WFOA NEWS:

Updated July 3, 2010

News Note These are brief versions of ongoing and new stories affecting the west coast albacore fleet. For full information we welcome new members to WFOA. WFOA Membership Application

WFOA Statement on Monterey Bay Aquarium "Red" Listing of Oregon Salmon Western Fishboat Owners Association (PFMC) which represents nearly 400 albacore troll vessels and supporting business members on the U.S. west coast finds the recent �red� listing of Oregon troll-caught wild salmon by the Monterey Bay Aquarium very confusing and contradictory. WFOA, primarily an albacore tuna organization has many salmon trollers in our organization that have been practically shutout of their livelihood over the past three years because of in-river water, ocean conditions, and other factors beyond their control.

The Pacific Fisheries Management Council (PFMC)with help from it�s scientists and advisors work very hard to manage this fishery in a way that does not cause harm to the stocks of salmon having problems such as those from the Sacramento River system. Despite difficulties the PFMC has achieved that goal and now has a reasonable fishery in Oregon and elsewhere in 2010.

WFOA dealing with local Wild Pacific Albacore Tuna works well with the Monterey Bay Aquarium on albacore listing issues. We also work closely with companies such as Whole Foods that purchase wild salmon but also adhere to the Monterey Bay Aquarium listing criteria. The red listing as on Oregon salmon, not based on a management system that has developed a good plan for the season hurts local families, processors, retailers and confuses the consumer.

WFOA encourages the Monterey Bay Aquarium to communicate with the Pacific Fisheries Management Council, National Marine Fisheries Service, and other relevant agencies to reconsider this listing and explain what criteria was followed in its development.

Canadian Treaty List: The owner of any albacore fishing vessel who wants that vessel to be on the list of U.S. vessels eligible to fish for albacore tuna in Canadian waters under the Treaty must contact NMFS at: (562) 980-4024, FAX: (562) 980-4047, or email (albacore.fish@noaa.gov) at least seven days prior to the first day on which any fishing in Canadian waters may begin.

The owner must provide his or her name, address, and phone number, vessel name, documentation number (or state registration if it is not documented) and vessel operator (if different from the owner) and his or her address and phone number.

NMFS will then place the vessel on the vessel list. The list is only valid for a single year. For the United States, a provisional list shall be provided to Canada by July 1 and may be revised during the fishing season.

Albacore Limited Entry PFMC �No To Limted Entry/Catch Controls for Now�: The Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel (HMSAS) met in Portland on April 9-10, 2010 with Limited Entry for albacore on the agenda. This issues was on the main council agenda on Sunday the 11th with council action scheduled to both set in motion a plan for albacore catch/effort control and potentially move forward the March 9, 2010 control date. The following statement was passed unanimously by the HMSAS.

The HMSAS opposes unilateral management by NOAA/NMFS or PFMC, such as effort or catch controls on the U.S. troll and baitboat albacore fishery. At this time indications from the International Scientific Committee (ISC) is that North Pacific Albacore stocks are being harvested at a sustainable level. All indications also show the U.S. albacore fleet is not expanding nor is effort or catch increasing. On the contrary, the U.S. albacore fleet and supporting infrastructure may be shrinking. The HMSAS feels that if and when future stock assessments show otherwise, effort controls of any kind should be undertaken in a multilateral effort internationally and address issues such as IUU fishing, regional effort and capacity issues in a multilateral international effort. The HMSAS strongly supports increased funding for science and research both federally and internationally for albacore tuna. The HMSAS feels the council at this time does not have enough knowledge of the fishery or stocks especially at the international level to begin a process that will affect less than 15% of the North Pacific catch.

The council did not consider moving the control date as it was determined it meant little if there was no Limited Entry plan in place. There was some talk by a couple members outside the meeting about recinding the old date but it did not happen.

FINAL - MARINE STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (MSC): WFOA and CHMSF were awarded Marine Stewardship Council certification on March 23, 2010 for troll and baitboat North Pacific albacore tuna. The certification will cover all WFOA members automatically, and non-members with a simple registration process. Most WFOA/AFRF buyers are entering the MSC Chain of Custody and many have MSC potential markets for this coming season. Chain of custody begins at the unloading point. See www.wfoa-tuna.org.msc For more Info.

PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN: WFOA is planning to continue this successful two-year project through 2010. Progress is being made in educating consumers, chefs, retailers, and others in the attributes of local wild albacore. We will coordinate with the Oregon Albacore Commission that has similar goals. The WFOA project can expand beyond Oregon and yet promote local albacore from the west coast. We have seen an increase in local demand in seafood outlets and restaurants and estimate that 15% -20% of the albacore landings are now absorbed in the U.S. market and expanding.

Our contacts with chefs retailers, restaurants, media, schools, food advocacy groups are large and growing. WFOA has expanded the social networking through blogs and twitter. We will be doing more hands-on with consumers in food demos and other activities such as with Slow Foods Nation.

We will be redirecting our initiative slightly to educate the public and politicos on the threat of the U.S. seafood industry dying on the vine through over-regulation and unilateral management only on U.S. fishermen. We want to recruit the U.S. consumer in saving access to local wild seafood of all types including albacore.

At this time benefits are mainly being seen in iced and fresh local markets, thus we encourage ice boats to become involved. We do expect the benefits to grow more into brine and blast fish as more retailers and restaurants lose that old stigma of fresh vs frozen, and realize that no matter what method is used, if done right local troll caught albacore is very high in quality.

OTHER NEWS:

AFRF Fees: We want to remind WFOA members that with a mix of new markets this season, AFRF fees still are required to be paid at the rate of $20/st by the vessel unloading at any Non-AFRF buyer. All AFRF buyers are listed at the end of this newsletter. WFOA members are required by WFOA By-laws to adhere to this.

AFRF Contracted Buyers: Bornsteins Seafoods Inc., Bumble Bee Seafoods, Chicken of the Sea International, Driscoll's Wharf, Interocean Fisheries, Island Trollers Inc., Jessie's Ilwaco Fish Company, Jolly Roger Seafoods,Ilwaco Landing LLC, Mary-Lu Seafoods, New Day Fisheries, Ocean Gold Seafoods, Pacific Seafood Group, Papa George Gourmet Albacore, Pelican Packers Inc., Seafood Producers Co-op, Shamrock Fisheries, Star Kist Seafoods, Starvin Marvin Seafoods,Trident Seafoods, Tri-Marine International, Whole Foods Select Fish, Wild Planet Inc