Juneau watch

We have a hearing this afternoon in the Senate Resources Committee on Senate Bill 269, which would radically revamp the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

The bill would restructure the board from a seven-member panel to a 15-member body comprised of three regional boards, says this sponsor statement from Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel.

Trawl rep claps back at Senate candidate Peltola

Matt Tinning is CEO of the At-sea Processors Association. Read his commentary here.

It's halibut time again

Another long North Pacific halibut season opens at 6 a.m. local time tomorrow. The season is scheduled to run until Dec. 7.

This is a tough time for the halibut fishery as stocks of the big, flat fish are low.

This year's coastwide catch limit is 29.33 million pounds. Five years ago, in 2022, the limit was 41.2 million pounds.

For those who would like to delve much deeper into the numbers, click here.

We wish all halibut fishermen a fine season. Please be safe!

CFEC sets Thursday meeting

The Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission has scheduled a public meeting for 11 a.m. tomorrow in Juneau. Here's more information.

Juneau watch

The Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee today held a hearing on Senate Bill 268 with the short title "Sick leave exemption: fish processors."

The Pacific Seafood Processors Association really likes this bill.

But the Alaska AFL-CIO doesn't, writing to the committee: "Just because someone works in a seafood processing plant does not mean their right to sick leave should be taken away."

Here's the sponsor statement for SB 268 from Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak.

More council news

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson has nominated Jamie Goen for a second term on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Here's the governor's nomination letter.

Pollock industry says it's won MSC recertification

Here's the press release.