The International Pacific Halibut Commission is currently celebrating 80 years as a joint Canadian and U.S. fisheries management body, making it the oldest international fisheries council in existence, according to executive director Bruce Leaman. Leaman, who was recently touring Alaska ports, dropped in to speak at a March meeting of the North Pacific Fisheries Association, giving an informal talk on the state of the Pacific halibut fishery and the organization that manages it. "Our current slogan is Œ80 years of cooperation,'" Leaman said. "And the commission is well aware of that heritage." He outlined several issues facing halibut fisherman these days. For starters, Leaman gave a somewhat upbeat assessment of how aquaculture could affect the industry. Most industry experts expect the annual production of farmed halibut to remain flat in the 1,700-to-2,000-ton range, he said, with a greater effort beginning to shift into the production of farmed black cod.

With Chile's halibut aquaculture going online last year, the farming industry continues to be subsidized largely in the countries where it has taken hold, Leaman says. "When (these countries) set their minds to do it, they go about it in a very well-funded way," he added. Leaman said he believed the threat of halibut farming to commercial halibut fishermen probably was "not as acute as it was a few years ago." Nonetheless, the commission continues to look into expanding the halibut season to allow more of a winter fishery so that fisherman can keep their fresh markets supplied with fish in order to head off the farmed product. One fisherman at the NPFA meeting asked what risk a winter fishery might pose for migration of Pacific halibut to the Central Gulf of Alaska, where much of the stock's spawning is said to happen. Leaman said he could not rule out the possibility that the distribution of the biomass might be altered to some degree, and though the exact effects will be difficult to pin down, fishermen could see some impacts on the value of IFQ shares in certain areas. "But industry has been very adamant about wanting a longer season," Leaman said. "The bottom line is we can still guarantee stock levels. We don't think it's a conservation issue."

Organic labeling for wild-caught seafood in the United States could be a reality in the near future as the senate last week approved an amendment to allow such labeling for marketing purposes. The legislation, which was introduced by Alaska senators, would allow the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a set of regulations to designate wild-caught fish, including Alaska salmon, as organic products. The Alaska seafood industry has been lobbying for this marketing angle over the last several years. Under current rules, seafood cannot be labeled organic because the organic status of a given species' feed is difficult if not impossible to determine. That particular roadblock was something that Sen. Ted Stevens and former Sen. Frank Murkowski railed at for the length of the debate. Murkowski's appointed successor, daughter Lisa Murkowski, has picked up the cause. "Wild salmon from the pristine waters of Alaska are as close to Œnatural' or Œorganic' as any product of any type anywhere," she said in a news release. "It's hard to believe that some in the government don't believe wild-caught natural salmon from Alaska are Œorganic' but are supportive of organic labeling for farm-raised salmon which could contain contaminants not present in wild fish. This amendment will help consumers gain balanced and complete information on the food they buy." Stevens added that the amendment was a "crucial component to our effort to provide new marketing opportunities for Alaska's fishermen." The amendment was attached to a supplemental appropriations bill that passed the senate last week by a 93-0 vote.

The Prince William Sound state waters black cod season kicked off on Monday with a quideline harvest goal of 240,000 pounds. The current opening will continue through May 15, with another slated for Aug. 1-21. The catch is divided up among the boat classes, with boats of a maximum of 50 feet taking the lion's share of the catch at roughly 70 percent.

IPHC merit scholarship applications currently are being solicited from fishermen who are looking for support in the pursuit of a university or technical college education. The commission offers a limited number of scholarships valued at $2,000 per year. Applicants are reviewed by a panel of industry and commission representatives, and the grants are awarded based on academic qualification, career goals and the relationship to the halibut industry. The 2003 scholarships will be available for the coming fall semester. Applications are due by July 1. For more information, call Christine Carr at 206-634-1838 ext. 201, or Bruce Leaman at ext. 203.