More change at CFEC

Melvin Smith, chairman of the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission, has submitted his resignation citing "medical reasons."

The governor has appointed Glenn Haight to serve as the new chair of CFEC effective May 7, a spokesman for the governor's office said.

Haight only recently was named to the commission and is awaiting legislative confirmation.

All set at Togiak

The Togiak herring fishery will open at 8 a.m. Wednesday, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced.

An enormous quota of 65,107 tons is up for grabs this season in the sac roe fishery.

A super sockeye season in the forecast

The state is forecasting a commercial harvest of more than 160 million salmon this year, including a record 74 million sockeye.

A change at CFEC

The governor has appointed Glenn Haight to the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission.

Haight currently is executive director of the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

If confirmed by the Legislature, he would replace Dale Kelley as a CFEC commissioner.

Go to Channel 16!

This just in from the U.S. Coast Guard:

Due to unforeseen phone outages in the District 17 command center, mariners are encouraged to contact the Coast Guard via Channel 16 or by calling the sector command centers for assistance.

For assistance in the Gulf of Alaska and Western Alaska, contact the Sector Anchorage Command Center at (907) 428-4100.

For assistance in Southeast Alaska, contact the Sector Juneau Command Center at (907) 463-2980.

All done at Sitka

The Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery has closed for the season with a strong harvest exceeding 25,000 tons.

Why did Trident's Aleutian Falcon burn?

The National Transportation Safety Board today released a marine investigation report on the fire last year aboard the Trident Seafoods processing vessel Aleutian Falcon.

"Inadequate planning for hot work" led to the fire, the NTSB says.

BBRSDA election results

Doug Morgan, Erick Sabo and Franz Schonberg have won seats on the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association board.

Sitka herring update

As predicted, lots of herring showed up at Sitka Sound this season, and the seine fleet has worked methodically through several openings since March 26.

According to the latest update from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the harvest now exceeds 20,000 tons of herring.

That's a lot, though still well short of the preseason quota of 45,164 tons.