Coast Guard focuses its recruiting — in Omaha

"We are modernizing how and where we recruit — ensuring we're reaching the best talent in communities across the country, not just on the coasts," says one Coast Guard officer.

More in this press release.

Salmon notes

• A major Bristol Bay fish processor, Trident Seafoods, is paying a base price of 95 cents a pound for sockeye, Dillingham radio station KDLG reports. That compares to a Bristol Bay average of 89 cents in 2024.

• Bristol Bay's Nushagak District has netted a strong sockeye catch this season. "Harvest in the district is at 15.9 million, the fourth-largest harvest for the Nushagak District ever, but harvest has slowed and fishermen are pulling boats and ending their seasons," the Alaska Department of Fish and Game reported Friday.

• Fish and Game provided new details on a reported fuel spill at Chignik: "Leaking fuel in the Chignik Lagoon due to a capsized seiner caused the commercial opener on Sunday, July 13, to be prematurely closed in the Chignik Bay District. The fishery was able to reopen on Tuesday, July 15."

Juneau watch

Gov. Mike Dunleavy has vetoed Senate Bill 156 providing for a temporary state investment in the struggling Alaska Commercial Fishing and Agriculture Bank.

The bill garnered near unanimous support from legislators, and United Fishermen of Alaska also supported it.

Salmon notes

• The Bristol Bay salmon harvest stands at nearly 38 million fish, with daily catches now appearing to slow significantly. Deckboss still hasn't heard anything regarding ex-vessel prices.

• Southeast trollers will get a second summer Chinook opener next month, but the available quota won't be enough for a competitive fishery. So, the Department of Fish and Game plans to divide the quota among registered permit holders. After Aug. 1, the department will announce the number of Chinook per permit, and the dates for the planned 10-day opener.

U.S. Coast Guard news

The Coast Guard Arctic District has a new commander.

And Valdez has a new cutter.

Salmon notes

• The Bristol Bay salmon catch now stands at 36.4 million fish, surpassing the state's preseason forecast of 34.8 million sockeye.

• Statewide, the all-species salmon harvest now exceeds 54 million fish.

• The state closed commercial fishing Sunday in the Chignik Bay District due to a fuel spill within Chignik Lagoon.

John Ketcham v. Rodger May

This 12-page lawsuit, filed yesterday, involves a fight over a piece of Peter Pan Seafood — the remote Port Moller processing plant.

Nonprofit sues Trident alleging Anacortes pollution

Here's the lawsuit filed in federal court in Seattle.

Bristol Bay surges forward

At this moment, the catch in Bristol Bay stands at nearly 27 million salmon, with big hauls still coming in. Fishermen caught more than 2.5 million yesterday.

This is shaping up as a fine season, with the state's preseason forecast of nearly 35 million sockeye well within reach.

Now, let's see what kind of price the processors pay once fishermen begin to pull their boats and head home.

Trident, Silver Bay land USDA pollock contracts

Here's the announcement.

Coast Guard gushes over 'big beautiful bill'

"This historic investment marks a new era for the Coast Guard," the acting commandant, Adm. Kevin Lunday, says in this press release.

USCG District 17 is now the Arctic District

The U.S. Coast Guard is changing from numerical to geographical names for its operational districts.

So, for example, District 17, which covers Alaska, will now be the Arctic District.

For more details including a national map, see this press release.

A 'big beautiful' tax break for processors

The "big beautiful bill," which cleared Congress today, includes a tasty tax provision for Alaska seafood processors.

Section 70305 of the bill allows processors to deduct the cost of meals served to workers on vessels and in processing plants.

It's a tax break the processors have been chasing for years, as evidenced by this congressional press release from 2021.

Blotter

We track fisheries enforcement news on our sister blog The Brig. Catch it daily!

Bristol Bay heats up

As of this moment, the commercial catch in Bristol Bay, scene of the state's flagship salmon fishery, exceeds 12 million sockeye.

The last two days each saw a catch of about 2.4 million fish. The bay's Nushagak District, over by Dillingham, is the hot spot with a catch of nearly 7 million thus far.

The fishery typically peaks around the Fourth of July.

The state has forecast a potential season catch of nearly 35 million sockeye.

You can track the fishery's progress here.

Drobnica, Kimball to continue on council

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced the reappointment of Angel Drobnica and Nicole Kimball to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Drobnica and Kimball were Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy's choices for the seats.

Cook Inlet notes

Here are a couple of items concerning salmon management in the Cook Inlet Exclusive Economic Zone.

• Anchorage federal Judge Sharon Gleason has dismissed a driftnetter lawsuit challenging the 2024 federal takeover of salmon fisheries in the EEZ. Here's the judge's 32-page decision and order.

• Eugenio Piñeiro-Soler, head of the National Marine Fisheries Service, is chiding the North Pacific Fishery Management Council for advising it doesn't intend to recommend catch limits for the 2026 Cook Inlet EEZ salmon fishery.