Commerical Fishing

LAINE WELCH

Commercial fishermen face burdensome new rules

Fishermen are seeing red flags as Congress retools the rules that will govern the Coast Guard through 2012. An act, as passed by the House, contains business-busters for fishing operations, mostly in the form of new licensing, inspection and reporting requirements for even the smallest boats.

Palin considers foreign processors

JUNEAU -- Gov. Sarah Palin said she'll look at ways to bring more fish processors to Bristol Bay, where many commercial salmon gillnetters are upset that overwhelmed processors have imposed catch limits.

LAINE WELCH

Beleaguered fishermen seek tax relief

Alaska fishermen are hoping to catch tax breaks on two fronts: high fuel costs and oil spill payouts, if any, from Exxon.

Sockeye bonanza overruns canneries

Unlike other areas of the state where salmon runs have lagged, millions and millions of sockeye are pouring into Bristol Bay.

Exxon isn't cutting any checks yet

Is this really the end of the Exxon Valdez lawsuit? Plaintiff lawyers say yes. Exxon Mobil, however, is not saying.

Exxon plaintiffs pursue interest

Archived photos: Exxon Valdez spill

Exxon Valdez: 'This is it; it's done'

Exxon Valdez, the background

You too can be a virtual Bering Sea crabber

"Deadliest Catch" is now a video game. Based on the popular TV series, the game throws all the facets of the fishery at the player-captain as he tries to amass 20 million pounds of king crab.

Video: Deadliest Catch review

State reaches settlement with owners of grounded boat

The owners of a commercial fishing vessel that ran aground last summer, spilling 3,500 gallons of diesel fuel into Prince William Sound, have agreed to pay $27,500 in penalties under an agreement with the state.

Red, blue king crab fishery won't open this season

The personal-use red and blue king crab fishery in the Juneau area won't open this summer.

Weak runs of king salmon alarm, puzzle biologists

Despite closures and limits on subsistence fishing, biologists with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game are still worried that too few salmon will escape nets and fish wheels to ensure future runs.

Unlike Alaska, Idaho finds itself swimming in salmon

COMMERCIAL FISHING

Exxon ruling frustrates Kodiak fishermen

Kodiak fishermen woke Wednesday to a raining, howling storm outside. Ends up it was the perfect background for the howling storm of anger and frustration that would be expressed over the U.S. Supreme Court's Exxon decision.

Fishing industry reeling from leaping fuel prices

Leaping fuel prices are sinking the fortunes of America's commercial fishermen, some of whom may soon call it quits for good.

Ammonia leak sends workers to hospital

At least six workers at a fish-processing plant in Cordova were taken to the local hospital and hundreds of others were evacuated Wednesday evening after ammonia leaked from a freezer system, police said.

Even Exxon gets chunk of money

While disappointment left coastal Alaska in a stormy mood Wednesday, the smaller Exxon punitive damages amount set by the court -- about $1 billion, including 5.9 percent interest -- promises to inject real money into the state's fishing communities.

Few kings on Yukon means cut in harvest

It looks like this year's king salmon run on the Yukon River could be one of the worst, forcing federal fisheries managers to curtail subsistence fishing.

Pollock fishery under scrutiny due to bycatch

Florence Johnson can rattle off myriad ways to prepare salmon. Drawing on a lifetime of fishing the Yukon River, she recommends canning, salting or drying the fillets in her smokehouse near the heart of Eagle.

Supreme Court has yet to release Exxon verdict

The U.S. Supreme Court still hasn't released a decision on the Exxon Valdez case. The court announced rulings on several other cases Monday, but the Exxon case remains pending. A decision is due before the end of the Supreme Court term, which is expected this week.

Crabber profits from curious tourists

A crab boat captain who gained fame on the Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" series and fortune in the Bering Sea is attracting a steady stream of fans who can watch him haul in crab pots from the relatively calm waters of Southeast Alaska.

LAINE WELCH

Salmon donations will be expanded

Bristol Bay fishermen will be expanding their salmon donations this summer to help feed elders, toddlers and school kids in Southwest Alaska.

Sand Point fishermen strike over fish prices

It isn't business as usual for the fishing town of Sand Point.

Southeastern charters successfully block 1-fish rule

The 15-year effort to divide Alaska's halibut catch hit another obstacle Tuesday as a federal judge blocked a new rule imposing a one-fish limit on Southeast Alaska charter boat anglers.

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Pike the biggest threat to salmon

Atlantic salmon no longer top Alaska's list of unwanted visitors. Good news: Just seven Atlantic salmon have been captured in Alaska waters since 2006. It's now northern pike that pose the biggest threat to salmon and trout in Southcentral lakes and streams.