Seafood Choices Alliance invites you to submit your nominations for the 2009 Seafood Champion Awards. Seafood Choices established the award - bestowed annually - to honor those in the seafood industry who are advancing the marketplace for eco-friendly seafood.  Now in its fourth year, this award recognizes individuals, companies or organizations that demonstrate outstanding leadership in promoting environmentally responsible seafood.  Nominees may include representatives from the fishing, aquaculture, seafood supply and distribution, retail, restaurant and food service sectors, as well as other stakeholders to the seafood industry such as conservation, academia and the media.

Deadline for entries is November 14, 2008.

Fish Notes Calendar 2008 - September 26th

Sep 29 - Oct 7.  NPFMC, Anchorage SHERATON

Sep 30.   NPFMC’s Crab Socioeconomic Data Collection Committee, Anchorage

Continued Calendar in Full Story - Below

Table of Contents

FEDERAL
1.      Carbon dioxide emissions could mean trouble for ocean species (9/24)
2.      USCG – medical and physical evaluation guidelines
3.      NOAA – marine debris
4.      Marine debris growing into trash tsunami (KTOO Audio) (9/22)
5.      Crab group looks at marketing, crew shares (9/23)
6.      NOAA AFSC.  Habitat-Specific Production of Pacific Ocean Perch in the Aleutian Islands
7.      Survey reveals 20 new species in Aleutian waters (9/24)
8.      My Turn: Halibut Conservation Needs Cooperation From All Users (9/25)
9.      NOAA – Administrator announces resignation
10.  NMFS.  Final rule to amend the subsistence fishery rules for Pacific halibut to address subsistence halibut management concerns, particularly in densely populated areas in waters in and off Alaska. Effective October 24, 2008.
11.  NMFS.  Proposed rule to implement Amendment 73 to the FMP for Groundfish of the BSAI and Amendment 77 to the FMP for Groundfish of the GOA. Comment period through November 17, 2008.
12.  NMFS.  Reopening of the comment period for proposed rule 73 FR 35748, dated June 29, 2007. New comments must be submitted by October 24, 2008.
13.  Big turnout for International Coastal Clean Up Day (Sitka) (KCAW Audio) (9/23)
14.  Rescuer fills in details of 1971 event (9/25)
15.  NPFMC.  Items for the October Meeting
16.  NMFS AFSC.  Shark and Grenadier Research in Alaska
STATE
17.  Commission to pull certification from Adak electric utility (9/23)
18.  A new breed of fish farming.  Aquaculture has long been a target of environmentalists, but the critters at this operation in B.C. tick all the right eco-boxes (9/24)
19.  Homer News Seawatch.  Salmon season worst since 2002 (9/24)
20.  Films about Unalaska get Emmy nod (9/23)
21.  Cordova man recovering from fishing accident with friends’ help (9/25)
22.  University study sheds light on young people leaving town (Petersburg) (9/25)
23.  Alaska SeaGrant.  Business of Fish Class – Income Tax for Fishing Operations
24.  AKSSF Call for Proposals Workshop – Anchorage (Oct 6-7), Fairbanks (Oct 8), and Juneau (Oct 9-10)
25.  ADFG.  2008 Bristol bay Summary (9/22)
MISC
26.  Sony 4K SXRD Projectors Tell Story of Ocean Life Through HD Video at New Smithsonian Sant Ocean Hall (9/24)
27.  Taking strain and sprain out of fishing (9/25)

The Food Bank Of Alaska seeks your assistance in food donations.     The number of hungry Alaskans has never been higher, the donations have never been lower.     Please find out how you can help - contact Reggie Buchanan at 907.222.3108 or 907.301.4957 or email here.

Kodiak to me will always be the "King Crab Capital of The World" because those were the words on the banner on main street.   At the time, King Crab was Kodiak's economic driver.    Not so obvious, but always a curiosity for me was the frequent sightings of cattle on the hills surrounding the city of Kodiak.    Why were they there?    The answer is simple.   They were brought to Kodiak as a source of food for locals and for those with aspirations for sustainable commercial cattle ranching in Alaska.  

In 2002, Alaska welcomed a new family to the area that has been quietly and steadily moving forward on producing a commercial source of local, grass fed, natural Alaskan red meat and a fully operational supply chain for their existing cattle ranch.   They plan their first commercial production of beef sticks, jerky, sausage, fresh cuts and a variety of canned meat in flexible pouches to be available late 2009 and a test production in late 2008.

Let us introduce you to this remarkable family and their promising business.
Above, Nathan Mudd

American Fast Freight is a transportation and logistics firm that is customer focused for many reasons, one of which is that it is employee owned.  Nearly 2 years ago American Fast Freight employees formed an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Program).  An already well established company in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii and Washington, the ownership change has resulted in vested employees at every level with a bottom line reason to be customer centric. 

While you've likely seen their warehouses or trucks on the road - you may not be familiar with who they are and what they do.   As we promised in our last issue - we will give you some insights into this and other companies to provide a visible and accessible supply chain for Alaska's food, beverage and bio products.

If you recognize Sun Kim (left), it is because for years she has served as the international trade and tourism representative for the State of Alaska and previously worked independently for other trade associations and companies enhancing trade and tourism between Alaska and Asia.    In 2007, Sun abruptly changed course to fulfill a personal dream of owning her own restaurant, the Alaska Bagel Restaurant, creating an environment "where people can always feel comfortable to come in and have a chat."    Sun says, "I'm on course in establishing a modern restaurant with old fashioned values".   From all observations her formula is working at this popular mid-town restaurant, but Sun is also a manufacturer of 36 flavors of bagels for a growing wholesale market.   

August 25, 2008 Update.   Bill is currently harvesting/shipping his private label branded coho and sockeye to registered buyers on his website. Contact him directly for new orders asap.  Bill Webber, a lifetime resident of Cordova and commercial harvester of Alaska salmon was always curious what happened at the other end of his supply chain.    He wanted to know more about who bought it and what they thought about his product.    He wanted to meet and get to know the chef's and restaurant owners, as well as have them learn more about Alaska, the region, the harvest and the salmon.  He started Gulkana-Seafood Direct in 2002 to do exactly that. 

For 40 years Bill has been part of every seafood quality program and adopted those and many of his own technologies and processes to keep the quality bar as high as possible on his product.   With independent boutique clients throughout the US, Bill's skill as a fisherman and direct marketer is only surpassed by his communications with his buyers on each and every one of their fish.  It is a unique story often proudly displayed in the restaurants featuring the Gulkana Seafoods Direct, genuine Copper River salmon product.

The International Culinary Tourism Association regularly offers a webinar called “Inside the Mind of a Traveling Foodie” .  It’s intended as kind of a “Culinary Tourism 101” for culinary businesses (the suppliers) – lodging facilities, restaurants, culinary retail, manufacturers, etc.  To register, please contact the International Culinary Tourism Association here or call  503 750 7200.   (The International Culinary Tourism Association is our newest affiliate sponsor of Global Food Alaska  - 2009 - WELCOME TO ALASKA.)

A short video produced by the National Farmers Union on the "farmers share" of the food profits. August 2008 Video

A FOCUS ON FISHERIES REPORT (2007)

This report is the first comprehensive look at market competition between wild and farmed salmon and identifies two important trends that have remade the salmon industry in the last 25 years: farmed salmon has grown from just two percent of the world supply in 1980 to 65 percent in 2004 and about three-fourths of the fresh and frozen salmon consumed in the United States is now farmed. In response, the value of the wild fishery has plummeted from more than $800 million in the late 1980’s to less than $300 million. “Wild salmon could never supply the market demand being met by farmed salmon. A fundamental point of the report is that the debate should not be about wild versus farmed, but whether each method of production is being done right,” says Dr. Gunnar Knapp, professor of economics at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and one of the study’s authors.

The design and development of the TEDSBOX is nearing completion with its final test shipments this month.   Don Harman, Founder and Developer called to say,  they are now seeking commitments for orders for 2009.   Don adds, "August is our month to secure the commitments on 2009 production.    We are glad to pencil out the return on investment with qualified buyers and lease holders, however, our timing is critical to get those commitments in August for 2009 production."   

Early adopters will benefit from production cost rates for August 2009 commitments to ensure that the new manufacturer is tooled up to meet the 2009 season.

Contact Tednologies for a confidential discussion of the possible return on investment to your supply chain scenario.

Don Harman, President
Harman's Repair Station, Inc.
Tednologies, Inc.
P: (907) 345-6838
F: (907) 345-9051
M: (907) 223-1955
www.tedsbox.com
www.harmansrepair.com 

We asked Jim Harmon of SeaShare about the recent generous donation to Anchorage's Beans Cafe.

Trident Seafoods recently donated 22,000 pounds of frozen sockeye fillets to help feed hungry Alaskans.  The donation was coordinated through SeaShare, a nonprofit organization that links the seafood industry with food bank programs across the country.  Trident Seafoods has worked with SeaShare for years, both locally and nationally.  This donation, from the wild Alaska Salmon fisheries in Alaska, is a great example of a seafood company willing to donate valuable products, from fish purchased from fishermen in the targeted Alaska salmon fisheries  (An earlier story incorrectly labeled these fish as “bycatch”).  The donation will provide over 100,000 servings of high-protein wild salmon to the clients served by Bean’s Café in Anchorage.    Kudo's to SeaShare and the people of Trident Seafoods.

Carlile Transportation Systems has just shared with us their growing transportation network to/from lower 48 states and Canada with chilled and freeze capacities.   Check out their latest routing that provides additional options for perishables and/or dry.  (Click on Full Story Below)
More Information? 
Contact GFC Member, Jack Anglin
Address: 1800 E. 1st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone: (907) 276-7797
Fax: (907) 276-6786

We asked John at Charlie's Produce what was new and in stock for commercial food buyers seeking local product.  Located in Anchorage, Charlie's Produce is a full-service distributor of produce to retail and food service throughout Alaska.  Additionally, they process value added cut product through their Alaska Carrot Company brand. 

Summer 2008 they have a brand new Oyster Mushroom line from the Kenai Peninsula.   Other produce?   Red Leaf, Green Leaf, Iceberg, Romaine, Broccoli, Green and Red Cabbage - all locally grown. 

Looking for locally sourced Alaska produce that is distributed to meet your food service or retail specifications?   Contact them directly.       Looking for other source products?  Mention it to them and likely they can meet the market.

John Baldiviez, General Manager
Charlie’s Produce / Alaska Carrot Co.
Anchorage, Alaska
Office: 907.258.1412 Ext# 4010
Fax: 907.258.1520
Cell: 907.227.3223