California Aquaculture Association

Action Alert: Please Support Assembly Bill 1886

Webmaster — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:37:13 +0000

As mentioned in a previous release, Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro has introduced Assembly Bill 1886, a bill that the CAA feels is vitally important for our aquaculture industry. We ask that you please write a letter in support of this bill.

In summary, Assembly Bill 1886 (AB 1886) would better clarify the duties of the Aquaculture Coordinator position and the Aquaculture Program within the department of Fish and Game. The bill also better defines the role of the Coordinator and how the position interfaces with the Aquaculture Development Committee on behalf of the industry.

The protection, promotion, and expansion of California’s aquaculture industry is at a critical juncture and the need for fish as food continues to grow, as does the desire for viable fishing opportunities. Private aquaculture produces both. And the Aquaculture Coordinator is a critical position within the department, where industry members can go for permits, technical assistance, health, problem solving, stocking, policy and development issues.

Again, we ask that you please support this bill by writing a letter to:

Jared Huffman

California State Assembly

Capitol Office

PO Box 942849, Room 3120

Sacramento, California 94249-0006

If you have any questions please let us know.

New Directors Appointed to the California Aquaculture Association

Webmaster — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:52:18 +0000

Congratulations to the new Directors appointed to the California Aquaculture Association. The Directors were appointed as a voting result from our members and are as follows:

Anthonie Schuur – Aquaculture Management Services

Chad Vanderlinden – Skretting

Dennis Faria – Imperial Catfish

Donald Crain – Crain Fisheries

Greg Dale – Coast Seafoods Company

Greg Leonard – Freshwater Fish Company

Iva Gaglione – Star Milling

Mark Drawbridge – Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute

Mark Eglington – Bluebeyond Fisheries

Michael Passmore – Passmore Ranch

Tony Vaught – Professional Aquaculture Services

The 2012 CAA Board of Directors is as follows:

President – Tony Vaught

President Elect – Michael Passmore

Secretary – Dennis Faria

Treasurer – Peter Struffenegger (non-Director)

Vice President – Anthonie Schuur

Vice President – Chad Vanderlinden

Vice President – Iva Gaglione

Co-Treasurer – Donald Crain

Directors – Greg Dale, Mark Eglington, Greg Leonard, Mark Drawbridge

39th Annual Fisheries Forum Summary

Webmaster — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:45:55 +0000

The development and expansion of California’s aquaculture industry was a major topic of the Fisheries Forum at the Capitol on February 22nd, a topic that seemed to get the attention of the Assembly members in attendance. An aquaculture development panel made up of CAA President Greg Dale (Coast Seafoods), CAA Director Mark Drawbridge (Hubbs Seaworld Research Institute), as well as Don Kent (Hubbs Seaworld Research Institute), and Ken Beer (The Fishery) made it clear to attendees and viewers that there is plenty of room for growth and expansion for aquaculture in California. The panel pointed out that 86% of consumed fish is imported, leaving us at a trade deficit of $10 billion. This begged the question to Assembly members, why isn’t this product being produced locally?

To assist in the growth of California’s aquaculture industry, much emphasis was put on the importance of filling the seat of Aquaculture Coordinator and, in turn, establishing a more fully functioning Aquaculture Development Committee. On February 23rd, the day after the Forum, Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro introduced Assembly Bill 1886, a bill that seeks to remedy some of issues brought before him.

Counsel digest:

“This bill would include in the duties of the coordinator the requirement to coordinate with the Aquaculture Development Committee. The bill would increase those registration, renewal, surcharge, and penalty fees. The bill would require the department to provide an accounting of the aquaculture coordinator program account balance and expenditures upon request of the Aquaculture Development Committee or the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture. The bill would restrict the use of fee revenues to paying the costs of the administration and enforcement of the program. The bill would require the department to prepare and submit to the Legislature on or before February 1, 2017, a report regarding the aquaculture coordinator program. The bill would repeal the aquaculture coordinator program on January 1, 2018.”

View the full Forum video:

Aquaculture America’s Friday Morning Lineup in Versailles 2 Room Looks Rewarding – Growing Your Aquaculture Enterprise: Financing & Marketing

Webmaster — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:09:40 +0000

A dual session on Financing and Marketing promises to bring great speakers and relevant topics to growers attending Aquaculture America 2012, being held Friday morning, March 2nd in the Versailles 2 Room, Paris Hotel, Las Vegas. (CAA Member meeting to follow at 1:30pm)

Sharing their experiences will be a well-rounded & exciting group that includes:

David Tze, Aquacopia Managing Director of the first and only aquaculture venture capital firm.

Don Disraeli, Kanaloa Seafoods CEO and innovative seafood wholesaler from Santa Barbara with a recognized track record of environmental responsibility and avid customer of farm-raised aquaculture products.

Helene York, Bon Appétit Mgt Co Director of Strategic Initiatives, who has helped direct their corporate purchasing for some 400 cafes toward sustainably-sourced seafood, including an emphasis on locally-grown aquaculture product.

Jim Gibbons, Seattle Shellfish Owner who’s had to resort to some creative methods of getting his aquaculture operation going.

Dave Conley, The Aquaculture Communications Group Founding Partner and experienced grower and industry advocate on attracting investors.

Tony Schuur, Aquaculture Mgt Services on Scale, Risk, and Return from the view of an experienced engineer & consultant.

Mats Engstrom, long-time fine-food purveyor, reflecting on starting a sturgeon farm.

Michael Passmore, as a growing finfish farmer, on getting Face to Face with your customers and using creative social networking tools to build business.

Linda O’Dierno of NAA with enlightening marketing data on consumer buying preferences and how to clear up misconceptions within the seafood buying public.

The session starts at 8:30am and will run through 12:30, with a break between the earlier Finance and the later Marketing sessions.

See you in the Versailles 2 Room!

39th Annual Fisheries Forum

Webmaster — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:33:22 +0000

Attention CAA members: you are encouraged to attend the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture on February 22, 2012 at 9:30am. The subject of this informational hearing will be the 39th Annual Fisheries Forum. This forum will be host to an aquaculture panel whose intent is to protect and promote the aquaculture industry and to inform the state legislature and others of the industry’s production of healthy food, recreational opportunities, innovation, and new jobs.

View the Press Release here.

View the Agenda here.

Where: State Capitol, Room 4202

When: February 22, 2012 @ 9:30am – 5:00pm

Five-Year Summary of Seafood Trade Deficit Data

Webmaster — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:03:19 +0000

This new analysis of the seafood trade deficit and other products by Joe Myers, Aquaculture Development Specialist, Office of Aquaculture Coordination, Division of Agricultural & Natural Resources, New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

The seafood trade deficit trend continues upward with clearly bold actions needed by many that encourage and generate new investments that result in profitable businesses and companies with new industry growth in aquaculture and fisheries. See table below for the 5-year summary.

Seafood trade deficit at $10.887 billion in 2011.

Year	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Fish/shellfish rank in deficit	23	22	17	18	17
Fish/shellfish value ($billion)	$(9.172)	$(9.649)	$(8.922)	$(10.067)	$(10.887)

Next Largest Food Item Deficit Contributor

(00190) Wine and related products #37
(00190) Wine and related products #31
(00190) Wine and related products #31
(00190) Wine and related products #23
(00190) Wine and related products #25
(00000) Green coffee #24

Largest Food Item Surplus Contributor

(00200) Feedstuff and foodgrains #3
(00200) Feedstuff and foodgrains #2
(00200) Feedstuff and foodgrains #1
(00200) Feedstuff and foodgrains #2
(00200) Feedstuff and foodgrains
(00200) Feedstuff and foodgrains #1

Largest Deficit Contributor

(10000) Crude
(10000) Crude
(10000) Crude
(10000) Crude
(10000) Crude
(10000) Crude

2nd Largest Deficit Contributor

(30000) Passenger cars, new and used
(30000) Passenger cars, new and used
(30000) Passenger cars, new and used
(40000) Apparel, household goods – textile
(40000) Apparel, household goods – textile
(40000) Apparel, household goods – textile

Largest Surplus Contributor

(22000) Civilian aircraft, complete-all types
(22000) Civilian aircraft, complete-all types
(00200) Feedstuff and foodgrains
(22090) Civilian aircraft, engines, equipment, and parts
(00200) Feedstuff and foodgrains
(00200) Feedstuff and foodgrains

2011 Insights

Total trade deficit grew 14.4% over previous year. Record High remains 2006.

(01000) Fish and shellfish deficit passes $10.89 billion mark (a 8.2% increase over 2009)

No “China-Effect” readily apparent from trade data. Both imports from and exports to China increase to hold seafood trade deficit with China relatively stable.

(00000) Green coffee ($6.905 billion) surpasses (00190) Wine and related products ($6.767 billion) as #2 trade deficit contributor for first time.

Many agricultural categories post record surpluses or record deficits.

Major shifts to greater surplus noted in (10010) Fuel oil, (14270) Nonmonetary gold, (10020) Other petroleum products.

Annual CAA Member Meeting to be Held on March 2nd, 2012

Webmaster — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:56:48 +0000

The CAA will be holding an annual member and Board meeting on March 2nd, 2012 at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas. All members are welcome and encouraged to attend this meeting. Please RSVP here.

Where: Versailles Room 2, Paris Hotel, Las Vegas

When: 1:30pm on March 2nd, 2012

We would also like to thank all who have renewed their 2012 CAA memberships. Your membership with us is greatly appreciated and we look forward to a bright and prosperous 2012! Also, as we are always looking for ways to improve and grow the Organization, please submit to us any recommendations regarding potential new members.

For those who have not yet renewed their annual CAA membership please do so by printing and submitting the membership form found here.

Also, as mentioned above, we hope to see you all at Aquaculture America 2012 in Las Vegas (details below). As CAA will be hosting a booth at the event, representing California’s aquaculture industry, if any members wish to have their business cards available at our booth for disbursement please drop them off at our booth at the event or mail them to (max 100 cards please):

PO Box 807

Sacramento, CA 95814

Please Support Adrianna Shea for Aquaculture Coordinator

Webmaster — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:59:20 +0000

The CAA has been, and continues to be, in support of the appointment of Adrianna Shea for the Aquaculture Coordinator position; we are asking for your support as well. As a CAA member and/or aquaculture industry member, please write and send a letter to Governor Brown supporting the appointment of Adrianna Shea to the position of Aquaculture Coordinator. A new letter from you on company letterhead will be very helpful. If you have more than one company please utilize the diverse letterhead you have. If you know allied businesses, associations, local government agencies that would lend a hand by writing a letter supporting filling the Aquaculture Coordinator position, by all means, reach out to them.

Please address letters to:

The Honorable Jerry Brown

Governor, State of California

State Capitol

Sacramento, Ca 95814

Attention: Appointment Secretary

Please send to a copy of your letter to:

CAA

Re: Aquaculture Coordinator

1015 K St., Suit 200

Sacramento CA 95814

Join the CAA at Aquaculture America 2012 in Las Vegas!

Webmaster — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:25:29 +0000

Please join us at Aquaculture America 2012 at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, February 29th through March 2nd. The Aquaculture America Conference, hosted by the U.S. Aquaculture Society (formerly the U.S. chapter of WAS) in conjunction with NAA and the U.S. Aquaculture Suppliers Association, is the only major national aquaculture conference and exposition held in the United States.

From the event brochure, “Aquaculture America 2012 will have the largest aquaculture trade show in the Western Hemisphere and one of the largest anywhere in the world with nearly 200 booths! It is the place to visit current suppliers and make new contacts. To keep ahead and to keep profits building, you need to keep pace with the technological advancements in the industry – and Aquaculture America 2012 is the place to do it!”

The CAA will also be hosting two seminar sessions:

Creatively Financing Start-Up and Expanding Aquaculture Operations
Recognizing Your Market: What do Your Customers Want?

View session details here.

Don’t miss out! Click here for more info!

Click here to view the full program session guide. For hotel information please click here.

Please note: All CAA tours have been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Commission rejects DFG regulation changes for California fish stocking

Webmaster — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 02:05:10 +0000

Trout and catfish tanker trucks will keep rolling from private hatcheries to all state waters following Thursday’s action – or make that non-action — by the state Fish and Game Commission.

California’s fish stocking program by private hatcheries in state waters will continue under the same permit regulations as the Commission rejected the Department of Fish and Game’s proposed rules changes for stocking and growing fish.

The Commissioners instructed the Fish and Game Department to come back to the Commission only if the agency feels it’s necessary and to clarify the DFG’s legal exposure for not going forward with the DFG’s regulations. The DFG’s fisheries staff sought to require hatcheries and fisheries to pay for a broad spectrum of biological assessments before stocking or growing fish.

“My direction is rejection, and I’m not directing them (DFG) to come back,” said Commissioner Dan Richards of Upland.

Richards said afterward that he expects the proposed regulation changes to come back to the Commission again in some form, but he said the Commission made it clear that it will not make the hatchery and fisheries groups go through the kind of permitting process the DFG sought in this round.

“The statute is the statute, and only the Legislature can change that,” Richards said, adding that it’s up to the DFG to go to the Legislature to change the statute regarding the permitting process.

The Fish and Game Commission, meeting in San Diego at Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute’s Shedd Auditorium, heard presentations from the Department of Fish and Game and from representatives of fishery and private hatchery owners. State Sen. Tom Harman (R-Orange County) started the public comment by urging the Commission to reject the DFG’s proposed changes.

Both sides offered vastly different pictures on what it would cost fishery and hatchery owners to do the necessary biological assessments in order to acquire stocking or fish-growing permits.

As expected, Fish and Game showed the cost to be in the hundreds of dollars, while the representatives of the fisheries and hatcheries said the cost will be, on average, around $133,000.

Dixon Lake in Escondido was one of the four lakes studied for cost by the independent Sapphos Environmental, Inc., and Dixon came in at $181,000 for the biological assessment to keep stocking fish. The breakdown was $25,919 for fish assessment, $15,490.74 for birds, $139,677.06 for herpetofauna.

Chris McKinney of the City of Escondido said earlier that the city didn’t have the funds to pay for such an assessment and that the cost would have to be passed on to lake users. Some lake operators said they’d have to close their lakes or hatcheries, costing hundreds of jobs.

Doug Elliott, who owns Corona Lake and runs the concession at Santa Ana River Lakes, said in his more than 30 years of stocking fish there hasn’t been one report of stocked fish impacting a species in Southern California.

“If these regulations go through, I’ll have to let 50 employees go, and I won’t be buying $1 million worth of fish a year from hatcheries, which also will go out of business,” Elliott said.

Opponents showed a history of stocking in California that goes back to the initial stocking of bass and catfish in 1874, for a stocking history that goes back nearly 140 years.

Louie Zimm of the San Diego Yacht Club and the San Diego Fly Fishers pointed out that the proposed regulations even call for a stocking permit to plant mosquito fish, which are planted to fight the spread of mosquitoes and the spread of diseases such as West Nile Virus and malaria.

Only one person, Paul Weakland, spoke in favor of the stocking and hatchery regulations and the protection of natural resources.

“It’s not nice to fool with Mother Nature,” said Weakland, offering his mantra. He often blames the DFG for stocking abalone with withering stress syndrome and thus wiping out abalone in many areas.

Source: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/dec/15/commission-rejects-dfg-regulation-changes-californ/?page=2#article