Further Restrictions on Copper River Kings as Landings Higher than Expected
The ADF&G elected to go with a nine hour opener for today's salmon fishing period since Copper River king landings have exceeded expectations. The ADF&G will also begin the fishing period hours after an extreme low tide and it will end before the second, less extreme, low tide starts to flood in, which usually bring fish with it. “To reduce king salmon harvest during the next fishing period, start time will be delayed to avoid opening on an extreme low tide when fish are more vulnerable to harvest. In addition, the duration of this fishing period is shortened to avoid fishing after the evening low tide,” said Jeremy Botz, Alaska Department of Fish and Game management biologist in Cordova.
Scientists at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center have captured new maturity data points for Alaskan rockfish that will provide managers with the information they need to ensure that deepwater Alaska rockfish populations stay healthy. Until now, little was known about the reproductive biology of rougheye, blackspotted, and shortraker rockfish. One important finding was a marked difference in the age that rougheye and blackspotted rockfish reach reproductive maturity.
In other news, Louisiana shrimp company Crystal Seafood Company Inc. was denied in its appeal of a court order for the company to repay the $1 million it was awarded in BP oil spill money. Court documents proved that Crystal Seafood was a failed business at the time of the spill in 2010. According to court documents, Crystal Seafood processed the last of its shrimp approximately one year before the oil spill. The same decision also said Crystal Seafood sold the last of its frozen inventory of shrimp approximately three months before the oil spill occurred in August 2010.
Meanwhile, Norway has come up with a plan to dramatically increase its seafood exports to China, and expects the trade to be worth $1.45 billion by 2025. "The plan is based on Chinese consumers' preference for Norwegian seafood, coupled with projected growth in second- and third-tier cities in China," said the Norwegian Seafood Council's director for the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, Sigmund Bjorgo.
Finally, the sentencing hearing for Carlos Rafael has been moved off another month to July 28 in U.S. District Court in Boston. Rafael, who pleaded guilty in late March to falsifying fish quotas, conspiracy and tax evasion, requested the extension. He said he needs more time gather and provide the relevant — and voluminous — financial records that are the center of the federal government's case against him.
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