| October 29, 2002 | USA Wins Two Grants to Help Develop Salmon Markets, Educate Consumers about Wild Salmon The United Salmon Association, Kodiak Chapter, has won grant support for two projects to improve the health and viability of the salmon industry in Kodiak. The Association will be designing, producing, and distributing an educational brochure about Kodiak's wild salmon industry with generous support from the Alaska Conservation Foundation. The project will highlight the cultural, ecological and health benefits of wild salmon over its farmed counterpart, and will promote the unique story and pristine environs that make Kodiak salmon a desirable product. The brochure will be distributed at tourist interaction points, and by USA's members, who work tirelessly to educate the American public about the value of Wild Kodiak Island Salmon. "We are grateful to the Alaska Conservation Foundation for supporting the sustainability of Alaska's commercial salmon fisheries," said USA/Kodiak Chairman Thom Wischer. "The continued success of our industry and our way of life depends on our ability to share our story with the American public, and our brochure will be a significant tool in that effort. This is a valuable partnership for our fishing community." In addition, USA/Kodiak will receive nearly $19,000 in grant funding from the US Department of Agriculture to help develop salmon marketing systems and cooperatives for the benefit of the commercial salmon industry. The funding, which was secured through a Value-Added Development Grant (VADG), will be used to conduct a feasibility study, and to prepare marketing and business plans for a small cooperative marketing venture. "We believe that individual fishermen hold the key to unlocking many valuable markets for our salmon," said USA President Bruce Schactler. "This grant gives us important support as we help salmon fishermen delve into the world of direct marketing and sales. Direct marketers will be able to use the framework we develop as a springboard for their own enterprises." The United Salmon Association is a fishermen's marketing association dedicated to increasing market share and prices for wild caught Alaskan Salmon. The new projects are important continuations of the Association's marketing work. "We are excited to use these new tools to continue to advocate for our membership," Schactler said. |
| September 23, 2002 | Kodiak Branding and Marketing Committee to Host Salmon Forum The Kodiak Branding and Marketing Committee [KBMC] is organizing a Community Salmon Forum to brainstorm ideas for improving and developing markets for Kodiak salmon. In addition, the KBMC is conducting a survey of industry participants. The goal of the forum and the survey is to gather the ideas and visions of salmon industry participants- fishermen, processors and processor workers, local government, and any interested public-and identify needs and projects that the branding committee can address in its work. The results of the forum and the survey will be redistributed to participants, and will be available to all interested parties. Hundreds of thousands of dollars will be available in the next few years to address market problems for Alaska salmon and other seafood. The KBMC wants to outline solutions that will work for Kodiak and foster creativity and growth in our local salmon industry; the Committee will then work hard to help implement these ideas in our community. Your ideas are extremely valuable to this process. Fishermen, processors, and many other community members are already bringing innovative ideas to the committee, including
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| August 21, 2002 | Seafood Directory Helps Fishermen, Markets Connect The Kodiak Branding and Marketing Committee (KBMC), chaired by USA Administrative Assistant Erin Harrington, is developing a seafood directory to help seafood enterpreneurs connect with potential markets. Copies of the directory will be housed in the USA office in Kodiak, in the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce, and the Kodiak Public Library. Fishermen, processors, and other service providers, including individuals or businesses that can help with the development of business plans or assist with financing, are encouraged to submit a form to the KBMC noting the resources they have available. Additionally, individuals or companies seeking access to certain resources, such as certain seafood products or business partners, are encouraged to submit a form as well. USA plans to list resources on this website in coming months. Instructions and Form |
| August 21, 2002 | Fishing Industry to Receive $77M in Aid Legislation signed by President Bush earlier this month will bring nearly $100 million in relief to Alaska fishing communities and industry affected by foreign imports. The money, which will be distributed through various channels, including job retraining and economic development programs, will trickle into the state over the next five years. |
| July 18, 2002 | Stevens Bill Would Provide $20 Million in Marketing Money to Alaska Great news arrived for salmon fishermen this week, when the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a U.S. Commerce Department Budget that includes $20 million for seafood marketing in Alaska. The money will come from the Saltonstall-Kennedy Fund, which is fueled by duties and tariffs levied against foreign seafood imports. The United Salmon Association has worked closely with Senators Ted Stevens and Frank Murkowski for two years in an effort to access a portion of that money to support marketing efforts for the domestic seafood industry. more... |
| June 27, 2002 | USA/Kodiak and Kodiak Fishermen Settle Prices with Processors The Kodiak chapter of the United Salmon Association has entered into contractual price agreements with Kodiak area salmon processors. Prices vary slightly between processing plants, but Kodiak area salmon fishermen will receive a minimum grounds price of approximately 53¢/lb. for sockeye salmon and between 5½¢ and 7¢ for pink salmon. more... |
| June 15, 2002 | Kodiak Fishermen on the Grounds, but Delivering to One Processor After a five-day stand down from their season, Kodiak salmon fishermen have signed a contract for sockeye and pink salmon that may have the fleet fishing as soon as Sunday. The Kodiak Chapter of the United Salmon Association, which negotiates prices for salmon fishermen in the Kodiak area, has arrived at a contractual agreement with a single processor, True World Foods, formally known as International Seafoods of Alaska. more... |
| June 13, 2002 | Fishermen Hold Firm in Kodiak Fishermen in Kodiak continue to stand down as the USA/Kodiak Negotiating Committee works toward a fair grounds price and an accompanying market driven scale for the salmon fleet. Support for the stand down has ben phenomenal island-wide. More than 95% of the salmon fleet is honoring the stand down. The fleet meets daily in Fishermen's Hall on Marine Way in Kodiak, and USA maintains communications with individuals around the island via radio and satellite phone contacts. |
| June 9, 2002 | Kodiak Salmon Fleet Stands Down from Season The United Salmon Association has been involved in price negotiations on behalf of Kodiak area salmon fishermen since early May. As of 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 8, USA has been unable to negotiate a price with Kodiak processors that is acceptable to fishermen. Therefore, the United Salmon Association has requested that salmon fishermen stand down from fishing when the Kodiak salmon season opens at noon Sunday, June 9. In 2001, Kodiak fishermen were paid a minimum grounds price of $.65 for sockeye salmon and $.09 for pink salmon. In addition, USA contracts included a market driven scale that resulted in a $.03 post season adjustment on the sockeye price in early 2002. Current sockeye price offers from Kodiak processors are 26% to 30% lower than prices paid fishermen in 2001; pink offers are nearly 50% lower. As is the case elsewhere in the state, Kodiak's salmon fishery is facing significant economic difficulties. The price paid to salmon fishermen for sockeye salmon has dropped 45% in three years. In Kodiak, participation in the purse seine fleet has dropped to 50% of its 1990 level; none of the 36 existing beach seine permits were fished in 2001; and while participation from the set gillnet fleet remains stable, the average gross for a setnet operation in 2001 was down 45% from the decadal average. In all, a mere 59% of the available salmon permits for the Kodiak area were fished last year. Lower participation is anticipated for the 2002 season. For more information, contact the United Salmon Association office. |
| June 4, 2002 | USA Negotiations in Full Swing The membership of the United Salmon Association is meeting every other day at present, as the salmon season approaches and the Association works toward signed contracts for the fleet. Red amd pink proposals are in and the Negotiating Team will meet with processors over the next day. The next meeting will be Wednesday, June 5, at 4:30 at Fishermen's Hall. Please come into the meeting or call the office for more inforamtion. |
| April 22, 2002 | USA Board of Directors meeting a "Huge Success!" The Statewide Board of Directors for the United Salmon Association held an organizational meeting in Anchorage earlier this month. More than a dozen board members from the various chapters of USA were in attendance, and energy was high as Directors elected new officials, strategized for 2002 negotiations, and discussed the Association's vision for the future. more... |
| March 8, 2002 | The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has launched a comprehensive site about Atlantic salmon escapees from British Columbian salmon farms. The site includes a link to the department's White Paper on Atlantic Salmon, which evaluates the possible consequence of escapees on Alaska's wild runs, and it provides links to dozens of research papers, web sites, and other resources on Atlantic Salmon. Visit the site at www.state.ak.us/adfg/geninfo/special/AS/AS_home.htm for more information. |
| March 1, 2002 | USA Supports Salmon Labeling Bill- Press Release "The United Salmon Association today voiced support for legislation that would require labeling of salmon that is farmed in floating net-cages..." more |
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