits, DFG disagrees with the Mattole Salmon Group’s idea of trapping and rearing the smolts, citing that doing so would disturb the remaining smolts. Steve Turik, Fish and Game Senior Environmental Scientist, told the Times-Standard that ”[w]e really feel the risk is too great to be out there handling these fish at this point.” For a 14 August John Driscoll article in the Times-Standard go to http://times-standard.com/local/ci_6619443.

13:21/04. MAJOR MARINE HARVEST SHAREHOLDER CALLS FOR CHANGES IN SALMON FARMING: John Fredriksen casts a long shadow over the international market for farm-raised salmon. Fredriksen is the major stockholder through Geveran Trading Co. Ltd. of Marine Harvest, a Norwegian company that is the largest producer of farmed salmon in the world, with operations in Canada, Chile, Norway, and Scotland. Marine Harvest’s CEO Atle Eide predicts that within 10 years, the 10 largest salmon producers will produce 90 percent of the world’s salmon, with Marine Harvest leading the way. When Fredriksen talks about the aquaculture industry, people tend to listen.

Frediksen, who is an avid sport fisherman, recently, told Altaposten, a Norwegian newspaper from Finnmark, the country’s northern-most province, that "I am concerned about the future for wild salmon. Fish farming should not be allowed in fjords that are salmon rivers. The fish farming industry should be allowed to operate in fjords but not where wild salmon are present in local rivers." Exactly how this desire for preservation of wild stocks with continued salmon farming will play out remains to be seen. Nearly all of Marine Harvest’s operations are in locations where runs of wild salmon exist, except in Chile where salmon are not native or where they have been extirpated because of past industry practices. Could there be hope that a benevolent billionaire will reform the global salmon farming business by moving the operations away from sensitive rivers? Even if the farms are moved away from salmon rivers there is still the issue of impacting salmon and other marine species through the capture of forage fish. At this point it is a matter of deciphering a cryptic utterance about a solution at odds with current industry practices. For an article about the response from Scottish wild salmon advocates go to www.theherald.co.uk/news/other/display.var.1612700.0.0.php. For an article about the domestic response go to (in Norwegian) http://pub.tv2.no/dyn-TV2/article1281033.ece.

13:21/05. NORTH AMERICAN LEADERS TOUCH ON MARINE PROTECTED AREAS AT SUMMIT: At a summit in Montebello, Quebec between the leaders of the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s comments claiming the Northwest Passage as sovereign Canadian territory stole the headlines. When the northern ice caps melt, a struggle for the northern arctic region and its untapped reserves of oil and control of a sea lane is anticipated between the US, Canada, Russia, and Denmark – all countries that lay claim to some portion of the arctic region.

Whether or not such a scenario comes to pass in the future is anyone’s guess. Right now, however, George Bush and Stephen Harper may have disagreed on who controls the northern most reaches of the globe, but they and President Felipe Calderon of Mexico could all agree on the expansion of the North American Marine Protected Areas. In a joint press release on 21 August the three leaders envisioned “a tri-national MPA-based monitoring program stretching from Baja to the Bering Strait” that would “improve the ecological health of our shared marine resources”. www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-21-2007/0004649307&EDATE.

13:21/06. CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLYMAN HUFFMAN CONTINUES PROBE INTO DFG SMOLT DUMPING DEBACLE: Nels Johnson’s “Fishwrap” feature that appears in The Marin Independent Journal every Friday usually covers topics ranging from trophy king salmon off Bolinas or a hot new sushi restaurant. However, since June Johnson has been periodically covering the California Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) program to plant chinook salmon smolt into San Pablo Bay, which he has called the “smolt debacle” and the “salmon slaughter.” It was revealed that DFG crews, because of financial constraints, have been dumping the hatchery-raised smolts at one location at regular intervals without proper acclimation. The newly released smolts from hatcheries on the Mokelumne, Feather, and American Rivers are thus easy prey for marauding striped bass and diving birds that have grown accustom to the regular plantings of an easy meal.

DFG plants chinook smolts from hatcheries it operates into San Pablo Bay as a way for outmigrating smolts to avoid pumps and other hazards in the Delta. The program is funded by DFG, the Salmon Stamp Program, and other agencies that own or operate dams that block spawning access. The need for proper acclimation in net pens or other devices is well known and studies have indicated a much higher return rate for salmon that have been acclimated rather than just dumped into the water where the disoriented fish are vulnerable to predators. It seems that the reason the fish have been dumped at the same times and the same locations is simply that it has been more convenient and cheaper for DFG to do so, despite the fact that other sites exist for the smolts to be released.

Prompted by Johnson’s articles on the “smolt debacle,” California Assemblyman Jared Huffman from Marin has written letters to DFG officials and directed his staff to investigate the problem. He indicated that the $3.2 million program has been wasteful of taxpayers’ money, in addition to hurting the fishery and California salmon fishermen. Huffman has called for changes in the way DFG operates the program, including mandatory use of net pens and release in deep water. For the most recent Nels Johnson article in The Marin Independent Journal go to www.marinij.com//ci_6530142?IADID=Search-www.marinij.com-www.marinij.com.

13:21/07. PACIFIC WHITING FISHERY SHUTDOWN OVER ILLEGAL BYCATCH TAKE: Despite the fact that widow rockfish numbers have improved to the point that the Pacific Fisheries Management Council (PFMC) will probably remove them from their list of overfished species by 2009, for the time being they are still listed. The widow rockfish is often caught by the Pacific whiting (hake) fleet off the West Coast and when too many widow rockfish are taken, the fishery can be shutdown, which is what happened on 25 July.

Federal regulators ordered the fishery shutdown when a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) official got word that a suspicious mix of whiting, widow rockfish and salmon had washed up on a beach in southern Washington. It soon became apparent that the mixture had been dumped from a net because of the presence of the widow rockfish. A fisherman later turned himself in and admitted to turning off the camera on his deck and dumping the fish in order to keep the whiting fishery open by not reporting the bycatch of widow rockfish. Washington DFW officials also raided a processing plant and found barrels full of widow rockfish awaiting the grinder. Both the fisherman and the processor will face criminal and civil penalties.

The Pacific Whiting fishery is one of the most valuable fisheries on the West Coast. Before the fishery was shut down it had reached about 75% of the quota of 208,000 metric tons. The loss to the fishery is estimated to be around $7 million. For a 7 August article in The Oregonian go to www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/118645712345330.xml&coll=7. For a 6 August Jeff Barnard Associated Press article go to http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6600AP_WST_Fishery_Shutdown.html.

13:21/08. RUSSIA ANNOUNCES INTENTION TO EXPAND AQUACULTURE: It seems now that the United States is not the only country feeling left out of the expansion of the international aquaculture business. The head of the Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo) Andrei Krainy, announced that Russia intends to expand domestic consumption of seafood twofold mostly through the implementation of aquaculture programs.

Krainy remarked that “[w]e are going to double the average per capita consumption of fish products by Russians in five to six years – from the current 12 kilograms to 23 kilograms. The gross output of the fishing industry will also be doubled. The amount of fish products is to be increased, and their price should be more available for the population. This is the main purpose of our work.” Krainy cited the fact that Russia now only produces around 100,000 pounds of seafood through aquaculture while China produces tens of millions of tons.

It may seem like an odd time to emulate the Chinese model of seafood production, given that country’s current troubles with contaminated farm-raised seafood, and an odd choice for Russia, a country that boasts rich wild fisheries resources especially in the Russian Far East. However, Minister of Agriculture Alexei Gordeyev noted that the opportunities to Russian business and the efficiency of aquaculture operations in helping to supply Russian consumers with seafood should be a top priority for the Interdepartmental Working Group for the implementation of the national project’s development of the agro-industrial complex. For more information go to www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=11789526&PageNum=0.

13:21/9. PUBLIC SCOPING MEETINGS ON THE SAN JOAQUIN RESTORATION PROGRAM EIS/EIR: The Bureau of Reclamation and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) intend to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (PEIS/EIR) for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program (SJRRP). A Notice of Intent to prepare the PEIS was published in the Federal Register on 2 August 2007. The Draft PEIS/EIR will be a joint document prepared to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and the California Environmental Quality Act. The SJRRP is expected to be implemented by five agencies: Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the California Department of Fish and Game, and DWR. Four public scoping meetings are being held to solicit public input on the scope of the PEIS/EIR, including resources to be evaluated, alternatives to be considered, and significant concerns and issues. The meetings will begin with a presentation on the purpose of the SJRRP followed by an open-house forum with several stations where participants can interact directly with Program team members. The first meeting will be held on 28 August from 1800 to 2030 HRS at the International Agri-Center Banquet Hall, 4450 S. Laspina Street, Tulare, CA 93274. Subsequent scoping meetings will be held in Fresno, Los Banos and Sacramento. For more information on the meetings and the locations of the final three meetings go to www.usbr.gov/newsroom/newsrelease/detail.cfm?RecordID=17981.

13:21/10. OREGON SEA GRANT DIRECTOR OPENING: Oregon State University is seeking qualified applicants to succeed Dr. Robert Malouf, who is retiring after 17 years as director of the Oregon Sea Grant Program. The Director provides overall leadership for Oregon Sea Grant, and oversees a total annual budget of approximately $5 million, and approximately 60 staff and faculty who carry out research, administrative, communication and outreach services. He/she reports to the OSU Vice President for Research. A terminal degree with professional experience and a record of excellence in research/ scholarship, policy, and/or management in marine, coastal, natural resources or a related field are required. Candidates should have significant experience with natural resource issues. Preference will be given to candidates with a demonstrated commitment to the Land Grant/Sea Grant concept of research, education, and outreach. Interested applicants can visit https://jobs.oregonstate.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=51786 for more information.

13:21/11. CALFED SCIENCE PROGRAM WORKSHOPS ON DELTA CONVEYANCE INFRASTRUCTURE: California’s CALFED Science Program is convening two workshops to examine key science issues posed by current and alternate means of moving water across the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. An isolated conveyance facility (peripheral canal) has long been considered a potential solution to a spectrum of water and environmental problems in the Delta, although it was rejected by voters in 1982. Through-Delta conveyance was adopted as the preferred alternative of the CALFED Bay-Delta Program in 2000, with a re-evaluation in 2007. These workshops will examine options now being considered, including the isolated facility and various forms of armored and semi-isolated ways of moving water across or around the Delta. For each workshop, the Science Program will produce a written report on the workshop to be provided as briefing materials to Agency Directors, Delta Vision Task Force, interested parties, and the public for informing Delta and California water planning efforts. The first workshop took place on 22 August and covered the topic of the “Science Related to an Isolated Facility”. The second workshop will take place on 11 September from 0900 to 1600 HRS and will cover the topic of the “Science Related to Through Delta Options.” The second workshop will be held at the Bay and Delta Conference Rooms, 650 Capitol Mall, 5th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814. For more information and a copy of the agenda go to http://calwater.ca.gov.

13:21/12. PACIFIC SALMON ADVISORY BODY TO MEET: The Pacific Fishery Management Council Salmon Advisory Subpanel will hold work sessions by conference call to review briefing materials and develop recommendations for the September Council meeting. The Salmon Advisory Subpanel will meet 6 September 900 – 1200 HRS. All meetings are open to the public through a listening station at the Council’s office in Portland, OR. For more information, contact Chuck.Tracy@noaa.gov.

13:21/13. NMFS SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ON MAGNUSON-STEVENS AMENDMENT: The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is seeking public input on what guidance is needed to implement the limited access privilege program provisions found in section 303(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation & Management Act, as amended in 2006. The regional fishery management councils hold much of the responsibility for developing limited access privilege programs that best meet the needs of specific fisheries. NMFS’s goal is to guide the consistent application of requirements for limited access privilege programs across different regions, without compromising the Councils’ flexibility or innovation.

Therefore, NMFS is inviting the public to help identify topics that should be included in a proposed rule to clarify these legal provisions and requirements. Questions to be considered include the following: What should be the requirements or limits on holding privileges? What criteria should be used to determine whether businesses are substantially dependent on a fishery? What factors should the agency use to determine if a Regional Fishery Association’s sustainability plan is acceptable? How should the Councils and agency determine when it is necessary to assist entry level and small vessel owner-operators, captains, crew and fishing communities? Comments may be sent to LAP.Guidance@noaa.gov through 30 September 2007. NMFS will review these comments, evaluate the legal, technical and policy implications, frame options and recommendations, and issue guidance, as appropriate, through a public process. More information is available at www.nmfs.noaa.gov/msa2007/limitedaccess.html, or contact Jason.Blackburn@noaa.gov.

13:21/14. MLPA BLUE RIBBON TASK FORCE MEETING: California’s Marine Life Protection Act Blue Ribbon Task Force will hold a joint meeting with the California Department of Fish and Game at 1000 HRS on 18 September at the Aviation Library and Museum, International Terminal, San Francisco International Airport. The public can attend the meeting or view the proceedings on a live webcast. For more information go to www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/mlpa/meetings.html.

NEWS, COMMENTS, CORRECTIONS: Submit your news items, comments or any corrections to Editor at: sublegals@ifrfish.org, or call the IFR/PCFFA office with the news and a source at either: (415) 561-FISH (Southwest Office) or (541) 689-2000 (Northwest Office).

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