~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fisheries and Conservation News
from the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations
and the Insititute for Fisheries Resources
<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>
PLEASE REPOST TO YOUR NETWORKS
=======================================================
IN THIS ISSUE:
CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE SUMMARY OF SALMON
NEWS EVENTS IN THE MONTH OF MAY
______________________________________________________________
<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>
**************************************************************
BUT FIRST -- QUOTABLE QUOTES:
"If we can recognize that change and uncertainty are basic principles,
we can greet the future and the transformation we are undergoing with
the understanding that we do not know enough to be pessimistic."
--Hazel Henderson, The Politics of the Solar Age (1981).
[Editor's Note: House Republican Environmental Task Force co-chair
Richard Pombo (R-CA) was quoted in a recent press conference issuing
the Task Force's agenda as saying: "We will carry on the conservationist
tradition of Teddy Roosevelt by promoting the wise use of our natural
resources." (Task force release)
Since Teddy Roosevelt's name is so often invoked by those who haven't
the faintest idea what he really stood for, it is worth reading some of his
own words. This is a compilation forwarded by Republicans for
Environmental Protection (REP) from several sources, in Roosevelt's
own written words, about what he meant by protection of the environment.
This is a standard that few Congressman today -- and especially in this
Congress -- now meet. Let's hope that they sincerely try.)
*********************
TEDDY ROOSEVELT ON CONSERVATION: In his own words:
"There can be no greater issue than that of conservation in this
country. Conservation is a great moral issue, for it involves the
patriotic duty of insuring the safety and continuance of the nation.
Here in the United States we turn our rivers and streams into
sewers and dumping grounds; we pollute the air; we destroy forests;
and we exterminate fishes, birds and mammals--not to speak of
vulgarizing charming landscapes with hideous advertisements.
(I) do not intend that our natural resources shall be exploited by
the few against the interests of the many, nor do (I) intend to
turn them over to any man who will wastefully use them by
destruction, and leave to those who come after us a heritage
damaged by just so much.
... trees must not be cut down more rapidly than they are replaced;
we have taken forward steps in learning that wild beasts and birds
are by right not the property merely of the people alive to-day,
but the property of the unborn generations, whose belongings we
have no right to squander.
The only trouble with the movement for the preservation of our
forests is that it has not gone nearly far enough, and has not
begun soon enough.
If the forest is destroyed it is only a question of a relatively
short time before the business interests suffer in consequence.
The forest reserves should be set apart forever for the use and
benefit of our people as a whole and not sacrificed to the short-
sighted greed of a few.
It is deeply discreditable to the people of any country calling
itself civilized that as regards many of the grandest or most
beautiful or most interesting forms of wildlife once to be found in
the land we should now be limited to describing... the physical
characteristics which when living they possessed, and the
melancholy date at which they ceased to live.
Birds should be saved...the extermination of the passenger pigeon
means that mankind was just so much poorer; exactly as in the case
of the destruction of the cathedral at Rheims. And the chance to
see frigate-birds soaring in circles above the storm, or a file of
pelicans winging their way homeward across the crimson afterglow of
the sunset, or a myriad of terns flashing in the bright light of
midday as they hover in a shifting maze above the beach--why the
loss is like a gallery of the masterpieces of the artists of old
time.
Laws to protect small and harmless wildlife, especially birds, are
indispensable.
Now with the water-power, with the forests, with the mines, we are
brought face to face with the fact that there are many people who
will go with us in conserving the resources only if they are to be
allowed to exploit them for their benefit. That is one of the
fundamental reasons why the special interests should be driven out
of politics.
Exactly as the special interests of cotton and slavery threatened
our political integrity before the Civil War, so now the great
special business interests too often control and corrupt the men
and methods of government for their own profit.
The opposition to Government control of these great corporations
makes its most effective effort in the shape of an appeal to the
old doctrine of States rights. Of course there are many sincere
men who now believe in unrestricted individualism in business, just
as there were formerly many sincere men who believed in
slavery...that is in the unrestricted right of any individual to
own another individual...The effective fight against adequate
Government control and supervision of the individual, and especially
on corporate wealth engaged in interstate business is chiefly done
under cover; and especially under cover of an appeal to States
rights.
I believe in shaping the ends of government to protect property as
well as human welfare. Normally, and in the long run, the ends are
the same; but whenever the alternative must be faced, I am for men
and not for property, as you were in the Civil War.
We are face to face with new conceptions of the relations of
property to human welfare, chiefly because certain advocates of the
rights of property as against the rights of men have been pushing
their claims too far. The man who wrongly holds that every human
right is secondary to his profit must now give way to the advocate
of human welfare, who rightly maintains that every man holds his
property subject to the general right of the community to regulate
its use to whatever degree the public welfare may require it.
The true friend of property, the true conservative, is he who
insists that property shall be the servant and not the master of
the commonwealth; who insists that the creature of man's making
shall be the servant and not the master of the man who made it.
The citizens of the United States must effectively control the
mighty commercial forces which they have themselves called into
being.
...the rights of the public to the natural resources outweigh
private rights, and must be given its first consideration."
-- President Theodore Roosevelt
(1858 -- 1919)
======================================================
CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE SUMMARY OF FISHERIES
NEWS EVENTS FROM THE MONTH OF MAY
>From the Editor: The Congressional Research Service provides members of
Congress with summaries of all significant news stories or news items about
fishing and marine resources. These excellent summaries are produced by
Gene Buck weekly and then compiled into monthly summaries. Here is the
summary published early June covering the month of May items. These monthly
summaries will be carried as a regular feature of this newsletter. We regret
any cross postings. (Note: There is no overlap between these and the items
carried in Vol. 2, Issue 5 -- there was, however, a confusion of terminology
between month published and from which compiled, which has hopefully now
been cleared up. Future issues will be consistent.)
Archived copies of the longer monthly summaries for February 1994
through the present are now available at:
"http://www.lsu.edu/guests/sglegal/public_html/" .
Comments or corrections should be addressed to:
Gene Buck, Senior Analyst
Congressional Research Service
e-mail: <gbuck at crs.loc.gov>
Mr. Buck also requests that he be placed on mailing lists for electronic
newsletters
and other publications relevant to fisheries conservation and other
fish-related issues.
**************************************************************
MARINE FISHERIES
.
Oceans Day. June 8, 1996 is the date for the annual celebration of
Oceans Day, first declared during the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
[Dow Jones News]
.
Driftnet Patrol. In early June 1996, the European Commission
announced that it had chartered a patrol vessel for four and a half months to
monitor driftnet fishing in the Mediterranean Sea and Northeast Atlantic.
[Agence Europe via Reuters]
.
Treaty Whiting Allocation. On June 5, 1996, NMFS announced that
the Makah tribe of Washington State had been allocated 15,000 metric tons of
whiting (hake) under historic Treaty rights. This is the first year for this
Treaty
allocation. Three other coastal tribes are entitled to similar rights but
have not
expressed an interest in receiving an allocation. [Assoc Press]
.
WWF Action Plan and Status Report. In early June 1996, the World
Wide Fund for Nature published a status report entitled "Marine Fishes in the
Wild" and released a 10-point action plan to deal with concerns related to
the
condition of marine fisheries. [personal communication]
.
Brunswick Brand Sale. On June 5, 1996, Brunswick Corp. (Lake
Forest, IL) announced that it had agreed to sell assets related to its
Starcraft
and MonArk fishing boat brands to Starcraft Marine LLC. [Dow Jones News]
.
Mercury Warning for King Mackerel. On June 4, 1996, the State of
Florida issued a warning against consumption of king mackerel larger than 39
inches from the Gulf of Mexico due to elevated levels of mercury.
Consumption should be limited for king mackerel between 33 and 39 inches,
with no restrictions on smaller king mackerel. [Assoc Press]
.
BC Trawler Bycatch. On May 30, 1996, Greenpeace activists
criticized the British Columbia trawl fleet for excessive bycatch, based upon
preliminary data leaked from a report being prepared under contract for the
Canadian Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans on trawler observers. [Assoc Press]
.
International Turtle Sanctuary. On May 31, 1996, the Philippines
and Malaysia concluded an agreement on a new international sanctuary for
sea turtles in the Turtle Islands on the Malaysia-Philippine border, 25 miles
northwest of Sandakan in Malaysia's Sabah state. This area is an important
nesting site for green and hawksbill turtles. [Reuters]
.
NC Sea Turtle Mortalities. Between May 17 and May 29, 1996,
thirteen maimed and dead sea turtles were discovered on beaches of
Brunswick County, NC. An offshore dredging operation began using a drag
bar three miles offshore of Bald Head Island on the day before the first dead
turtle was discovered. The Army Corps of Engineers has asked the dredging
company to stop using the drag bar to see if turtle mortalities will cease.
[Assoc Press]
.
South Korean Maritime Reorganization. On May 31, 1996, the
South Korean Government announced that it will merge three existing
agencies (Maritime and Port Administration, Fisheries Administration, and
Maritime Police Administration) to form a new Ministry of Maritime Affairs.
Necessary legislative revisions will be submitted to the National Assembly
for
approval. [Reuters]
.
Japanese Fishery Decline. On May 29, 1996, officials of the
Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Ministry announced that Japan's fishery
production declined in 1995 for the seventh consecutive year. Total 1995
production was 7.47 million tons, about 8% less than in 1994. Large declines
in sardine and mackerel catch contributed most to the lower total production.
[Dow Jones News]
.
Kemp's Ridley Nesting. In late May 1996, two nests of endangered
Kemp's Ridley sea turtle eggs were discovered at Padre Island National
Seashore, TX. [Assoc Press]
.
North Atlantic Fisheries Ministers Meet. On May 28-30, 1996,
fisheries ministers from Russia, Iceland, Canada, and Norway met in
Reykjavik, Iceland, to discuss cooperative efforts to better manage North
Atlantic fisheries. [Interfax]
.
European Fleet Restructuring. On May 29, 1996, EU Fisheries
Commissioner Emma Bonino reported that EU fishing fleet capacity will have
to be reduced by as much as 40% over the next 6 years for endangered
stocks such as cod and plaice to assure fishing industry survival. The EU is
providing $3.8 billion in aid between 1994 and 1999 to assist with this
reduction. A second phase of the reduction between 2000 and 2002 will focus
on aid for early retirement and other social measures. Spain, Portugal,
Denmark, and Germany were identified as having already met EU fleet
reduction goals, while the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy,
Finland, and Sweden were identified as being behind schedule. A new fleet
capacity reduction proposal (multi-annual guidance program -- MAGP IV)
setting guidelines for fish species and vessel type is to be discussed June
10
by EU fisheries ministers and could be adopted in September 1996. National
fleet reduction programs would be adopted by the end of 1996. On June 4,
1996, United Kingdom officials announced that Britain would not comply with
EU fleet reduction efforts until Spanish and Dutch quota hopping concerns
were addressed. [Reuters, Agence Europe via Reuters, Financial Times via
Greenwire]
.
Florida Net Ban. On May 28, 1996, FL Circuit Judge Philip Padovano
dismissed a lawsuit by a group of five commercial fishers and fish processors
challenging the net ban approved by voters in 1994 and arguing that the
public
didn't realize the severity of its impact on the commercial fishing industry.
In
late May 1996, the FL Dept. of Law Enforcement concluded that it would not
file criminal charges against fishers who altered nets to obtain inflated
prices
in a state-sponsored net buy-back program, or against state employees who
advised these fishers. [Assoc Press, Tampa Tribune via Greenwire]
.
Magnuson Reauthorization Bill Report Filed. On May 23, 1996,
the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation reported
S. 39, amending and reauthorizing the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and
Management Act. [Congr. Record]
.
Bluefin Tuna Oversight Hearing. On June 13, 1996, the House
Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans has tentatively
scheduled an oversight hearing on management of bluefin tuna. [personal
communication]
.
Halibut Sting. On May 21, 1996, a Homer, AK, jury convicted, fined,
and sentenced a charter boat skipper to jail for encouraging undercover
fishery
enforcement agents to break sportfishing regulations in August 1996, allowing
them and other clients to exceed daily bag limits for halibut to achieve the
pooled boat limit. [Assoc Press]
.
IFQ Lawsuit Loses on Appeal. On May 22, 1996, the 9th U.S. Circuit
Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court decision dismissing a 1993 lawsuit
filed by the Alliance Against IFQs, which charged that the North Pacific
halibut
and blackcod individual fishing quota (IFQ) system was unfair and violated
federal law. [Assoc Press]
.
Minamata Mercury Settlement. On May 22, 1996, Japanese courts
concluded settlement with several thousands of plaintiffs injured by organic
mercury-tainted seafood in the 1950s, attributed to dumping by the Chisso
Corp. In exchange for dropping their lawsuits, plaintiffs will receive about
$24,200 per victim, with additional payments to national victims groups. On
May 21, 1996, Chisso Corp. posted a loss of $164 million to cover Minamata
costs. [Reuters]
.
Oyster Export to Japan. In mid-May 1996, Oregon State officials
announced that, after four years of negotiations, Oregon recently became the
first State to reach an agreement for export of live oysters to Japan. [Assoc
Press]
.
Illegal Aliens. On May 20, 1996, eleven suspected illegal aliens,
processing sea urchin for Ocean Fresh Seafood Products in Metlakatla,
Alaska, were taken into custody. The Federal Immigration and Naturalization
Service is investigating alleged counterfeit documentation. [Assoc Press]
.
Japan Considers Fishery Trade-Environment Legislation. On May
23, 1996, Japan's Vice Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries
expressed support for proposed legislation that would limit tuna imports from
nations who fish indiscriminately. This measure seeks to balance trade with
needed environmental protection, with consideration for possible World Trade
Organization concerns. [Dow Jones News]
.
Marine Fish Kills and Red Tide. On May 26, 1996, hundreds of dead
hardhead catfish washed ashore in Perdido Bay, on the FL-AL border. On
May 30, 1996, the FL Dept. of Environmental Protection reported that tests
indicated red tides were the likely cause of multi-species fish mortalities
during May along the Gulf Coast, but that the hardhead catfish kill was
apparently unrelated. On May 15, 1996, thousands of dead hardhead and
gafftopsail catfish began littering beaches in the Bolivar
Peninsula/Galveston
Bay, TX area. Dead catfish spines have injured many beachgoers and have
punctured vehicle tires. On June 5, 1996, FL Dept. of Environmental
Protection officials announced that Apalachicola Bay was being closed to
oyster harvesting due to red tide. About 15% of the total U.S. oyster
harvest
comes from this area. [Assoc Press]
.
Louisiana Gillnets. On May 20, 1996, attendees of Mar. 5, 1996, LA
Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries meeting on LA's new gillnet law, where 11
commercial fishermen were arrested for alleged under-reporting of speckled
trout catches, filed a class-action lawsuit in state district court, saying
they
were unlawfully detained and their rights were violated. Those not arrested,
although state agents would not let them leave the March 5 meeting, contend
they should be compensated for attorney's fees and wages lost for attending a
meeting which they labeled as a sting operation. [Assoc Press]
.
Coast Guard Boarding Refused. On May 19, 1996, the operator of a
commercial fishing vessel based in Morro Bay, CA, refused to let Coast Guard
personnel board his vessel off Santa Cruz, CA, for a routine safety
inspection,
saying that he was armed and was within his rights to refuse the boarding.
The Coast Guard has referred the incident to the Dept. of Justice to evaluate
what legal action is appropriate. On May 23, 1996, the defiant vessel
operator
returned to Moss Landing, CA. Although the matter is under investigation and
review, no citations were issued. [Reuters, Assoc Press]
.
Heinz Acquires Italian Tuna Brand. On May 21, 1996, the H.J.
Heinz Company announced that it had acquired the Mareblu brand of tuna
from Kraft General Foods. The Mareblu brand is sold exclusively in Italy,
and
will be packed at Heinz's recently acquired India Ocean Tuna Limited cannery
in the Republic of the Seychelles. [H.J. Heinz Co. press release]
.
Petition to Close MA Striped Bass Fishery. On May 20 (in
Sandwich) and May 22 (in Gloucester), the Massachusetts Division of Marine
Fisheries held hearings on a petition by the Coastal Conservation Association
of Massachusetts to ban commercial striped bass fishing in MA waters and
prohibit the sale of wild striped bass caught in other States. On June 6,
1996, the Marine Fisheries Commission will vote on whether to accept and
implement the petition. [National Fisheries Institute press release, Assoc
Press, Greenwire]
.
North Pacific Warming. On May 17, 1996, NMFS scientists reported
uncommonly warm temperatures have been observed in the North Pacific
since October 1995, without any El Nino pattern existing. [Assoc Press]
.
New England Groundfish. On May 16, 1996, the Dept. of Commerce
approved Amendment 7 to the New England groundfish plan, with
implementation by July 1, 1996. Provisions of Amendment 7 include
extension of the days-at-sea limitations to additional vessels, expansion of
time and area closures to fishing, and further restrictions of bycatch of
regulated species (cod, haddock, and yellowtail flounder). [NOAA press
release]
.
Russian-Japanese Seaweed Agreement. In mid-May 1996, Japan
concluded an agreement with Russia permitting Japanese harvest of seaweed
in Russian territorial waters near Signalny Island in exchange for a payment
of
124 million Yen. This annual agreement has been in effect for 30 years.
[Interfax]
.
South Africa to Review Foreign Fishing. On May 16, 1996, South
African officials announced that they would be reviewing current policy
allowing
90 Japanese and 30 Taiwanese vessels to fish within South African waters for
tuna without limits, citing sharp declines in marine resources. [Dow Jones
News, Reuters]
.
Diesel Price and Fishing. On May 14, 1996, Thai Government
officials agreed to reduced the controlled price of diesel fuel for the
fishing
industry after commercial fishers threatened to cease fishing and stage
massive protest rallies. [Reuters]
.
Bycatch Lying. In early May 1996, a federal fisheries observer agreed
to plead guilty in U.S. District Court to a felony count of false reporting
for
lying about the amount of factory trawler bycatch in a spring 1994 Gulf of
Alaska incident which allowed the trawler 13 extra days of fishing for sole.
A
12- to 18-month prison sentence is anticipated. [Assoc Press]
.
NC Sea Turtle Deaths. Since May 7, 1996, at least 20 dead sea
turtles have washed ashore on beaches of the Outer Banks, NC. Most of the
dead turtles were loggerhead sea turtles, with no unusual injuries or
symptoms. Normally about 4 dead sea turtles are seen in this area each
month. [Assoc Press]
.
Alaska Sealife Center. On May 8, 1996, project administrators
reported that a construction firm had been chosen to build the $27.5 million
research, education, and tourist facility on the Seward, AK, waterfront.
Construction is to begin this month, with the Center scheduled to open in May
1998 with a $10 admission fee. [Assoc Press]
.
Canadian Groundfish. On May 8, 1996, scientists with Canada's
Fisheries Resource Conservation Council announced that improving groundfish
stocks will likely support increased 1996 harvest quotas for cod, haddock,
and
yellowtail flounder for some areas of Georges Bank. [Assoc Press]
.
Threatened Marine Fish. On May 3, 1996, World Wide Fund for
Nature officials announced that 32 scientists had concluded a workshop in
London finding that 131 of 152 fish species discussed faced possible
extinction, with 15 considered critically endangered. Workshop results are
to
be incorporated into the 1996 Red List of Threatened Animals to be issued by
the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
later this year. [Reuters]
.
Bluefin Tuna. On May 14, 1996, NMFS will hold a public hearing at
Roanoke Island, NC, on requests by NC fishermen for a share of the limited
U.S. commercial quota for bluefin tuna. [Assoc Press]
.
Tuna-Dolphin Controversy. On May 8, 1996, the full House
Committee on Resources ordered H.R. 2823, the International Dolphin
Conservation Program Act, reported, as amended. On June 6, 1996, the
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation ordered S.
1420, the Senate companion to H.R. 2823, reported. [Congr. Record, Assoc
Press, Defenders of Wildlife press release]
.
Van de Kamp's Purchase of Mrs. Paul's Completed. On May 7,
1996, officials of Van de Kamp's Inc. (St. Louis, MO) and Campbell Soup Co.
(Camden, NJ) announced the completion of acquisition from Campbell Soup
Co. of Mrs. Paul's frozen fish and seafood trademark, production equipment,
and inventories by a private investment group owning Van de Kamp's. Mrs.
Paul's production will be moved from Omaha, NE, to plants in Erie and
Chambersburg, PA. [Assoc Press, Campbell Soup Co. press release]
.
Beach Protection for Sea Turtles. On May 7, 1996, an attorney
asked U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway that Volusia County, FL, be cited
for contempt for failing to comply with the Judge's August 1, 1995 order to
better protect endangered sea turtle and their nests from vehicles using
County beaches. On May 8, 1996, Judge Conway rejected the request for a
contempt citation for Volusia County, FL, indicating the County's protective
measures were to be commended and that the County had fully complied with
the Court's August 1995 turtle protection order. [Assoc Press]
.
Northeast Atlantic Herring. On May 6, 1996, Norway, Russia,
Iceland, and the Faroe Islands signed an agreement on 1996 harvest quotas
for fishing in international waters on herring stocks which spawn in
Norwegian
waters. The total 1.1 million metric ton harvest negotiated under this
agreement did not include quota claimed unilaterally by the European Union.
On May 13, 1996, the EU Council unilaterally adopted a 150,000 metric ton
herring quota in the Northeast Atlantic. On May 17, 1996, the European
Commission expressed its disappointment that the four nations had divided
the Northeast Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) herring quota without
inviting the EU to participate, contrary to the provisions of NEAFC.
[Reuters,
Dow Jones News, Agence Europe via Reuters]
.
Egyptian Fishery Moratorium. On May 5, 1996, the Egyptian
Government announced that all fishing in Egypt's 12-mile territorial waters
of
the Mediterranean Sea would be prohibited during May to allow fish stocks to
recover. Officials have proposed that fishers be compensated for loss of
fishing time during this moratorium by higher prices for fish sales to the
Government after fishing resumes in June. [Reuters]
.
Tuna Spotter Violation. On May 6, 1996, a U.S. pilot, who earned
$79,000 acting as a tuna spotter for Canadian fishers between July and
October 1995, was fined $2,500 for working in Canada without a valid job
authorization. [Assoc Press]
.
Imitation Crab Recall. On May 6, 1996, Trader Joe's markets (CA,
AZ, NV, OR, and WA) announced an expanded recall of all Trader Joe' Surimi
Imitation Crab, after the Food and Drug Administration found batches
contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. Production of the product
has been halted. [Assoc Press]
.
Pelican Seafood Processing Facility. On May 4, 1996, the Kake
Tribal Corp. announced that it would be purchasing the Pelican Seafood
processing plant in Pelican, AK, this week and reopen the facility within a
month. On May 22, 1996, Kake Tribal Corp. announced that negotiations to
buy the Pelican Seafood processing plant were almost concluded and that the
plant would reopen by June 10, 1996. [Assoc Press]
.
U.S. Shrimp Import Ban. On May 1, 1996, the United States
prohibited imports of shrimp taken from the wild where turtle protective
measures are deemed necessary but not implemented. At least a portion of
shrimp exports to the United States from Thailand, India, Bangladesh,
Pakistan, China, the Philippines, Honduras, and a host of other countries are
affected. A total of 44 countries, including Ecuador, Mexico, Indonesia,
Venezuela, Colombia, Sri Lanka, and Panama, were certified as meeting U.S.
requirements allowing shrimp to be exported to the United States without
restriction. As much as 60% of U.S. shrimp imports could be affected by this
new policy. [Fed. Register, Reuters, Wall Street Journal via Greenwire]
.
Japanese Fishers Demand U.S. Military Zone. On May 2, 1996, a
coalition of 38 Japanese fishing cooperatives from the island of Shikoku
announced they will press demands for the return of the
7,400-square-kilometer Lima zone, used for U.S. military exercises since
1952. Fishers have been denied access to this alleged rich fishing area for
twelve hours each weekday in exchange for a 1994 payment of 1.5 billion Yen
by the U.S Defense Facilities Administration Agency to compensate for lost
fish harvest. [Dow Jones News]
.
Seafood Restaurant Changes. On May 15, 1996, management
officials announced that a newly formed holding company -- Seattle Crab Co.
-- had completed the purchase of the 112-unit "Skippers" Pacific Northwest
regional restaurant chain from NPC International Inc., Pittsburg, KS. [Assoc
Press, Wall St. Journal]
.
Shark Evaluation Workshop. On June 4-6, 1996, NMFS's Southeast
Fisheries Center plans to convene a scientific meeting to review the status
of
coastal and pelagic shark resources along the Atlantic coast. The meeting
will evaluate the likelihood of stock rebuilding under current and
alternative
quota levels, and will provide the scientific basis for setting 1997 quotas
and
bag limits. [NMFS letter]
.
Tuna Conference. On May 20-23, 1996, the 47th Tuna Conference on
the theme "Sustaining Tuna Fisheries -- Issues and Answers" will be held at
the Univ. of California's Lake Arrowhead Conference Center. [personal
communication]
.
North Pacific Council. In June 1996, the NPFMC will meet jointly with
the International Pacific Halibut Commission to discuss halibut bycatch
reduction. [Canadian Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans press release]
.
SALMON ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST
.
Scientific Board Meeting. On May 28, 1996, the Independent
Scientific Advisory Board held its inaugural meeting in Portland, OR. The
Board is an 11-member committee formed by NMFS and the Northwest Power
Planning Council (NPPC) to better review, inform, monitor, and advise salmon
recovery efforts. [NPPC press release, Assoc Press]
.
USDA Salmon Purchases. On May 22, 1996, the U.S. Dept. of
Agriculture announced that it would purchase Alaska pink salmon valued at as
much as $14 million for the school lunch and other nutrition programs. This
program will purchase salmon from the upcoming 1996 harvest, although
some stockpiled canned salmon from the 1995 harvest may also be
considered. [Assoc Press, Reuters]
.
=======================================================
PART ONE OF TWO PARTS
=======================================================