Value of Alaska halibut catch shares declines; Bering Sea crab season wraps up
Alaska halibut is facing strong headwinds that have dampened the value of the catch shares needed to go fishing.
commercial fishing
Alaska salmon permit values stall amid lackluster catch forecast
Spring is usually the busiest time of year for brokers in the buy/sell/trade business for Alaska salmon permits. But that’s not the case this year.
Southeast Alaska fishermen illegally caught $35,000 worth of sea cucumbers, troopers say
Other cucumber divers reported them after seeing big hauls at the dock but not seeing the boat on legal waters.
Suggested catches of Pacific halibut decrease this year
As expected, catches of Pacific halibut will decrease for this year, and likely into the foreseeable future.
U.S., Canada fail to agree on cuts to annual halibut harvest
It was a rare failure of negotiations by the six-person commission that regulates the catch of the prized flatfish pursued by sport, commercial and tribal fishermen in waters off California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska.
Sea otters are wiping out Southeast dive fisheries, managers say
As the sea otter population increases and moves north, it's devastating the shellfish industry in Southeast, according to experts.
Alaska commercial fisherman who robbed creeks of spawning salmon forfeits boat and gear
The fisherman was “creek robbing,” a term that describes when commercial fishing is done illegally at the mouths of salmon streams, a prosecutor said.
Seafood industry seeks new value in fish parts
State seafood marketers are rebranding fish parts as "specialty" products and mapping a path for millions more dollars in sales.
Southeast Alaska’s king salmon are disappearing, and fishermen are grappling with the consequences
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has released a set of grim salmon forecasts for a half-dozen Southeast Alaska rivers.
Gulf of Alaska ‘blob’ refugees may fish cod in Bering Sea
A Fish and Game biologist said the cod crash is probably the worst in the history of relatively recent state waters fisheries, which date back to the 1990s.
Sitka-based fishermen’s group gets $142K grant to train deckhands
The grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation will be used to develop curricula and protocols for skippers and crew statewide.
A food truck in Seattle is praising the virtues of Alaska pollock
Alaska pollock is the nation’s largest food fishery, usually producing more than 3 billion pounds each year.
A tough break for commercial fishermen: Pacific halibut catches likely to drop next year
Survey results showed halibut numbers were down 23 percent from last summer, according to scientists at the International Pacific Halibut Commission interim meeting.
Projections are in for a booming Bristol Bay sockeye salmon run in 2018
The red salmon run next year at Bristol Bay is projected at 51.3 million fish.
Shellfish off coast of Sweden produce vast amounts of methane, researchers say
On a more helpful note, fish farts also are giving researchers and managers clues about fish distributions.
Commissioner and 3 employees are leaving embattled Alaska fishing agency
Ben Brown, one of two commissioners at the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission, said he's leaving for a job at at a Juneau arts organization.
Frozen seafood gets a bad rap, but a Sitka fishermen’s group is trying to change that
The Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association wants to prove that properly frozen fish has clear advantages over fresh fish sold to consumers.
Alaska still No. 1 for commercial fisheries landings, but value dropped last year
Poor pink salmon returns were largely to blame, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
‘Cautious optimism’ surrounds value of Alaska salmon fishing permits
Bristol Bay drift salmon permits trade more than any other due to sheer volume (1,800) and it’s no surprise the value is increasing after one of the best fishing seasons ever.
A closer look at the value of Alaska’s seafood industry
A report compiled for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute breaks down the numbers of fishermen, processors, species caught, values and more by region.