A boost for ASMI

Gov. Mike Dunleavy today announced $3 million for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

"The grant is intended to mitigate unanticipated COVID-19 costs including response to the pandemic and meeting COVID-19 safety precautions," the governor's office said in a press release.

The amount is well short of ASMI's request for $20 million.

Rhode Island official named NMFS chief

Here's the press release.

Peter Pan, salmon disruptor

Normally, the major processors at Bristol Bay wait until the end of the season to announce what they'll pay fishermen for salmon.

But one processor, Peter Pan, is doing it differently this year. The company, operating under new ownership, today dropped a surprise, announcing a base price of $1.10 per pound for Bristol Bay sockeye.

The Bristol Bay salmon fishery is only just now getting started. The harvest typically peaks around the Fourth of July.

Peter Pan's price trounces the 70 cents processors paid in 2020, the COVID year.

It also serves notice to competing processors — a puny price ain't gonna cut it this season.

Copper River comeback?

After a 15-day fishery closure due to poor sockeye salmon returns, Copper River driftnetters were given another shot Wednesday.

It was their best outing of the season with a catch of 37,981 sockeye, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports.

The department has announced another 12-hour opener for Monday.

The revolving door

Chris Oliver, who headed the National Marine Fisheries Service during the Trump administration, has joined Bering Sea trawl heavyweight American Seafoods as special adviser on government affairs.

Is industry facing a storm over seabird bycatch?

Here's a letter from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council raising concerns that a proposed regulatory change could see fisheries "put at risk of being in violation."