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Ocean International Acquisition. On July 15, 1997, Corsaire
Snowboard Inc. announced that it was nearing completion of its
acquisition of Ocean International Products SA de CV. On July 28,
1997, Corsaire Snowboard Inc. announced that it had completed its
acquisition of Ocean International Products SA de CV. [Dow Jones
News, Corsaire Snowboard press release]
European Fleet Restructuring. On July 11, 1997, the European
Commission released its annual report on restructuring of the
European fishing industry (MAGP III), confirming that the UK and the
Netherlands failed to achieve fleet tonnage reduction goals by the
end of 1996. In addition, France and Italy failed to achieve their
obligations for reducing engine power. At the other extreme,
Portugal, Spain, Denmark, and Germany reduced their fleets well
below Multi-Annual Guidance Programme (MAGP) requirements. As a
whole, between 1991 and 1996, the European fishing fleet was reduced
15% in tonnage and 9.5% in engine power. [Agence Europe via
Reuters]
Van Camp Seafood Sale. {On July 10, 1997, the U.S. Bankruptcy
Court approved the sale of Van Camp Seafood assets to Tri-Union
Seafoods, LLC for $97 million, after the Court discounted a rival
$110 million offer for Van Camp Seafood Co. from International Home
Foods, Inc., due to serious antitrust problems. On July 15, 1997,
Van Camp Seafood, Inc. filed a motion requesting a 120-day
extension for filing a reorganization plan. On July 18, 1997, the
Court entered a bridge order extending Van Camp's exclusivity until
a Sept. 5, 1997, hearing on the 120-day extension motion.} {{On
Aug. 6, 1997, the sale of Van Camp Seafood Co., Inc. to Tri-Union
Seafoods, LLC was completed, with the operations subsequently to be
known as Chicken of the Sea International. Company headquarters are
to remain in San Diego, CA, and operation of a cannery in American
Samoa will continue.}} [Dow Jones News]
Salmon Along the Pacific Coast
{Savage Rapids Dam. On Aug. 5, 1997, the Grants Pass Irrigation
District's board of trustees voted 3-1 to spend an estimated $13.5
million to remove the Savage Rapids Dam on the Rogue River, OR and
replace it with pumps.} [Assoc Press]
{NPPC Meeting. On Aug. 5, 1997, OR Gov. John Kitzhaber's chief
salmon advisor Jim Martin told the Northwest Power Planning Council
(NPPC) that a 4-state plan to recovery salmon was necessary to avoid
continued failure in the Columbia River basin. On Aug. 6, 1997,
the NPPC was reported to have conceded that it had failed to restore
Columbia Basin salmon, and listened to recommendations by scientific
staff on how to improve the effectiveness of fishery programs funded
by the Bonneville Power Administration.} [Assoc Press]
{Elliott Bay Chinook Fishery. In early August 1997, Muckleshoot
tribal officials wrote the WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife seeking
additional restrictions on the Elliott Bay chinook salmon sport
fishery, claiming the run to the Green River was 27% smaller than
predicted. The tribe is concerned that harvest of wild chinook will
threaten the population necessary to sustain the Green River run.}
[Assoc Press]
AK Pink Salmon Price. On July 30, 1997, commercial salmon seiners
from False Pass to Cordova, AK, remained in port, refusing to accept
a price as low as $0.05 per pound for pink salmon. Kodiak seiners
initiated the protest earlier in the week, after the United Seiners
Association had little success in obtaining processor commitments to
a minimum price of $0.15 per pound. {On Aug. 1, 1997, a second
salmon buyer in the Kodiak area signed an agreement with the United
Seiners Assoc. for a minimum base price of $0.15 per pound for pink
salmon; the first contract was obtained on July 28. Fishermen are
fishing on a rotation basis until sufficient contracts are received
to permit a completely open fishery. On Aug. 6, 1997, Kodiak
fishermen agreed to resume fishing after 3 processors agreed to a
minimum price of $0.12 per pound for pink salmon.} [Assoc Press]
{Port of Seattle Salmon? In late July 1997, Port of Seattle
commissioners voted 3-2 to spend as much as $300,000 for feasibility
and environmental studies to create an artificial salmon stream and
spawning area in downtown Seattle, WA, for shared educational and
conservation objectives. Private funding is expected to cover
construction costs.} [Assoc Press]
Salmon/Steelhead at Bonneville Dam. In late July 1997, the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers began efforts to release an undetermined
number of salmon and steelhead trout that may have become trapped
beneath the fish ladder near the Bonneville Dam's powerhouse on the
WA side of the river. Debris from heavy spring runoff had ripped
holes in gratings allowing fish to become trapped. Some biologists
estimate as many as 1,000 fish may be trapped. In addition, the
Corps has been asked by federal, state, and tribal managers to shut
down the dam's second powerhouse for several weeks so that debris
can be removed to clear the fish passage system before the peak
steelhead/fall chinook run arrives. However, the Corps contends
that pumping water from the fish passage system and subsequent
debris removal could not be completed in time to benefit this year's
fish. {On Aug. 4, 1997, Corps officials announced that fish
passage facilities had been repaired and would be reopened on Aug.
5; few trapped fish were found.} [Assoc Press]
Columbia River Flow Management. In late July 1997, the U.S. Bureau
of Reclamation announced that it would begin spilling water at Grand
Coulee Dam, WA, and Hungry House Dam, MT, in order to meet NMFS flow
objectives for the Columbia River. [Dow Jones News]
NMFS Oversight Hearing. On July 24, 1997, the House Resources
Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans held an
oversight hearing to review the authority and decision-making
processes for Columbia River salmon management by NMFS's Northwest
Region. A continuation of this hearing is scheduled on Aug. 15,
1997, in Boise, ID. [Congr. Record, personal communication]
Cook Inlet Salmon Fishery. On July 23, 1997, AK Fish and Wildlife
Protection officers began boarding 41 gillnet vessels alleged to
have been fishing for sockeye salmon beyond the legal 3-mile limit
in Cook Inlet. Charges are pending for 15 vessels, while 26 were
charged with misdemeanor counts of fishing in closed waters. [Assoc
Press]
El Nino. On July 18, 1997, the Peruvian government reinstated a
coastwide ban on anchovy fishing, based on lowered harvests related
to El Nino conditions. In mid-July 1997, Chilean officials
projected a significant increase in anchovy harvest due to
displacement of anchovy southward from Peru by warmer El Nino
currents. [Dow Jones News, Dow Jones News]
ID Hatchery Chinook. On July 17, 1997, the ID Fish and Game
Commission voted to open more areas to fishing for abundant
hatchery-bound chinook salmon and to increase the catch limits in
several areas. [Assoc Press]
Pacific Salmon Treaty. On July 16, 1997, U.S. and tribal managers
decided, jointly with Canadian managers, not to reopen the fishery
for early Stuart sockeye from the Fraser River due to concerns that
high siltation in the River may prevent significant numbers of
salmon from reaching their spawning areas. In earlier fisheries,
U.S. fisherman caught about 108,000 early Stuart fish while
Canadians harvested about 276,000. On July 16, 1997, BC Premier
Glen Clark was reported to have written to Canadian Prime Minister
Jean Chretien calling for a joint strategy to counter alleged
targeting of BC sockeye by southeast AK purse seiners near Noyes
Island. Canadian officials claim AK fishermen have caught 350,000
Canadian sockeye in this fishery, rather than the 120,000 agreed to.
AK officials contend the sockeye catch has been much smaller. On
July 18, 1997, U.S. officials admitted that southeast AK fishermen
had incidently caught a substantial number of sockeye salmon when
fishing for pink salmon, despite a limit of 120,000 sockeye, but
stated that they believe the United States is not in violation of
the Treaty. Canadian officials are concerned with the possibility
that southeast AK fishermen could catch as many as 1 million sockeye
caught by Aug. 1. On July 18, 1997, Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd
Axworthy sent a diplomatic letter to the United States, demanding
that AK fishermen immediately stop intercepting Canadian sockeye
salmon. On July 18, 1997, after dozens of BC fishing boats blocked
the AK fish tender Polar Lady carrying 100 tons of salmon to a fish
processing plant in Prince Rupert, BC, the tender returned to U.S.
waters. On July 19, 1997, several hundred Canadian fishing boats
surrounded the AK ferry Malaspina in Prince Rupert, BC, blocking its
departure for Ketchikan, AK. The blockade continued through July
21, despite a July 20 court order from a Montreal judge that the
fishing boats move and allow the ferry to depart; about 300 ferry
passengers were stranded. U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright sent a diplomatic letter to Canada, protesting the ferry
blockade; the Canadian fishermen demand that Canadian Fisheries
Minister David Anderson intercede and resume Treaty negotiations.
On July 20, 1997, a second ferry bound for Prince Rupert was
diverted to Bellingham, WA. On July 20, 1997, four U.S. fishermen
aboard two salmon gillnetters, the Lynde E and the Wanda Mae, were
arrested and their boats and catch seized for allegedly fishing
inside Canadian waters in the Juan de Fuca Strait near the mouth of
the Jordan River off the southern tip of Vancouver Island; in
addition, their gillnets reportedly were of a type that was illegal
in Canada. On July 21, 1997, the captains of the two U.S. fishing
vessels arrested were fined $4,000 each, with charges against their
two deckhands stayed. Late on July 21, 1997 and after Canadian
Fisheries Minister David Anderson assured fishermen that he would
make a renewed effort to resolve the dispute, Canadian protesters
allowed the AK ferry Malaspina to continue its journey north from
Prince Rupert, BC. AK has suspended ferry service to Prince Rupert
indefinitely, and AK's Attorney General is reported to have said
that AK intends to sue BC fishermen and the Canadian government in
Vancouver,BC, Federal Court for damages. On July 22, 1997, Prince
Rupert's mayor sent a letter of apology to AK Governor Tony Knowles,
including assurances that efforts are being made to compensate AK
for losses. On July 23, 1997, Canadian and U.S. officials agreed
to appoint special envoys to renew Pacific salmon negotiations;
these envoys will maintain daily contact and report directly to
Prime Minister Jean Chretien and President Bill Clinton. On July
23, 1997, U.S. and Canadian officials were reported to have held an
hour-long meeting characterized as a "good discussion." On July 23,
1997, the U.S. Senate voted 81-19 to pass S.Res. 109, expressing
the sense of Congress with respect to the AK ferry blockade in
Prince Rupert, BC, and urging President Clinton to impose economic
sanctions if other ferries are blocked. On July 23, 1997, WA
officials announced that they were reopening the fishery for early
Stuart sockeye for one day on July 24, after the Pacific Salmon
Commission increased its estimate of the run size from 1.4 million
fish to 1.8 million fish. Thus far the U.S. has harvested 121,000
fish while Canadians have harvested 322,000; U.S. managers agreed
to Canada's revised request that 687,000 fish (rather than the
earlier 500,000 fish) be allowed to escape for spawning. On July
24, 1997, AK managers did not reopen the southeast AK purse seine
salmon fishery in Management District 4 to allow sockeye salmon
bound for Canada's Nass River to pass. On July 25, 1997, White
House announced that former EPA Administrator William Ruckelshaus
had been appointed by President Clinton to serve as the U.S.
special envoy. The Canadian government appointed Dr. David W.
Strangway, President and Vice Chancellor of the Univ. of BC, as
their special envoy. On July 28, 1997, AK Attorney General Bruce
Botelho was tentatively scheduled to personally file AK's lawsuit
against the Canadian government and BC fishermen for AK ferry
blockade costs in Vancouver, BC, Federal Court. AK is seeking $2
million in damages. BC Premier Glen Clark assured BC fishermen that
the Province will pay their legal expenses. On July 28, 1997, the
Vancouver, BC, Federal Court Justice Barbara Reed granted AK a
permanent injunction against further blockades of AK state ferries
and approved the transport of AK commercial salmon through BC
waters. On July 28, 1997, the U.S. House approved H.Con.Res. 124
by voice vote, condemning the blockade of the AK ferry by BC
fishermen and calling on the Administration to protect U.S.
interests. In late July 1997, the Union of National Defense
Employees asked the BC Supreme Court for an injunction to block the
closure of the Nanoose testing range, as threatened by BC Premier
Glen Clark, claiming BC has no authority to cancel a federal lease.
On July 29, 1997, Canadian Fisheries Minister David Anderson met in
Washington, DC, with Pacific Northwest Senators and Commerce
Secretary William Daley. On July 29, 1997, WA announced a 3-day
fishery for early sockeye salmon bound for the Fraser River after
the Pacific Salmon Commission increased the estimated run size from
351,000 fish to 500,000 fish. On July 29, 1997, the AK ferry
Aurora, escorted by U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Mounted
Police vessels, made an uneventful trip to Hyder/Stewart, BC. On
July 30, 1997, WA Gov. Gary Locke announced that former WA wildlife
chief Curt Smitch was being appointed as Gov. Locke's chief advisor
on salmon and natural resource issues. In addition, Smitch was
reported likely to be nominated to represent WA and OR on the
Pacific Salmon Commission, replacing Bob Turner. On July 30, 1997,
Canadian Fisheries Minister David Anderson met in Seattle with the
governors of WA and AK. In a joint announcement on July 30, 1997,
the governors of AK and WA and Canadian Fisheries Minister David
Anderson announced that an expanded "Salmon Summit" would be
convened in fall 1997, and that stakeholder discussions may resume
in early fall 1997. Fisheries Minister Anderson also announced that
Canada would schedule no directed fishery for coho salmon off
Vancouver Island, reducing the harvest to 20% of the run, rather
than the 60% harvested in 1996. On July 30, 1997, BC Premier Glen
Clark urged Fisheries Minister David Anderson to adopt a "Canada
First" plan developed by a joint federal-provincial working group,
whereby Canadian fishermen would be encouraged to intercept Pacific
salmon headed for U.S. waters. {On Aug. 1, 1997, the AK Marine
Highway System announced its revised August schedule, with
additional sailings to and from Bellingham, WA, and deletion of
ferry stops at Prince Rupert, BC. On Aug. 4, 1997, BC fishermen
held a 6-hour protest gillnet fishery in defiance of Canadian Dept.
of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) regulations for DFO's hesitance in
scheduling an opportunity for BC gillnet fishermen to catch sockeye
salmon migrating to the Skeena River. DFO is concerned that gillnet
fishermen cannot be selective enough to protect intermingled and
less abundant coho salmon and steelhead trout. On Aug. 4, 1997,
U.S. Commerce Secretary William Daley delivered a speech to the
Montreal Board of Trade, commenting that the AK ferry blockade may
have changed attitudes sufficiently to cause progress in achieving a
negotiated agreement. On Aug. 5, 1997, Canada's Defense Minister
Art Eggleton announced that the Canadian federal government will not
allow BC Premier Glen Clark to cancel a U.S. Navy lease for marine
weapons testing at Nanoose Bay, BC. On Aug. 5, 1997, in Ottawa,
U.S. Commerce Secretary William Daley said that his Aug. 4 remarks
in Montreal had been "somewhat misinterpreted" and that the AK ferry
blockade was an illegal act that did nothing to help resolve the
....
End of Part 2/4
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