Kodiak’s “Big-5″ Fish Processors file Rockfish catch share lawsuit #2
”The other rockfish lawsuit” — by Andrew Jensen, Alaska Journal of Commerce
“Trident, Ocean Beauty, Westward Seafoods, North Pacific Seafoods and
International Seafoods of Alaska sue NMFS over rockfish program. ”
Read more: http://www.alaskajournal.com/Alaska-Journal-of-Commerce/Fisheries/#ixzz1lb7gNya0
See other recent articles at: http://www.alaskajournal.com/Alaska-Journal-of-Commerce/Fisheries/
THE VERY AUDACITY THAT THESE PROCESSORS HAVE A RIGHT TO SHARE IN THE RENTS OF HARVESTERS WHO CATCH FISH AND ALREADY SUFFER MARKET POWERS THAT DEPRESS FISH TICKET PRICES! DO HARVESTERS THEREFORE HAVE RIGHTS TO SHARE IN THE ECONOMIC INTERMEDIARIES’ VALUE-ADDED PROCESSING ALL THE WAY FROM DOCKSIDE TO THE RETAIL READY STAGE?!? If they want a split of the fishermen’s “20% or less” then we want a share of their “80% or more” globally. States and nations must also concern themselves with picking up the social costs of this increasing price-fixing around the world. Alaska sits on its duff and plays dumb to it all, and to Abusive Transfer Pricing and the FISHRON it indicates. At least the fishermen pay USA taxes!
While we ready an update, read this PDF to learn about the corruption inherent in the RPP (Rockfish Pilot Program) Cooperative going back over a decade, which might be insight into how the legal case will see potential intervention or amicus filings by smaller processor(s): GlobalSfds_KodiakCityWS_Nov7-2006
Gulf of Alaska Trawl Bycatch Destruction of Halibut & Crab Fisheries
Groundswell has posted up on YouTube a video “GOA Trawl Bycatch” for friends and associates in the central Gulf of Alaska, re Kodiak Island grounds. Kodiak was once ‘The King Crab Capitol of the World’ and now we barely have any crab fishing – due in large part to bottom trawling, no doubt. It’s all about massive waste and destruction that harms the ocean resources, and can be found at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI7D7BpLsKM Please watch it – using pause button when needed to read each slide…
Alaska Crab Captains & Crews: Contracts Not Legally Binding?
North Pacific Fishery Management Council
206th Plenary Session – December 5-13, 2011
Anchorage Hilton Hotel
Public Comment (12/10/2011) by Stephen Taufen, Kodiak AK
C-4 BSAI Crab Stakeholder reports (5-year review issues)
(a) Crew compensation/active participation/excessive lease rates.
Catch Shares are Illegal: aka Resource Theft – by Richard Grachek
Catch Shares Are Illegal: CATCH SHARES aka ITQ’S aka RESOURCE THEFT
A Groundswell webpost — author Richard Grachek:
Any form of quota trading leads to consolidation, as those with the deepest pockets win out.”
“The introduction of quota trading between member states could spell the end for many, if not all, of Scotland’s fishing communities.”
— Richard Lochhead, Scotland’s Environment Secretary – May 2011
“The Right to Know” How Fish Catch Shares Sausage is Made
THE RIGHT TO KNOW
Richard Grachek, Sept. 24, 2011
“The people of this country, not special interest big money should be the source of all political power.” Sen. Paul Wellstone
In a representative government, the people have the right to know exactly how policies, laws, rules and regulations are arrived at, and most importantly, if there is any undue influence in that process. Either we have that right, or we do not have a representative government. If the people are left out and the laws and regulations are written by big business through their influence on agencies and bureaucrats, then we do not have a democracy, we have an oligarchy.
Northwest States initiate fight with Alaska’s fishing interests over Catch Shares
August 25, 2011 – Special interests from Oregon and Washington state fishing community write congressional delegates in a political attack against Alaska regarding the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.
Now that Deckboss.com has made the document public (eagerness over strategy), Groundswell has decided to release its searchable PDF for easier downloading. Be sure to visit Deckboss though, as W. Loy has a good email posted involving concerns about reallocations of catch shares, by Oregon interests. How convenient that after years of vote-counting and -rigging on the NPFMC, that as Alaska awakens to the need to protect its offshore interests, the other states clamor for more power.
These actions have effects on crewmembers’ rights that the NPFMC has relegated into oblivion, and for renewed needs for Transparency and Accountability, esp. re the CDQs (Community Development Quota) groups. For now, here’s the PDF: DOC_AppealtoWAORCong_Aug25_verY1
Update 9/15/11 – see website of the Alaska Journal of Commerce, Andrew Jensen article under Fisheries. http://www.alaskajournal.com/Alaska-Journal-of-Commerce/September-2011/Washington-Oregon-crab-interests-take-aim-at-CDQs-Alaska-council-majority /
Alaska Senator Murkowski will co-chair Bipartisan Oceans Caucus
Nation needs to be careful of Senate’s Oceans Caucus & its participants.
September 12, 2011 — Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski told media that she will be co-chairwoman of a new bipartisan Senate Oceans Caucus. The caucus will educate congressional members with briefings on ocean research and policy.
If Abusive Transfer Pricing is not a part of the syllabus, then it can’t be called an education!
Coast Guard Proposes Rule to Waive Citizenship Requirements for Crewmembers
Fishing Vessels
Previously Published in In the Loop on Aug. 26, 2011 (courtesy of FISH NEWS quarterly, Aleutians East Borough)
The U.S. Coast Guard has posted a proposed rule on the Federal Register that provides a waiver of citizenship requirements for crewmembers on commercial fishing vessels. A waiver request would have to be accompanied by a successful dockside safety examination. Comments on the proposed rule are due by November 16, 2011.
For more information, visit this link:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-08-18/pdf/2011-21024.pdf
Senator Murkowski’s Fishery Aide – Is Fuglvog Still Active?
Senator Murkowski’s Fishery Aide – Is Arne Fuglvog Still Active
after Plea Bargain on Lacey Act violation?
Hooked by the Lacey Act
This is an expansion of a draft that was submitted for publication on the East Coast, but considered “too Alaskan” in focus. Today, August 24, greater insight compels us to post it.
Fuglvog was allowed to keep his U.S. passport despite signing a plea agreement. Groundswell wrote Canadian border officials to deny his entry — suspected to be for purposes of fishery policy. Today’s National Fisherman editorial shed new light.
See also: Arne Fuglvog CV and http://www.thedutchharborfisherman.com/article/1051bering_sea_cod_co-op_wins_approval And listen (04:25 to 09:45 min.) to downloadable MP3 to hear all the usual suspects bafflegab to mitigate the effects of Fuglvog’s case at
http://www.alaskapublic.org/2011/08/25/alaska-news-nightly-august-25-2011/
Catch Shares – Nils Stolpe on Conspiracy, Cooperation, or Coincidence
Call it conspiracy, cooperation or coincidence, but no matter what you call it, the public record isn’t going to change
Nils E. Stolpe/Fish Net USA — May 08, 2011
The following link will carry you to a great article about the framework of Catch Shares promotion — which is a long-term, coordinated effort by a select few to convert Public Commonweal into Privatized Property.
http://www.fishnet-usa.com/Black%20helicopters%20in%20Boston.pdf
The following page contains some federal guideline discussion, which may illuminate the legal underpinnings that favor Stolpe’s perceptions…
And if you have any doubts that a Conspiracy (and the related Damage Control) happened in Alaska’s Crab Rationalization (privatization) regime, just read the Addendum at http://groundswellalaska.com/2010/03/15/catch-share-oversight-hearing-groundswell-taufens-comment-31610/#more-347