Maritime Economy

Published on: January 16, 2024

No Processing for Peter Pan Seafood at King Cove Plant

Peter Pan Seafood has been processing Alaskan seafood including salmon, halibut, crab, and caviar since 1912. With processing plants in Dillingham, Port Moller, King Cove, and Valdez, they employ approximately 1,310 people during peak season.

The fishing industry in Southwest Alaska is facing a significant blow as Peter Pan Seafood announced the decision to keep its large plant in King Cove closed for the winter. Peter Pan Seafood informed local officials of the closure last week. King Cove city administrator Gary Hennigh reported that the plant generates roughly one-third of the community revenue. The company will not be processing seafood which contributes nearly $2 million in yearly fish tax revenue to the small community.

Peter Pan Seafood has also announced that only workers from previous seasons will be hired for the 2024 A Season. Due to the number of returning workers and the closure of the King Cove processing plant, there will be no new hires will be interviewed according to the company website.

Published on: January 10, 2023

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo Approves Disaster Declarations for Alaska and Washington

by Joseph Stacey

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced on December 16^th, 2022, the approval of multiple Alaska and Washington fishery disaster requests. This approval is based on data submitted by states and/or local tribes.

“America’s fisheries are a critical part of our national economy and directly impact our local communities when disasters occur,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “These determinations are a way to assist those fishing communities with financial relief to mitigate impacts, restore fisheries and help prevent future disasters.”

Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) and the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act (IFA) (learn more here), the following fisheries meet the criteria for a fishery disaster determination:

Published on: May 10, 2022

King Crab Hatcheries in Alaska

by Nigel Stacey

Western Alaska has been hit hard economically by the long-term decline in crab stocks. This year, the Bering Sea snow crab total allowable catch was reduced by 90 percent while the Bristol Bay red king crab fishery has been closed entirely. This week, changes were made to House Bill 41, a bill allowing designated non-profits to grow shellfish in hatcheries, moving the bill closer to becoming a law. HB 41 has now passed the Legislature; next, it will move to Gov. Dunleavy’s desk for signing.

This bill would allow for select non-profit organizations to carry out restoration and enhancement projects for specific shellfish species like king crab, sea cucumbers, abalone, and razor clams. Organizations would utilize hatcheries to raise then release shellfish into Alaskan seas in an effort to support and seed commercial fishing in the region.

“HB 41 plays a key role in the building blocks to make mariculture a growing and significant part of the overall Alaska fisheries portfolio,” said Dan Ortiz, an independent Alaska representative who originally presented the bill in February, 2021.

Published on: June 1, 2021

Maritime High School Opens Doors Fall 2021

by Joseph Stacey

We are pleased to report that Maritime High School will open its doors to the first class of 9^th graders this fall. The school is in Des Moines, Washington, just south of Seattle. Students from across the Puget Sound region with an interest in maritime careers will have the unique opportunity to learn from leaders and mentors who work and serve in maritime fields. This first class of students will graduate in 2025.

Young people who are interested in maritime careers will have the opportunity to engage in innovative and targeted learning objectives featuring skill based and knowledge based learning. Whether students enter the work force right after high school or go on to community college or university, they will possess the tools necessary for success. Through internships and partnerships with local businesses, student learning will focus on marine science, maritime careers (any type of work on or near the water), and maritime environmental issues.

The school will take advantage of new technology to offer a hybrid learning environment. A robust curriculum has been developed in which students will learn in the classroom, online, and in the field at least twice weekly. Technology is at the forefront of all that Seattle Maritime High School offers; all students will be provided with a laptop and essential software. Opportunities to earn college credit will also be readily available. Maritime High School will be administered by the Highline Public School district.

Published on: April 21, 2020

Alaska Fishing Season Begins Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic

by Joseph Stacey

Salmon fishing season is about to begin, but nothing is business as usual this year. In just a few weeks, about 400 fishermen and processing workers will arrive in Cordova, Alaska for the opening of King Salmon and Copper River Sockeye season. The town of Cordova has a full-time population of 2,100. With no road access, Cordova has no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the time of this post, and while most members of the community support workers arriving for the harvest (showers and bathrooms at the community center have been repurposed to serve the influx of workers), they also want to see that quarantine recommendations and other safe practices are maintained.

No one wants a repeat of the cruise industry crisis or infamous meat-packing industry outbreaks that have recently been in the news. The spread of COVID-19 in the South Dakota Smithfield Foods pork plant has been linked to over 640 cases of the virus, and 51 cases at the Tyson Foods meat-packing plant in Pasco, Washington. These are essential businesses that failed, for a variety of reasons, to keep their workers safe.

Trident Seafoods has reported that four processing plant employees have tested positive for COVID-19 as well as two office workers. Five have recovered and one is still at home convalescing as of April 20. The company is checking employees for fever daily and furthering their sanitation efforts. In response, Trident Seafood is requiring workers to quarantine for 14 days before boarding fishing and processing vessels. Many have checked into hotels and are being monitored by healthcare workers before going to sea. Although it may seem extreme, the precautions are an indication of how seriously the fishing industry is taking this public health crisis. The companies involved are acutely aware that an outbreak aboard a vessel at sea would be disastrous.

Published on: October 22, 2019

Marking and Identifying Fishing Vessels

by Joseph Stacey

It is estimated that IUU (Illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing vessels harvest more than $23.5 billion worth of seafood from the world’s oceans each year. That translates roughly into 26 million tons of seafood and reveals that one in every five wild-caught fish is harvested unlawfully. Over 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, and much of that space is unregulated. This makes it difficult for countries to enforce maritime laws, robs law-abiding fishermen of their livelihood, and threatens the delicate balance of sustainable fishing. This is a growing issue, but many countries are coming together to combat these fishing practices by adopting international vessel identification standards.

Properly marking fishing vessels with consistent identification across all countries is an important step to keeping our oceans sustainable. Properly marked vessels allow for accurate identification, monitoring for compliance of applicable rules and regulations, authorized vessel registration, as well as promoting communication and safety at sea.

Fishing vessels should be marked such that they can easily be identified in accordance with international standards. When standardized vessel markings are used, a vessel can be properly identified all around the globe. Proper markings streamline and standardize the process of retrieving information and authorization of a given vessel. Appropriate fishing vessel identification that is linked to an international registry, is an appropriate step towards international management and conservation of our oceans.

Published on: October 1, 2019

October is National Seafood Month

by Joseph Stacey

When we consider autumnal foods and beverages, we often think about Pumpkin Spice lattes, and who doesn’t love a tiny Halloween Snickers bar? But there is another type of food we should all be celebrating: Seafood! October is National Seafood Month, which means paying homage to one of our nation’s oldest industries. Here are seven ways you can participate:

• Eat or serve seafood at least twice weekly. Seafood is a great source of healthy lean protein, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, and proven to support heart and brain health.

• Partake in a local seafood festival. Communities across the nation celebrate and support the hard-working men and women who put this delicious staple on our tables.

Published on: May 21, 2019

National Maritime Day, May 22nd

by Joseph Stacey

On May 22nd we observe National Maritime Day, a holiday that recognizes and honors one of our country’s most important industries. Since it’s very beginnings, our country has identified itself as a seafaring nation. Our economy, commerce, and security depend on those who work at sea. On this day, we honor this history and the men and women who work in the maritime industries and trades.

The date was originally chosen as it was the anniversary of the day the American steamship Savannah set sail for the first ever transoceanic journey in a ship powered by steam. On May 22nd, 1819 the vessel headed for England on the first ever journey of this kind, in a ship powered by steam (it was actually a hybrid vessel, and so had a little help from the sails). The vessel arrived in England 29 days after leaving the U.S.

Congress officially established the holiday on May 20, 1933, but after WWII the annual celebration took on the flavor of a day of remembrance, as it was the Merchant Marines who had transported supplies and troops to war zones around the world. More than 250,000 Americans served in the Merchant Marines during WWII, and 6,700 were killed during duty. Hundreds were captured and detained as POWs, and over 800 U.S. merchant vessels sank or were damaged in the war zones they entered.

Published on: April 23, 2019

Abandoned Fishing Nets as Swimwear, Carpets, and More

by Joseph Stacey

It is estimated that our oceans hold 640,000 tons of discarded fishing gear. This “Ghost Gear” refers to any fishing gear that has been abandoned, lost, or discarded, often due to severe weather and other circumstances. Old nylon nets often end up in landfills, but more likely end up in our oceans where large sea creatures such as dolphins, sea lions, whales, and sea turtles can get tangled. According to a study by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050 if we continue to discard plastics, nets, and gear at this rate.

Under the Healthy Seas initiative, organizations and companies are working together to come up with innovative ways to recycle this cast-off plastic and nylon material to create usable and sustainable apparel, soft goods, and building materials.

Aquafil is an Italian based textile company that recently opened its first U.S. based recycling facility in Phoenix, Arizona. Old carpets and fishing nets are broken down into nylon that is then shipped to their Slovenian processing facility. Through a process called ‘Depolymerisation’, the Italian firm turns salvaged and collected fishing nets into a unique yarn that can be used to make consumer goods.

Published on: March 19, 2019

Local Fish Fund Offers Loans to Next Generation

by Joseph Stacey

In an effort to lower the barrier to entry in the fishing industry, to retire a “graying fleet” of vessels, and to attract a younger group of fishers into the industry, the Local Fish Fund has announced a new and innovative loan program. Loans are structured based on quotas and shares rather than fixed payments, which creates a system that is flexible and spreads risk.

“The cost and risk involved in accessing Alaska’s quota share fisheries are comparable to purchasing a hotel as a first step in home ownership,” said Linda Behnken, founder of the Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust and director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association in Sitka. “We’re looking for ways to help the next generation of fishing families get that start and build sufficient equity to eventually access conventional loans. Part of what has made it really challenging to buy into the fisheries is the uncertainty and how that will affect their ability to make fixed payments that don’t fluctuate as catches or fish prices drop,” Behnken said. “We share and reduce that risk, so the payments are based on what fishermen are paid at the dock. If the price falls, so does the payment; conversely, if they go up, it’s a bigger share.”

A recent survey reported that the average age of an Alaska fisherman is 50. Fewer young people are entering the field due to financial barriers such as a limited number of permits available as well as high vessel and equipment costs. Participants in the new Local Fish Fund loan program must be willing to participate in fishery conservation programs and agree to a variable repayment structure based on the value of their catch. As young fishers work to repay these loans, they build equity as well as credit history, making future loans and refinancing with traditional lenders an option. The “quota shares” will act as collateral for the borrower.