NPFMC ponders changes in the halibut catch sharing plan
When the North Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted its halibut Catch Share Plan back 2014, charter operators were granted 125% of their historic catch at low levels of abundance, with that additional 25% coming out of quota for the commercial longline sector.
Fish Factor: Alaska seaweed farming shows great potential
The U.S. grows less than one-hundredth of one percent of the world’s $6 billion seaweed market but Alaska has the goods to grow into a major contributor.
Copper River forecast: 928,000 sockeyes
State fisheries biologists are forecasting another challenging year for commercial harvesters of wild Copper River sockeye salmon, but a better than average even year harvest of wild pink salmon in Prince William Sound.
Oceana report calls for more transparency on seafood imports
A new report compiled by the environmental entity Oceana calls for better monitoring to keep vast amounts of seafood caught illegally or through unreported and unregulated fisheries from being imported into the United States.
Tribal request to halt salmon bycatch denied
NOAA Fisheries has denied a request from six tribal entities for emergency action to eliminate Chinook salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea Pollock fishery and implement a hard cap on chum salmon bycatch, saying the petition did not meet necessary criteria.
Sea Grant eyes potential of kelp tortillas, chips
You won’t see them on the snack platter for Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 13, but don’t count kelp tortillas and kelp chips out for future major sports events or friends and family gatherings.
More foreign workers now welcomed for seasonal jobs in Alaska
An additional 20,000 H-2B nonagricultural worker visas are to be issued for the first half of fiscal year 2022 by the Departments of Homeland Security and Labor, making a potentially much larger workforce available for Alaska’s commercial fishing and tourism businesses.
Legislature considers restoring, raising sportfishing guide, operator fees
A bill that would restore the state licensing fee on sportfishing guides and operators — which expired in 2018 — is slowly working its way through the Legislature.
Southeast finfish/shellfish meeting set for Anchorage
Alaska Board of Fisheries members, citing pandemic concerns, have voted to stick by an earlier decision to hold the Southeast and Yakutat finfish and shellfish meeting at the Egan Center in Anchorage from March 10-22, rather than Ketchikan.
Fish Factor: Lawmakers push to get tough on trade policies
Seafood is Alaska’s biggest export by far and lawmakers are getting tough on trade policies that unfairly trounce global sales.
