President’s Column

Autumn brings different tasks to different fisheries. But one event that brings all of us fishing types together at this time of year is Fish Expo.

Most fishermen see Fish Expo as an opportunity to shop and moreover, a time to socialize! Vendors see is as a time to talk with customers and check out their competitors’ products. For me, I enjoy seeing so many of the people (and relatives) that I don’t otherwise see face-to-face during the year. And I look forward to spending a shift in the WFN Booth making new connections in the industry. Fish Expo will be at the Seattle Convention Center November 16, 17 and 18.

This year we are so pleased to have a ‘regular size’ WFN booth with room to sit down! Bonnie Hall Elerding and Katie Alberg have a theme for the booth, “Keep In Touch”.
There will be a telephone, a web connection, table, chairs and a bulletin board if you need to leave messages for other family members or business associates while you are visiting Fish Expo.
Our WFN National President, Stephanie Madsen, will be in town to conduct the National Annual General Meeting on Thursday, the 16th at 3:00 pm in Room 201. We look forward to meeting members from the Alaska Chapter and perhaps someone from the Northeast Chapter! Our National meeting will be followed by a reception for all the women who are attending Fish Expo as an Exhibitor or as a Guest.

We hope that you and all of our Northwest members will take this opportunity to meet some of the other fabulous women in our industry, too.

It must be that scintillating autumn weather: Our Chapter has picked up steam this fall just as the leaves are falling. Some of our members “dropped” by the October meeting just to network over brown bag dinners.
We also met a new member, Paula Grujinsky, who holds a master’s license, has sailed for various fishing companies and lives in Vancouver, Washington.
Welcome, Paula! See you at Fish Expo!

October Meeting Review

We hosted a cross-section of individuals from the fishing industry on October 19 for our presentation on “Health Insurance for Fishing Families and Businesses”.

Ginny Goblirsch, Oregon State Marine Extension Agent and Representative for the Women’s Coalition for Pacific Fisheries gave an overview and history of the issues surrounding this issue. In 1998, they conducted a random, confidential survey of commercial fishing and charter boat owners and crew members in Alaska, California, Oregon and Washington to help them design a health insurance program. They discovered that 32% of the families were uninsured three times the Oregon state average).

It took two years of discussions and negotiating to finally get agreement with Regence Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Oregon to provide a comprehensive group plan. The only requirements are that the family/business derives more than 50% of their annual income from the fishing industry and that it is a member of WCPF, a $20/ year membership.

Thereafter, Pat Swenson, Benefits Resource Group Inc. of Bellevue, gave a status report on the health insurance in Washington State. Currently it is very difficult to get reasonable insurance without belonging to a group plan. But that may change next year. She also explained some of the legal issues.
Last, Cindy Cameron from Benefits Specialists, Inc. of Astoria, addressed the specific benefits and differences among the three plan options being offered. The program is comprehensive, including both preventive and routine care, and prescription drugs.

Families can select the plan that best meet their coverage and financial needs. She also fielded questions from the nearly 30 people present, many of which represented fishing associations and small businesses. To receive an information packet or for more information about this group insurance plan, call WCPF’s toll free number at 1.877.696-5776 or stop by their booth at Fish Expo.

We want to thank in particular the following organizations which underwrote the rental costs of Leif Erickson Hall for this presentation: At-Sea Processors Association; Deep Sea Fishermen’s Union of the Pacific; Fishing Vessel Owners’ Association; North Pacific Longline Association; Pacific Seafood Processors’ Association and United Catcher Boats

Margarete Hall

P.S. The Reception following the WFN National Meeting on Thursday will take place immediately following the conclusion of the meeting in the same room, #201. It is open to all Expo attendees, WFN members and their guests, with refreshments to be served. Please join WFN for one or both of these events.

Email or “snail” mail?

Northwest Board of Directors: Cathy Engrissei, Margaret Hall, Sherri McCann, Lisa Petro, Pam Carlson-Roell, Debbie Slotvig

Related Personnel Administrator: Karen Hauger

Board Liaisons & Committee Chairs Program: Margaret Hall

Membership: Carol Batteen

Hospitality: Linda Cramp

Publicity: Pam Carlson-Roell

Council: Donna Parker

Expo Booth & Seminar .................................

National Board of Directors President: Stephanie Madsen (AK)

Vice President: Sue Mangini (NW)

Secretary: Lurilla Lee (NW)

Treasurer: Jeanne Brewster (NW)

Currents is a monthly newsletter created for the members of the Northwest Chapter of WFN. Submit ideas, comments, suggestions, and articles to the editor, Debbie Slotivg,
via e-mail: sndslotvig@juno.com or phone/fax 206/367-2208, (please, no calls between 9pm-8am PST.)

Other questions or requests for information should be directed to WFN’s message phone/fax at 206/789-1987.

Deadline for submissions for the December Currents issue is Monday, November 27, 2000. WFN - Northwest Chapter 2442 NW Market St. #199 Seattle, WA 98107 phone/fax: 206 789-1987 e-mail: WFN-nw@home.com Who’s Who In WFN

With the increasing use of email to stay in touch, WFN NW has decided to try and reduce some of our costs by asking our members how they would like to receive their information about WFN. Starting with this issue of Currents, we’ve been able to save the newsletter as a PDF that can sent via email, and read by anyone using Acrobat Reader, (a free download from Adobe if you do not already have it.)

By sending Currents, and the monthly announcements this way, it saves on copying and postage costs, and perhaps it saves you time as well.
If you do not want to receive your “mailings” electronically, please contact WFN and leave a message with your name and indicate your preference.
Of course, for those who do not have a email listed with WFN, you will continue to receive mailings via the U.S. Postal Service.

What´s Happening

November 16-18, 2000, 10am to 6pm. Fish Expo Seattle will be held at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. WFN will have a new booth location this year, #2640, on the sixth floor. (See story on this page for more information about the WFN booth.)

Wednesday, November 15, 2000, 8am-5pm. The Seafood Advisory Committee and the Alaska Department of Labor will be hosting Seafood Advisory Committee Seminar 2000 at the Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle. The luncheon keynote speaker will be Barbara Belknap, Executive Director of ASMI, speaking on “Making the Connection: Production to Marketing.” The luncheon is included in the registration fee and is hosted by the Pacific Seafood Processors Association and the At-Sea Processors Association.
For registration information, contact Kim Thomas, Treasurer, Ward’s Cove Packing Co. at 206/323-3200 or Laurie Fuglvog, AKDOL Seafood Unit at 907/ 465-5955.

Thursday, November 16, 2000, 3pm. The WFN National Meeting will be held at Fish Expo, Room 201, at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, Seattle. A reception will immediately follow the conclusion of the meeting. Both events are open to all WFN members, and all visitors to Expo are encouraged to attend.

Wednesday, December 13, 2000. The WFN NW Annual Holiday Party will take place at the Swedish Club, 1920 Dexter Avenue N., Seattle.

WFN Booth @ Fish Expo

This year we have some changes to report about the WFN Booth: number one, we’ve moved to the 6th Floor, Booth #2640, and the second is the size!
The new bigger size is allowing us to use the WFN Booth as a message center for Expo attendees.

We will have a telephone with web connection for emails, a bulletin board for posting messages, and a table and chairs for waiting for those “networking connections”.
In addition, WFN will be giving away some prizes for stopping by and entering your name for the drawings. Daily winners will receive a Seattle America’s Cup t-shirt from the Seattle Challenge organization, (the sailboat is located by the Ballard Locks).
There will also be two “show” drawings for “fish art”. One winner will receive a gold necklace featuring a rare St. Matthews king crab tooth, donated by Paula Grujinsky, and the other will receive cod ivory earrings made from the “otolithf” (cod fish ear) bone, donated by Ruth Farrens.

Please stop by the WFN booth and say hello, if you’re attending Fish Expo!

Nominations Needed!

The Nominating Chair is seeking volunteers to fill positions on the Board of Directors and for Committee Chairs. The organization depends on its members to serve these integral roles in both planning and achieving our goals. Besides, it is a lot of fun. WFN presently has four openings for those who would like to serve on the Board of Directors.

Members who are elected to serve in these positions will help ensure that our organization meets the contemporary needs of WFN membership.

Elections are held in December for two year terms. We also need Chairs for Hospitality, Program and Fundraising Committees which are a one-year term. Committees are especially fun when you put together a group of members that like to get together anyway! The Committees meet as needed.

To volunteer or for more information, please email Past-President Sue Mangini at sdmdragon@aol.com, or leave a WFN a message at 206/789-1987.