WFOA NEWS:

Updated July 6, 2008

Fuel Prices: As all of us know the price of fuel is increasing daily. It now exceeds $5/g in many ports and will make fishing albacore very cost prohibitive for many if prices are not in line with increases. It is not only us the European fishermen especially in Spain and France have been staging protests, blockades, and other to bring attention to what is happening. 30% of Asian High Seas Longliners have now tied up, and fleets in Alaska and elsewhere are launching petition drives looking for relief.

WFOA has been in contact with associations in Alaska and we are attempting to solicit help of all fishing associations to get on board. PCFFA and others would be good for this. We may do a press release or two.

Some Recent Articles:

Fuel Oil Oregonian Article

Missoula Article

European Fishermen

For a downloadable petition click hereFUEL PETITION Please sent to WFOA, POB 992723, Redding , CA 96001 and we will send to appropriate legislators.

AFRF Survey: The Billie Marie II fullfilled his 20 days obligation to report on July 1, 2008. We have posted all the reports at: www.wfoa-tuna.org/fishreports/. Catches in the area of 40N x 135W over the past week were in the 300 - 400 fish range with 10-15 boats in the region. We wished we could have covered more area off the Oregon coast closer in but the water temperatures did not allow it. Since the vessel only was paid for fuel costs the area covered was mainly at his discretion. We will continue to post any voluntary reports on the website as we receive them.

Market and Price: Although the market looks good for albacore this season most buyers have not committed to any prices yet. We expect some movement next week from some of them. On July 3rd one company posted prices that were reasonable and WFOA mebers have seen those in seperate e-mails. There is some hesitancy as AAFA may have a market for brine for $2,260st, which no west coast buyers seems to be able to come close to yet. We don�t know all the details but there is about a $1,000 buy in fee with AAFA if it�s a large quantity. We will put out information as it develops next week.

Many WFOA vessels have indicated they will stay tied up or fish other species such as slime eels if prices are not higher than in the past. WFOA expects to support buyers that take a proactive roll in albacore pricing for 2008. It is amazing that prices paid for one of the best foods available brings those that risk their lives and fortunes only 50 cents to one dollar per pound for the past 30 years. With a high percentage of the Asian longline fleet out of production, the major canners could be very short of albacore. This could change if longline prices rise considerably. Also, canners are switching from a 6oz. can to a 5oz. can which could disperse about 20,000 tons of world production.

MSC: The WFOA board of directors on Saturday, June 28, 2008 voted to initiate an MSC certification to cover the North Pacific U.S. albacore troll fishery. The board felt that the existing certification on albacore in not broad reaching and too difficult for many members to share both financially and by some of the requirements. Although there was considerable dissension, however the majority felt given the circumstance that we are at and do not know the outcomes to, the best course for our members is to proceed expeditiously.

WFOA prides itself in producing a high quality product from our members vessels, and we do not disparage other legal fisheries or gear types. WFOA recognizes that there are many anti fishing groups both domestically and internationally who would advocate reducing the U.S. commercial fishing community and let their fleet fish unabated.

2009 Annual Meeting:After some investigation in Coos Bay and Newport, Oregon the board decided to hold the 2009 Annual Membership meeting again in Astoria, OR. The ease of setting up the event, the community support, and turnout has been great so we will give it at least one more go. The dates will be at the end of March 2009.

Public Relations CampaignThis is proceeding on schedule. Crocmedia America LLC is making good progress in their communication with retailers, media, publications, and others. Also, they are attending a Sustainable Seafood Show in Monterey this coming weekend, and the large Chef�s Trade Show in Chicago right after. WFOA and Crocmedia are working with local processors and distributors to have product available when its requested. We are also about to launch a new website devoted to this effort at www.PacificAlbacore.com. I will include a full update in the June newsletter as a lot of the preliminary work is being done at this time in anticipation of the upcoming season.

Preliminary work is being done now by Crocmedia America assimilating informational materials together and making contacts with media, chefs, food shows, etc. WFOA will also be working with processors to identify products and availability throughout the year for higher end value-added products as well as custom canned and other forms.

With the poor outlook for the salmon fishery this season an opportunity has arose to tout albacore as an alternative to salmon in markets and restaurants.

WFOA is not going into the processing, selling, distribution, or retailing, but will be working with those that do that best. A more detailed report will be in the June newsletter as the approach for the upcoming season will be in place by then.

WFOA hired the public relations firm Crocmedia America Ltd. with offices in Hollywood, New York, and Melbourne to carry this out.

WFOA has set up a committee of WFOA board members to advise and oversee the project. We also will solicit advice from canner and ex-canner representatives, processors, custom canners, academia, food service personnel and others that may want to contribute. This advisory board may be made more formal as we proceed.

WFOA will remain committed to not going negative on other legal fisheries or gear types. However, we will aggressively promote the attributes of our own U.S. west coast fishery.

CHINA, U.S., JAPAN COOPERATE AGAINST HIGH-SEAS DRIFT NETS NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN The United States Coast Guard, the People's Republic of China Fisheries Law Enforcement Command (FLEC), and Japanese Coast Guard are investigating a fishing vessel suspected of illegal high-seas drift net fishing five hundred miles east of Hokkaido, Japan.Full Story

Fishermen�s Health Care: a potentially helpful bill would be the bipartisan bill introduces by Senators Kennedy, Stevens, Kerry, and Murkowski, S. 2630, which would amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a Federal grant program to provide �increased health care coverage to and access for uninsured and under-insured workers and families in the commercial fishing industry�. This bill should be supported and watched carefully to see that fishermen from throughout the United States will be covered, not just fishermen in states that have state-wide or compulsory health care programs.

The Information on the health Care Bill received a number today that you can track through http://thomas.loc.gov/

WFOA encourages members and directors to contact your U.S. representatives office and encourage them to support this legislation.

PERMITS & REQUIREMENTS TO FISH

HSFCA Permits: Some that have applied or reapplied for the HSFCA permits for HMS outside of 200 miles have not heard back for some time on their applications. I have been told that there have been some personnel changes and restructuring at NMFS SW region that is causing delay. If you have applied and have not received yours -- or are planning to apply -- our advice is to make copies of the application and your $50 check before you send it in and keep that with you. These are good for five years.

HSFCA APPLICATION

HMS FMP Permits: All U.S. vessels fishing inside or outside of 200 miles must have in possession one of these. The initial permit applications were mailed out last year by NMFS to all vessels that had landed albacore in 2004. If you did not land an albacore you probably did not receive one! These are free and are good until December 31, 2006 after which new applications will be mailed based on when your birthdate is. Some vessels that landed albacore in 2005 or fished in Canadian waters did not apply for one of these. NMFS has sent a warning letter this time but has indicated further measures for noncompliance in 2006.Permit applications are here:

HMS Permit Application for all waters.

NOAA/NMFS sent requirements out to only the (98) U.S. vessels on the 2006 list. If you did not receive a notice you still need to comply as above and get on the list prior to the 2007 season. Also, NMFS has an error on their letter. In Section #1 , item D, they are requiring a vessel photo! THIS IS A MISTAKE, DISREGARD, YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A VESSEL PHOTO UNDER THE TREATY AND NMFS HAS NO AUTHORTY TO ASK.

New Website for Management Bodies: The IATTC has constructed this comprehensive site with links to major HMS management bodies:

IATTC ComprehensiveTuna Management Website

OTHER NEWS:

Selenium /Mercury At the February 9, 2007 AFRF winter meeting Dr. Nick Ralston of the University of North Dakota gave a presentation on the mercury/selenium connection in seafood and how ocean fish in general have high selenium levels compared to fresh water fish. These high levels of selenium bind mercury in seafood rendering it harmless. He reviewed much research that is ongoing and that has been done has far back as 30 years ago that has not surfaced until now. The bottom line from him is that despite mercury being present in seafood have selenium rich sources also within has shown in lab studies in rats that selenium is a mitigating factor. He is requesting funding for another study. He feels once the funding is committed they will be able to perform and publish results with one year. They have also been doing Se research for John Kaneko in Hawaii on 15 marketable species of fish in Hawaii and finding great Se/Hg ratios in most species except maybe the Mako Shark.Such a project would be of great benefit to many other fisheries besides tunas as the list of good ratios includes 17 species of fish out of the top 25 food products consumed.

Link to an publication by Dr. Ralston and Laurie Raymond

USA Weekend Article on Hg and Selenium

Nick Ralstons Presentation