Two of Alaska's most valuable commercial fisheries kick off a new season at noon Saturday.
That's when longliners are free to drop their hooks for halibut and sablefish.
The season is long, running to Nov. 7.
Alaska fishermen hold individual quotas totaling 21.8 million pounds of halibut and 28 million pounds of sablefish.
Because the fisheries are no longer managed as derbies, it's rare to see the sinkings and deaths that once were commonplace.
Still, safety is paramount, and the U.S. Coast Guard is urging fishermen to undergo a free vessel safety exam.
Click here for details on how to get your safety decal.
There were sinkings and deaths. Calling them commonplace is a real stretch....
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