ASMI's 2024 Economic Value of Alaska’s Seafood Industry report is out. Although it's based largely on 2022 numbers (and thus doesn't quite capture the current industry circumstances), it has some pretty impressive data: the seafood industry directly employs more than 48,000 workers annually in Alaska, over 24,000 of which are fishermen, and contributes $6 billion to Alaska’s economy. That's Billion, with a B.

Peter Pan Seafoods announced it will be “halting operations at its processing plants, leading to the discontinuation of both summer and winter production cycles for the foreseeable future.” Silver Bay purchased the Valdez plant and is set to operate Port Moller and Dillingham, but King Cove is expected to remain closed until at least next season. For inquiring minds, here's a timeline of what went wrong and when. Meanwhile, the city of King Cove is preparing for a salmon season without Peter Pan.

Silver Bay has officially closed on its purchase of Trident's Ketchikan facility. 

Wells Fargo, Peter Pan Seafoods' biggest lender, filed a petition to put the company under receivership, noting that Peter Pan was in default on more than $60.2 million dollars. If granted, the California-based fiduciary would have the power to liquidate assets.

Whittier Seafoods announced they will not be buying fish for the rest of the year, releasing fishermen from their 2024 harvesting contracts. The processor hopes to be back in the game for the 2025 season. 

The Alaska Senate proposed $7.5 million in aid for processors. The funds would be issued as a grant to SeaShare, which would then purchase seafood from smaller processors to be donated to food banks throughout the state.

NMFS denied a request for emergency action to implement a cap of zero on Chinook salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery, which was requested in January by Alaska Native groups representing almost 100 tribes in Western Alaska. NMFS said the petition didn't meet the required criteria for emergency action.

Jeff Crain, captain of the Bering Sea pollock trawler F/V Sovereignty, penned an op-ed piece informing Alaskans about how the pollock fishery operates and avoids bycatch, noting that not all trawl fisheries are the same.

The Army Corps of Engineers rejected Pebble Mine - again. 

ComFish wrapped up earlier this month, where ADFG Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang touched on bycatch, lawsuits, and the status of the industry, Senator Sullivan spoke about communist fish, and Senator Murkowski and Representative Peltola talked about Russia's role in the seafood industry.

Trident, who ardently supported a ban on Russian origin seafood, has confirmed its Germany-based subsidiary, Pickenpack, is selling Russian seafood.

The Alaska state legislature heard a resolution today directing the State of Alaska and the NPFMC to support regulatory changes aimed at bycatch reduction.

This week's Alaska Fisheries Report: the effects of climate change on Gulf of Alaska fishermen, Alaska Senate proposes aid for smaller processors, Trident's Ketchikan sale closes, and  Seafood Producer’s Cooperative is slated for an energy upgrade.

Three Kodiak crabbers have been charged with multiple felonies after allegedly illegally delivering Tanner crab and golden king crab in Seattle without first landing it in Alaska. 

The USDA will increase purchases of pollock, salmon, and other seafood for the National School Lunch Program and other federal food assistance programs.

On last week's Bering Sea Barometer podcast, Pete Neaton covers winter weather, the tail end of the cod and pollock seasons, and researchers looking for seals in the northern Bering Sea.

The University of Alaska was awarded $20 million in funding from the National Science Foundation to look at how anthropogenic climate change affects fishing and mariculture in the Gulf of Alaska. 

Some reminders:

AMSEA has a ton of upcoming drill conductor classes! Registration and info here.

AgWest Farm Credit (a sponsor of this newsletter!) offers $15,000 New Producer Grants to newer fishermen. That's free money. The deadline to apply is May 31. Note that the flyer refers to agriculturalists, but the grant program is open to fishermen.

The Halibut Defense Group is intervening in a lawsuit to enforce trawl bycatch reductions. Lawsuits are expensive. If this matters to you, please consider donating to the Halibut Defense Fund.

Applications are open for ALFA's 2024 Crew Training Program.

Real Time Data is looking for halibut and sablefish fishermen to test their e-logbook program, Deckhand, in the GOA this year. Fishermen will receive free software access for 2024 and 2025, a $500 stipend, and an iPad, case, and mount to keep if they participate in the full project duration. Ready to ditch the pen and paper? More info here.