Laine Welch | Fish Factor

“A lot of fishermen had a great year out there and made a lot of money. But buyers are hesitant to pay these really high prices. Many are hoping it’s a pretty short spike,” said one industry observer.

Fish Factor: A new report examines how Alaska fisheries policy dating back nearly 50 years has gradually disenfranchised local residents from economic opportunities.

Blue Ocean Gear of California created and builds buoys that track and monitor all types of deployed gear and report its location directly to a cellphone or website.

Fish Factor: A huge cohort of Tanner crab that biologists have been tracking for three years showed up again in this summer’s survey.

Fish Factor: Alaska’s Bristol Bay red king crab fishery will be closed for the first time in over 25 years.

State Rep. Bryce Edgmon (I-Dillingham) said Walton’s appointment could be controversial when he’s up for legislative confirmation next year due to his support for scrapping the law that limits Bristol Bay to 32-foot vessels.

The catch was bolstered by a surge of pink salmon to the three top producing regions - Prince William Sound, Southeast and Kodiak - combined with strong landings of sockeyes.

Wild Alaska seafood has always been front and center on the Bambino’s menu since the launch of its baby-sized, star-shaped Hali-Halibut portions, sockeye salmon bisque and fillets in 2015.

The lights require no plugs or batteries, automatically turn on underwater only when needed, and do not weaken or weigh down nets.

Alaska sockeye salmon catches of nearly 52 million so far have blown past the forecasted 46.6 million.

Tidal Vision is a proprietary maker of crab-based products that it began making in a 20-foot van in Juneau six years ago.

About one-third of Alaska’s projected catch of 190 million salmon had crossed the docks by July 16 at the halfway point of the fishing season.

On the Yukon River, summer chum salmon returns are the lowest on record, and managers will request a disaster declaration for the second year in a row.

Fish Factor: Fishermen are the ears and eyes of the marine ecosystem as a changing climate throws our oceans off kilter.

Fish Factor: Commercial fishing, including aquaculture, contributed $27 billion, making it the sixth-largest segment of the blue economy.