U.S. Coast Guard officials, having detected eight separate “paper captain” violations in the commercial tuna fishing vessels operating out of Washington state in summer months, have halted the use of illegal foreign nationals in that fleet.
‘Paper captain” is a term applied to an individual listed on documents as the captain of a U.S.-flagged vessel when in fact the individual is a deckhand or working in a similar lower-level capacity. Federal laws dictate that these vessels be under the command of a U.S. citizen.
The Coast Guard said that in fact many fishing vessels have engaged in a pattern and practice of hiring foreign nationals to serve as captains on American commercial fishing vessels, while U.S. nationals identified on paper as captains serve in subordinate roles.
Since 2019, Coast Guard personnel working collaboratively with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and law enforcement teams with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have detected eight separate “paper captain” violations at work in the Pacific Northwest. Many of these violations have been supplemented by underlying fraudulent documents designed to avoid detection and mask the illegal operation, the Coast Guard said.
The Coast Guard said that the conspirators listed the “paper” captain on their notices of arrival/departure submitted to the Coast Guard and CBP and produced fraudulent fishing agreement contracts to the Coast Guard. Providing fraudulent documents to any federal agency, including the Coast Guard, is punishable by imprisonment for up to five years.
To date, one Washington-based fishing fleet has paid $9,150 in civil penalties, and also been cited for $140,000 in additional penalties still pending adjudication.
Wednesday, June 2, 2021
Coast Guard Cutter on Narcotics Patrol Seizes $33M Worth of Cocaine
The Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast, based in Astoria, Oregon, has returned home after a 10,000 mile, 49-day counter-narcotics patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean with over 2,400 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $33 million. The Coast Guard also brought three suspected drug traffickers who were detained during the interdiction from a single suspect vessel.
The Steadfast was serving as a law enforcement asset in support of U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force South and Coast Guard District 11, with a focus on drug and migrant interdiction, search and rescue and international relations.
They were joined by Coasties from other Coast Guard units, including the USCGC Waesche, Maritime Safety and Security Teams LA/LB and San Francisco, Sector Field Office Southwest Maine, and Coast Guard headquarter, plus the Coast Guard Cutter Active.
The Steadfast is a 53-year-old Reliance Class 210-foot medium endurance cutter that has been homeported in Astoria since 1994. Its primary missions have been search & rescue, counter-drug, migration interdiction and homeland security operations.
The Steadfast was serving as a law enforcement asset in support of U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force South and Coast Guard District 11, with a focus on drug and migrant interdiction, search and rescue and international relations.
They were joined by Coasties from other Coast Guard units, including the USCGC Waesche, Maritime Safety and Security Teams LA/LB and San Francisco, Sector Field Office Southwest Maine, and Coast Guard headquarter, plus the Coast Guard Cutter Active.
The Steadfast is a 53-year-old Reliance Class 210-foot medium endurance cutter that has been homeported in Astoria since 1994. Its primary missions have been search & rescue, counter-drug, migration interdiction and homeland security operations.
Copper River Wild Salmon Fishery Remains Closed
After three openers that yielded far less than the forecast for the Copper River’s famed Chinook and sockeye salmon, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has halted the commercial fishery, pending a boost in the sonar count.
To date, the harvest in the first three openers has delivered an estimated 60,127 fish, including just 5,259 kings, 52,752 sockeyes and 2,116 chums.
In the latest update from Alaska Fish & Game’s Cordova office on Tuesday, June 1, finfish area management biologist Jeremy Botz noted that the sonar count was the 13th lowest on record since 1978. The cumulative sonar count through May 31 was 54,154 fish, whereas 132,531 fish were projected by this date to meet the in-river run goal, Botz stated.
Veteran harvesters like Cordova’s Bill Webber, who has been fishing in the Copper River for 54 years, are wondering what impact events like the Northern Edge military exercises in the Gulf of Alaska, climate change and subsistence, personal use and sportfishing to the north may be having on returns to the Copper River. While there has been a lot of speculation on these and other possible causes for the decline in runs, no conclusive answers have come to date.
Webber said that while they have had a cold spring this year, he has seen large returns before, even in cold springs. He added that the more than 500 commercial harvesters who fish in the area are wondering too about things like whether all the munitions that end up in the water from military war games in the Gulf are impacting yearling salmon making their way out to the ocean.
They want more answers also on how climate change and fisheries to the north of the Copper River area, which include a lot of spawning grounds, may be impacting the return of salmon in the spring.
It goes without saying, he said, that some folks engaged in subsistence, personal use and sport fishing are taking too much, adding that given that it’s human nature to take more fish than you are allowed if you can, if ADF&G enforced the current laws, the fishery would be in a better position than it is today.
To date, the harvest in the first three openers has delivered an estimated 60,127 fish, including just 5,259 kings, 52,752 sockeyes and 2,116 chums.
In the latest update from Alaska Fish & Game’s Cordova office on Tuesday, June 1, finfish area management biologist Jeremy Botz noted that the sonar count was the 13th lowest on record since 1978. The cumulative sonar count through May 31 was 54,154 fish, whereas 132,531 fish were projected by this date to meet the in-river run goal, Botz stated.
Veteran harvesters like Cordova’s Bill Webber, who has been fishing in the Copper River for 54 years, are wondering what impact events like the Northern Edge military exercises in the Gulf of Alaska, climate change and subsistence, personal use and sportfishing to the north may be having on returns to the Copper River. While there has been a lot of speculation on these and other possible causes for the decline in runs, no conclusive answers have come to date.
Webber said that while they have had a cold spring this year, he has seen large returns before, even in cold springs. He added that the more than 500 commercial harvesters who fish in the area are wondering too about things like whether all the munitions that end up in the water from military war games in the Gulf are impacting yearling salmon making their way out to the ocean.
They want more answers also on how climate change and fisheries to the north of the Copper River area, which include a lot of spawning grounds, may be impacting the return of salmon in the spring.
It goes without saying, he said, that some folks engaged in subsistence, personal use and sport fishing are taking too much, adding that given that it’s human nature to take more fish than you are allowed if you can, if ADF&G enforced the current laws, the fishery would be in a better position than it is today.
Elliott Bay Design Group Develops New Ship Weld Procedure
Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) says that its recent weld procedure in a complex engineering and inspection project for the U.S. Defense Department saved construction time and cost, reducing downtime for a critical national defense asset.
EBDG developed an optimized weld procedure for an uncommon grade of steel for TOTE Services, LLC, in support of work on the USNS SBX-1 X-band radar vessel, part of the Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency, which provides key tracking and identification of potential ballistic missile threats. The regulatory agencies in control of the approval and oversight of the procedure include the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and U.S. Coast Guard, in support of the Department of Defense Military Sealift Command.
The challenge, said EBDG officials, was to develop a regulatory-approved weld procedure appropriate to the exotic grade of steel used for the hull of the SBX-1. The steel is an American Bureau of Shipping grade FH-36 low temperature steel, which is suitable for service in arctic conditions because it retains higher impact toughness in very cold ambient temperatures compared to more common ABS grade-A steel.
EBDG partnered with Industrial Resources Inc (IRI) at its Sedro-Woolley, Washington location for fabrication and welding of the test assemblies for the range of weld procedure configurations. They worked with IRI to identify weld parameters that would satisfy the material property requirement and also be useable for the real-world fabrication on the vessel. EBDG also employed the Mistras Group in Burlington and Ferndale, Washington to provide nondestructive and destructive testing of the completed test assembly.
As final proof of the success of the procedure development, it was successfully implemented by the shipyard with the final welded joints passing all quality assurance and performance requirements, they said.
EBDG developed an optimized weld procedure for an uncommon grade of steel for TOTE Services, LLC, in support of work on the USNS SBX-1 X-band radar vessel, part of the Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency, which provides key tracking and identification of potential ballistic missile threats. The regulatory agencies in control of the approval and oversight of the procedure include the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and U.S. Coast Guard, in support of the Department of Defense Military Sealift Command.
The challenge, said EBDG officials, was to develop a regulatory-approved weld procedure appropriate to the exotic grade of steel used for the hull of the SBX-1. The steel is an American Bureau of Shipping grade FH-36 low temperature steel, which is suitable for service in arctic conditions because it retains higher impact toughness in very cold ambient temperatures compared to more common ABS grade-A steel.
EBDG partnered with Industrial Resources Inc (IRI) at its Sedro-Woolley, Washington location for fabrication and welding of the test assemblies for the range of weld procedure configurations. They worked with IRI to identify weld parameters that would satisfy the material property requirement and also be useable for the real-world fabrication on the vessel. EBDG also employed the Mistras Group in Burlington and Ferndale, Washington to provide nondestructive and destructive testing of the completed test assembly.
As final proof of the success of the procedure development, it was successfully implemented by the shipyard with the final welded joints passing all quality assurance and performance requirements, they said.
Alaska Sea Grant Envisions Mariculture Growing into a $100 Million Industry
Alaska Sea Grant officials say the state’s mariculture industry has great economic potential and the governor’s mariculture task force has set a goal of growing it into a $100 million industry over the next two decades.
Shellfish and seaweed farming are well suited to the state, with farmers benefitting from Alaska’s pristine waters, coastal workforce and robust seafood infrastructure, Sea Grant reports in its latest newsletter. These aquatic farms are operated by individuals and families who live and work in small coastal communities, and their aquatic farms may supplement other seasonal jobs such as fishing and working on the water.
The mariculture task force has also identified barriers for entry of new farmers, including requirements to file multiple permits with at least four different state and federal agencies, depending on the project.
To address this issue, Alaska Sea Grant and NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region have teamed up to create user-friendly tools to guide applicants through the permitting process. State and federal agencies involved in permitting aquatic farms have reviewed each permitting step and drafted tools to help navigate the process, as have prospective and existing aquatic farmers.
The working group is currently creating a PDF guide and website to serve as a one-stop-shop for prospective shellfish and seaweed farmers. The portal is expected to be online by year’s end, in time for applicants to use it in the 2022 application cycle.
For more information, contact Hannah Wilson at Hannah.wilson@alaska.edu or alicia.bishop@noaa.gov.
Shellfish and seaweed farming are well suited to the state, with farmers benefitting from Alaska’s pristine waters, coastal workforce and robust seafood infrastructure, Sea Grant reports in its latest newsletter. These aquatic farms are operated by individuals and families who live and work in small coastal communities, and their aquatic farms may supplement other seasonal jobs such as fishing and working on the water.
The mariculture task force has also identified barriers for entry of new farmers, including requirements to file multiple permits with at least four different state and federal agencies, depending on the project.
To address this issue, Alaska Sea Grant and NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region have teamed up to create user-friendly tools to guide applicants through the permitting process. State and federal agencies involved in permitting aquatic farms have reviewed each permitting step and drafted tools to help navigate the process, as have prospective and existing aquatic farmers.
The working group is currently creating a PDF guide and website to serve as a one-stop-shop for prospective shellfish and seaweed farmers. The portal is expected to be online by year’s end, in time for applicants to use it in the 2022 application cycle.
For more information, contact Hannah Wilson at Hannah.wilson@alaska.edu or alicia.bishop@noaa.gov.
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Biden Administration Opens Pacific Coast to Commercial Offshore Wind Energy Projects
Northern and central coasts of California are opening up to commercial scale wind energy projects under a plan announced Tues., May 25 by the Biden Administration.
White House officials said the move to catalyze offshore wind energy is part of the president’s commitment to build new American infrastructure and a clean energy future that creates good paying, union jobs.
The Interior Department, in coordination with the Defense Department, has identified the Morro Bay 399 area to support three gigawatts of offshore wind on roughly 399 square miles off of California’s central coast region, northwest of Morro Bay. The two areas would potentially enable development of a significant new domestic clean energy resource for years to come, White House officials said.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland noted that the offshore wind industry has the potential to create tens of thousands of good-paying union jobs across America while combating the negative effects of climate change.
California Gov, Gavin Newsom said development of offshore wind for clean energy goals and to address climate change could provide renewable energy for up to 1.6 million homes over the next decade. Newsom said the plan represents an approach needed for a clean energy economy that protects coasts, fisheries, marine life and tribal and cultural resources.
National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy said that the announcement demonstrates that by taking a whole-of-government approach, the U.S. can smartly develop the nation’s world-class offshore wind energy resources and deploy new technologies that the government has helped to advance while creating thousands of good paying jobs.
White House officials said the move to catalyze offshore wind energy is part of the president’s commitment to build new American infrastructure and a clean energy future that creates good paying, union jobs.
The Interior Department, in coordination with the Defense Department, has identified the Morro Bay 399 area to support three gigawatts of offshore wind on roughly 399 square miles off of California’s central coast region, northwest of Morro Bay. The two areas would potentially enable development of a significant new domestic clean energy resource for years to come, White House officials said.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland noted that the offshore wind industry has the potential to create tens of thousands of good-paying union jobs across America while combating the negative effects of climate change.
California Gov, Gavin Newsom said development of offshore wind for clean energy goals and to address climate change could provide renewable energy for up to 1.6 million homes over the next decade. Newsom said the plan represents an approach needed for a clean energy economy that protects coasts, fisheries, marine life and tribal and cultural resources.
National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy said that the announcement demonstrates that by taking a whole-of-government approach, the U.S. can smartly develop the nation’s world-class offshore wind energy resources and deploy new technologies that the government has helped to advance while creating thousands of good paying jobs.
Copper River Salmon Opener Brings Record Prices
Harvests for the celebrated Copper River salmon fishery were slow to rise, but the price to harvesters took a leap when New Peter Pan Seafood offered a record high $12.60 a pound for sockeyes and $19.60 a pound for Chinooks.
“Peter Pan used to have a solid fleet in the flats,” said John Hickman, the company’s vice president of operations. “We want people to know we are back.”
Peter Pan said it has the ability on this highly coveted early Copper River fish to offer these prices because of the company’s deep market penetration and value-added philosophy into niche markets when limited supply of the resource is made available. Whole, individually wrapped Copper River reds were on sale at Costco stores in Anchorage for $19.99 a pound. Pike Place Fish Market online prices were $79.98 a pound for Copper River king fillets and $55.99 a pound for Copper River sockeye fillets. Pike Place was also offering whole 10-pound Copper River kings for $599.99 and whole four-pound Copper River sockeyes for $139.99.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists estimated the third opener on Mon., May 24 brought in an estimated 448 deliveries, including 32,727 red salmon averaging 5.11 pounds and 1,960 kings averaging 12.59 pounds, plus 2,006 chum averaging 6.24 pounds.
During the second opener on Thurs., May 20 there were an estimated 322 deliveries, including 11,873 reds averaging 5.13 pounds, 1,160 kings averaging 13.02 pounds and 318 chum averaging 6.24 pounds.
The first opener on Mon., May 17 included an estimated 419 deliveries, including 6,159 red salmon averaging 5.15 pounds and 2,068 kings weighing in on average at 12.09 pounds, plus 184 chum averaging 6.67 pounds.
“Peter Pan used to have a solid fleet in the flats,” said John Hickman, the company’s vice president of operations. “We want people to know we are back.”
Peter Pan said it has the ability on this highly coveted early Copper River fish to offer these prices because of the company’s deep market penetration and value-added philosophy into niche markets when limited supply of the resource is made available. Whole, individually wrapped Copper River reds were on sale at Costco stores in Anchorage for $19.99 a pound. Pike Place Fish Market online prices were $79.98 a pound for Copper River king fillets and $55.99 a pound for Copper River sockeye fillets. Pike Place was also offering whole 10-pound Copper River kings for $599.99 and whole four-pound Copper River sockeyes for $139.99.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists estimated the third opener on Mon., May 24 brought in an estimated 448 deliveries, including 32,727 red salmon averaging 5.11 pounds and 1,960 kings averaging 12.59 pounds, plus 2,006 chum averaging 6.24 pounds.
During the second opener on Thurs., May 20 there were an estimated 322 deliveries, including 11,873 reds averaging 5.13 pounds, 1,160 kings averaging 13.02 pounds and 318 chum averaging 6.24 pounds.
The first opener on Mon., May 17 included an estimated 419 deliveries, including 6,159 red salmon averaging 5.15 pounds and 2,068 kings weighing in on average at 12.09 pounds, plus 184 chum averaging 6.67 pounds.
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