Commerical Fishing

Former fisheries official gets prison for fishing violations

A former aide to Sen. Lisa Murkowski who worked as a commercial fisherman while sitting on the council that regulates fishing off Alaska's coast was sentenced Tuesday to five months in prison for falsifying his own fishing reports.

Homer business's nets are quite a catch

It's been 17 years since Matt Alward did his first for-hire work on nets. Today, Alward owns and operates Bulletproof Nets and, with the help of an eight-10 person crew, keeps a steady flow of work.

LAINE WELCH

Parnell backs change in DNR mission statement

Alaskans were surprised to learn that a new and very different mission statement has been adopted by the Department of Natural Resources. Questions about the mission shift dominated a recent press conference, at which Gov. Sean Parnell was quick to defend the change.

Government recommends less prison time for Fuglvog

The government is recommending five months in prison for a former fisheries aide to Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Arne Fuglvog pleaded guilty in August to falsely reporting where he caught sablefish intended for interstate commerce.

Fish sold as king salmon turn out to be chums; seller convicted

It was a fish tale of epic proportions. And it ended with a felony conviction in federal court. A Fairbanks jury on Friday convicted Willis Scott Maxon, 52, for lying about the type of salmon he was selling at events in Alaska and to out-of-state buyers.

LAINE WELCH

Halibut stocks continue to decline amid concerns

As expected, there will be fewer halibut available for fishermen to catch this year -- an 18 percent reduction to 33 million pounds, split among fisheries along the West Coast, British Columbia and Alaska. That follows a 19 percent cut to the catch last year.

Commission cuts most Alaska commercial halibut catch limits

Commercial fisherman in the Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands and Southwest Alaska will see substantial cuts in the commercial halibut catch this year, though Southeast got an increase.

Ice in Bering Sea threatens crab fishery

Sea ice is encroaching unusually early on the central Bering Sea, threatening to grind Alaska's economically important snow crab fishery to a halt at the peak of the season, leaving crabbers facing major losses.

Coast Guard rescues two fishing vessel crews

With one fishing boat hard aground and another sinking dozens of miles away, it was a busy morning Wednesday for Kodiak-based helicopter rescue crews, the Coast Guard said.

Advancing ice puts Bering Sea snow crab season on hold

The same extensive sea ice that slowed the journey of a Russian fuel tanker and Coast Guard icebreaker to Nome has Bering Sea crab fishermen rushing to pull pots from the water and waiting for better conditions, reports KUCB in Unalaska.

LAINE WELCH

19 seafood entries compete in Seattle

An array of 19 new seafood products will compete for top honors at the annual Symphony of Seafood contest in Seattle. The Symphony began nearly two decades ago as a way to introduce new Alaska seafood products and celebrate innovation.

Fishing fee refund case sent back for recalculation

The Alaska Supreme Court has ordered that amounts to be refunded in a case about overpayment of nonresident commercial fishing fees be recalculated.

Alaska salmon packers leave sustainability certification program

Seventy-five percent of Alaska's salmon packers have decided to pull out of the Marine Stewardship Council's fisheries certification program when the current agreement expires at the end of October.

Predators may block recovery of Alaska sea lions, scientists say

Alaska's endangered Steller sea lion population could have trouble recovering because so many juveniles are being eaten by killer whales and sharks, according to findings of a six-year study published this week.

Feds followed rules with sea lion protections, judge rules

Feds followed rules with sea lion protections, judge rules

A federal judge Thursday ruled that a federal agency followed proper procedures when instituting new fishing restrictions in the western Aleutian Islands to protect endangered Steller Sea Lions.

PDF: Sea lion ruling

Predators may block recovery of Alaska sea lions, scientists say

Alaska salmon industry drops sustainability certification program

Eight major Alaska salmon processors have informed the Marine Stewardship Council they won't participate in the group's next recertification period for sustainability, reports The Seattle Times. The processors are questioning whether the certification adds any value to their product.

Kodiak fishery center gets new name

The Fisheries Industrial Technology Center in Kodiak has a new name.

LAINE WELCH

Website shows how sonar used to track salmon

Most people don't know that 40 years ago Alaska pioneered the use of sonar to track salmon runs, or that state fishery managers operate 15 sonar sites on 13 rivers from Southeast to the Yukon.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11

Alaska 'ocean ranching' threatens wild B.C. salmon, conservationists charge

Alaska salmon are not necessarily as "wild" as advertised, say Canadian conservation groups. Massive Alaska releases of hatchery-raised salmon are threatening wild stocks, they charge, according to the Vancouver Sun.

Trial set for Fuglvog associate facing fishing charges

Trial has been set for Feb. 13 for an Oregon man accused of fishing in one area and falsely reporting the fish were caught in another area.

US sets 2012 catch limits for all managed fish species

In an effort to sustain commercial and recreational fishing for the next several decades, the United States this year will become the first country to impose catch limits for every species it manages, from Alaskan pollock to Caribbean queen conch.