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Tribal Engagement Newsletter
This newsletter serves as an information source for NOAA Fisheries contacts, job postings, grants, educational opportunities available throughout Alaska, and upcoming North Pacific Fishery Management Council issues.
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North Pacific Fishery Management Council
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC, also referred to as Council) was established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA, also referred to as the Magnuson-Stevens Act) to manage fisheries off the coast of Alaska. The NPFMC meets five times per year and consists of the Science and Statistical Committee (SSC), the Advisory Panel (AP), and the Council. This newsletter includes information about the upcoming June Council meeting and is adapted from the three meeting outlook (Council schedule for the next three meetings). Visit the NPFMC webpage for the upcoming meeting schedule, which includes a detailed breakdown of the upcoming Council meeting by agenda item. If you wish to consult on any of the Council topics below, please contact Tribal Relations Coordinator Amilee Wilson at amilee.wilson@noaa.gov.
Council Process
June 2023 Council Meeting
B Reports (Agency level reports on recent events under their jurisdiction)
- (B1) Executive Director’s Report on general announcements about Council meetings, any personnel changes, and additional opportunities for public input;
- (B2) NMFS Management Report including the final 2023 annual deployment plan for observers and electronic monitoring, end-of-year inseason management report, general announcements, personnel changes, and tribal engagement updates;
- (B3) NOAA General Counsel Report on any legal issues;
- (B4) NOAA Enforcement Report;
- (B5) ADF&G report on State of Alaska fisheries management;
- (B6) USCG report on any highlights and news;
- (B7) USFWS report on a summary of major agency updates;
- (B9) SSC report on SSC agenda items;
- and (B10) AP report on AP agenda items.
C1: BSAI crab harvest specifications (Yearly Report)
- The Council’s SSC will review the Crab Plan Team’s report and recommendations and the Council will set appropriate harvest levels, as well as providing suggestions associated with crab rebuilding plans and crab management.
- Tribal consultation has been offered for this action item, but has not been conducted
C2: Observer reports (Yearly Report)
- The Council will review a NMFS report on observer coverage in the groundfish fisheries in 2022, and provide feedback to the agency as needed.
- Tribal consultation has been offered for this action item, but has not been conducted
C3: BBRKC closure areas (Initial Review)
- The Council will review an initial analysis to consider management measures that may reduce Bristol Bay Red King Crab (BBRKC) mortality from groundfish fishing in areas that may be important to BBRKC and where BBRKC may be found year-round. Such measures could help increase stock abundance and promote achievement of optimum yield from the directed BBRKC fishery while minimizing negative impacts to affected groundfish fleet operations.
- Tribal consultation has been offered for this action, but has not been conducted
C4: Crab C share recent participation requirement (Initial Review)
- The Council will review an analysis associated with modifying the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Crab Rationalization Program (CR Program) active participation requirements for captains and crew holding crew quota (C shares).
- Tribal consultation has been offered for this action, but has not been conducted
D Items
- D1 Small sablefish release – staff update
- Tribal consultation to be announced
- D2 Programmatic EIS – Consider purpose and need, alternatives; Ecosystem Committee report
- Tribal consultation to be announced
- D3 Crew data collection discussion paper (SSC only)
- Tribal consultation to be announced
Highlighted Upcoming Agenda Items
Tribal consultation will be offered for action items where consultation has not occurred prior to each of the Council meetings.
- Amendment 80 Program Review
- Chum salmon bycatch (Tribal consultation has been conducted)
- Crab Harvest Specifications
- BSAI/GOA Harvest Specifications
- Area 4 Vessel Use Caps
- Bering Sea LKTK protocols and onramps
- BS FEP Climate Change Task Force
- BSAI/GOA Final Harvest Specifications
- Ecosystem status reviews
- Crab C share
- Charter halibut management measures
Resources
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Contacts
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Amilee Wilson, Tribal Engagement Point of Contact for the Alaska Regional Office, amilee.wilson@noaa.gov (can assist with requests for consultation or engagement, questions on tribal policy, information on tribal projects, and feedback or questions on this tribal newsletter).
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Maggie Mooney-Seus, Communications Program Manager for the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), marjorie.mooney-seus@noaa.gov (can assist with requests for consultation or engagement on research efforts and questions related to research activities being conducted in Alaska)
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Mabel Baldwin-Schaeffer, Tribal Research Coordinator for the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), mabel.baldwin-schaeffer@noaa.gov (can assist with questions on collaborative research efforts)
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Kate Haapala, Rural Fishing Community and Tribal Liaison for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, kate.haapala@noaa.gov (can assist with questions regarding Council actions and process)
NOAA Fisheries
NOAA Fisheries Vacant Positions
- Upcoming Jobs at NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region:
- NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region will be hiring for a number of staff positions in the coming weeks and months, including regulatory analysts, administrative assistants, information technology specialists, and others. All of these positions will be posted on USAJOBS, where you can search by agency and location. The announcements are typically posted for just a week or two, so check frequently!
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Current Openings
- Please share these recent openings within your tribal networks
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Resources for navigating USAJOBS:
Upcoming Events
- May 18th Virtual Public Hearing on Amendment 16 - Federal salmon management in Cook Inlet
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Hōkūleʻa Moananuiākea Voyage begins in May starting with the West coast of North America
- On Tuesday, March 21, 2023, the Polynesian Voyaging Society announced their newest voyage, Moananuiākea, a voyage for earth. This voyage will be 43,000 nautical miles, 47-month circumnavigation of the Pacific by traditional Polynesian voyaging canoes, Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia, and 400 crew to 36 countries and archipelagoes, nearly 100 indigenous territories, and 345 ports
- On Saturday, June 15, Hōkūleʻa will depart Juneau after a celebratory ceremony launching the start of the Moananuiākea Voyage, a circumnavigation of the Pacific (Source: Hōkūleʻa crew social media)
- Hōkūleʻa will also be stopping in Yakutat to honor the late Byron Mallot, a PVS Navigator and close friend of Nainoa's. The Yakutat Tlingit Tribe is preparing the welcome (Source: Aaron Poe, Alaska Conservation Association)
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Alaska expeditions on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer May - September 2023
- NOAA Ocean Exploration works with partners to explore previously unknown areas of our ocean
- These expeditions are being planned and conducted from a place of respect for and recognition of the Indigenous peoples of Alaska and their connection to and knowledge of the ocean, fish, birds, and other wildlife that sustain their livelihood, traditions, and communities
- For more information on the expeditions, please contact Emily Crum at emily.crum@noaa.gov
Grants
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Alaska Region Federal Funding website: The Alaska Region has put together a website to include federal funding opportunities related to fisheries and mariculture. The website is updated regularly and lists all programs and funding that the Alaska Region supports as well as other opportunities that may be of interest to those living in Alaska. We are constantly working on listing available opportunities and welcome any feedback on the site. The website is fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska-grants, and any feedback or questions about grants or upcoming announcements can be sent to akr.grants@noaa.gov.
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2023 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program (closes May 31st): Approximately $550 million is available to select approximately 11 eligible entities to become Grantmakers. Grantmakers will design competitive application and submission processes, award environmental justice subgrants, implement a tracking and reporting system, provide resources and support to communities, all in collaboration with EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights. The EJ TCGM program was created to reduce barriers to the application process and increase the efficiency of the awards process for environmental justice grants.
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Developing a Climate Impact Statement for Coastal Erosion and Shoreline Stability in Levelock, Alaska: The Levelock Village Council will conduct a Climate Impact Statement for the Native Village of Levelock, Alaska. The Climate Impact Statement will assess how future climate scenarios could affect Levelock and provide strategies to improve their resilience to hazards like sea level rise and flooding. In particular, it will focus on how climate change could impact erosion of the Kvichak River, which the community relies on for supply services and sockeye salmon fishing.
Educational Opportunities
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Hollings Scholar Program (opens in September): A 9-week, paid, summer program to increase undergraduate training in oceanic and atmospheric science, research, technology, and education and foster multidisciplinary training opportunities.
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Hollings Preparation Program (HPP) (opens in March): The HPP will prepare undergraduates to be competitive applicants for the full NOAA Hollings Scholarship in their sophomore year of college. HPP scholars will be paired with NOAA mentors primarily on the West Coast, including California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and Alaska, for four to six weeks during the summer of 2023. For more information contact: hollingsprep.wcr@noaa.gov
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Knauss Fellowship (opens in February): The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational and professional experience to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources.
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Alaska Sea Grant Fellowship (applications due February 11): A unique professional opportunity for soon-to-graduate or recently finished graduate students interested in the science and policy needed to keep our marine resources healthy.
- Graduate Programs at University of Alaska Fairbanks
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