Juneau watch

Legislators are considering House Bill 199 to help the Alaska Commercial Fishing and Agriculture Bank better compete with the state in making loans.

This sponsor statement explains.

A 'new choice' in seafood certification

Click here for a press release and fact sheets about Certified Seafood International.

And here's a look at the organization's board of directors. One director is a policy analyst for Silver Bay Seafoods, and another is CEO for the At-sea Processors Association.

Circle's salmon barge makes ready

Circle Seafoods, based in Aberdeen, Washington, last week released this photo of its first processing barge, the Circle I. Construction is nearing completion, and the barge plans to sail June 9 for the Southeast Alaska fishing season, the company said.

Blotter

Be sure to catch our companion blog The Brig for lots of Alaska fisheries enforcement news.

CFEC notes

Here are two items of interest from the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission.

• The commission will hold a public meeting beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday. Here's the agenda.

• The commission is conducting an optimum number study for the Prince William Sound salmon drift gillnet fishery. The area includes the Copper River District. The study comes at the request of a permit holder who submitted this petition. The commission obscured the petitioner's name. An optimum number study helps the commission determine if the number of permits in a fishery is appropriate. The Prince William Sound fishery (SO3E) has 535 permits, according to the CFEC database.

Kodiak trawl case draws nearly $13K in penalties

A trawling enforcement case we've been following for nearly two years recently was resolved without going to trial.

The defendant, Steven Spain, who was operator of the fishing vessel Mar Pacifico, on March 24 pleaded no contest in Kodiak District Court to a reduced charge and was fined $1,500 and ordered to pay restitution of $11,198.65.

According to court notes, Spain said he didn't feel he had done anything wrong, and that financially it was getting hard for him to carry on.

Cutter Mustang exits

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mustang, photographed here in 2009 in Seward, was decommissioned Tuesday during a local ceremony honoring nearly 40 years of service. The 110-foot Mustang was stationed in Seward her entire career. She responded to more than 200 search and rescue cases and completed more than 2,000 law enforcement sorties, the Coast Guard said. The service is replacing aging Island-class patrol boats such as the Mustang with Sentinel-class fast-response cutters. Wesley Loy photo

Sitka herring summary

This year's Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery tallied about 6,200 tons of herring, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said in this season summary.

The harvest fell far short of the preseason quota of 36,720 tons.

The two-week fishery closed for the season on April 4.

Trump watch

President Trump today issued an executive order titled Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.

New salmon season in sight!

The famed Copper River fishery, generally regarded as the annual kickoff to a new Alaska salmon season, will open at 7 a.m. May 22 for a 12-hour period, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said in this advisory announcement.

The sockeye outlook is bright with the state forecasting a commercial harvest of 1.92 million fish, more than twice the 10-year average of 824,000.

As usual, Chinook salmon conservation measures are expected to constrain the fishery somewhat.

New boss for NMFS

The Trump administration has named Eugenio Piñeiro Soler, from Puerto Rico, as head of the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Duncan Fields removed from ASMI board

Duncan Fields, of Kodiak, has been removed from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute board of directors.

The action comes after Alaska Wildlife Troopers charged Fields and members of his family with multiple criminal charges involving alleged illegal salmon setnet permit transfers.

Fields believes he's innocent of the charges, and had intended to remain on the ASMI board through the end of his term in July.

He occupied a harvester seat on the seven-member ASMI board, which is controlled by representatives of seafood processing companies.

ASMI describes itself as "a public-private partnership between the state of Alaska and the Alaska seafood industry established to foster economic development of a renewable natural resource."

Juneau watch

The House Special Committee on Fisheries on Tuesday will consider the governor's appointment of Olivia Irwin to the Alaska Board of Fisheries, and his reappointment of Tom Carpenter.

Here is Irwin's resume.

One commercial fishing organization, Cordova District Fishermen United, is opposing Irwin's appointment, saying she lacks experience and appears anti-commercial fishing.

Last days for NMFS?

CNN reports the Trump administration's proposed budget "severely defunds" key offices of NOAA including the National Marine Fisheries Service and "transfers most of the fisheries service functions to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which sits under the Interior Department."

NMFS currently is part of the Commerce Department.

Legal trouble for Northline's processing barge

A Washington state company, Leo's Welding and Fabrication, has gone to court seeking to force a U.S. Marshals Service sale of the Northline Seafoods processing barge.

The company, in its five-page lawsuit, says it's owed for work to ready the barge for its 2024 debut in the Bristol Bay salmon fishery.

The suit says nearly $1.3 million is currently owed.

The 2024 season didn't go smoothly for the Northline barge, which was somewhat hobbled by a fire.

Northline is expected to take its barge to Bristol Bay again this summer.

Juneau watch

Sen. Mike Cronk, R-Tok, today introduced Senate Bill 161, which appears to ban the use in state waters of trawl gear making "substantial bottom contact."

Fields family charged after extensive investigation into salmon setnet activity at Kodiak

Here's a press release from the Alaska State Troopers.

Kodiak notes

Here are a couple of interesting items from Alaska's Emerald Isle:

• ComFish Alaska, Kodiak's big fisheries trade show, is set for April 15-17. Here are all the details.

• The U.S. Coast Guard commissioned a new cutter, the John Witherspoon, in a ceremony Thursday in Kodiak. It's the first of three fast-response cutters to be homeported at Coast Guard Base Kodiak.

Crewman reported missing at Unalaska

Details in this city news release.

Washington watch

Here are two notes of interest from the nation's capital.

• U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and colleagues have introduced legislation to help seafood processors meet labor needs.

• U.S. Rep. Nick Begich, R-Alaska, is cosponsoring a bill to establish "a dedicated secretary of the Coast Guard, providing the service with the same level of leadership and representation as the Army, Navy and Air Force."

Nenana woman named to Board of Fisheries

Here's the announcement from Gov. Mike Dunleavy:

Olivia Henaayee Irwin of Nenana has been appointed to the Board of Fisheries. Irwin has served as co-chair of the Minto/Nenana Fish and Game Advisory Committee and currently works as a policy coordinator at the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association.

Fish farming in Alaska?

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has prepared this overview for House Bill 111, the governor's legislation to legalize limited fish farming in the state.

Bill would expand Farm Credit System for fishing

U.S. Sens. Angus King, of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, are among sponsors of the legislation. More details in this press release.

A big cut for Southeast Alaska trollers

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game today announced a preseason troll treaty harvest allocation for 2025 of 92,700 Chinook salmon, down 39 percent or 60,300 fish from last year.

USDA seeks another big bite of pollock products

Details in this solicitation.

Togiak herring to remain dormant a third year

The herring sac roe fishery near the remote Southwest Alaska village of Togiak once was the state's biggest herring fishery.

But industry interest in Togiak's abundant herring has waned in recent years amid poor markets, and the fishery was inactive in 2023 and 2024.

Now it appears the Togiak fishery will remain idle again this year.

"Processors have indicated that they do not intend to harvest herring in Togiak in 2025, and it is unlikely that a commercial fishery will occur," the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said today in this advisory announcement.

A name change for Maruha Nichiro

Japanese seafood titan Maruha Nichiro is changing its name to Umios.

In Japanese, the word "umi" means "sea."

Maruha Nichiro explains its name change in this notice.

The company is a major player in Alaska. The Westward Seafoods processing plant at Dutch Harbor is a Maruha Nichiro subsidiary.

Sitka herring gets going

The Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery is now underway, with a four-hour opener yesterday and a nine-hour opener today.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is holding harvest estimates confidential.

"Vessel surveys conducted by the department beginning on March 18 indicated that there is a very large biomass of herring distributed throughout Sitka Sound," Fish and Game said today.

Sullivan talks fish

Alaska's junior U.S. senator, Dan Sullivan, yesterday addressed the Alaska Legislature. His written remarks include a two-part section on fish.

Juneau watch

House Bill 129, which would expand a fisheries tax credit encouraging value-added products, is up for a legislative hearing tomorrow.

The bill has attracted a number of supporters:

Canfisco Group

Pacific Seafood Processors Association

Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association

ASMI awarded $4.5M for international marketing

Here's the press release.

Silver Bay takes OBI stake, assumes management

Here's a news release.

Which boats will conduct halibut survey?

The vessels are named in this media release from the International Pacific Halibut Commission.

A fishy fundraiser

Here's something interesting we spotted on social media.

WTF?

The Alaska Wildlife Troopers posted this today:

Location: Thorne Bay

Type: Suspicious circumstance

While conducting routine shellfish pot inspections near Thorne Bay, AWT Ketchikan located two crab pots near the Thorne Bay Harbor. Each crab pot contained the remains of a domesticated dog. The two French bulldogs had gone missing on 2/13/25 in Thorne Bay and their owners had been actively searching for them. Anyone with information regarding the disappearance of the bulldogs is encouraged to contact the Prince of Wales AWT Post at (907) 755-2291.

Murkowski thanks the commerce secretary

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, yesterday posted the following on Facebook:

I'm hearing from halibut and sablefish IFQ fishermen that their permits are beginning to be processed. Thank you, Secretary Lutnick, for working with me to help get Alaskans on the water in time for the opener.

A major victory for the groundfish industry

A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit two tribal organizations brought against the National Marine Fisheries Service challenging the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands groundfish fisheries.

Here is U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason's 45-page decision and order dismissing the claims of the Association of Village Council Presidents and Tanana Chiefs Conference. The two groups sued in April 2023.

And here is a joint press release from the At-sea Processors Association and United Catcher Boats.

Commercial fisherman sentenced to prison time

Here's a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Please help?

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy is seeking federal disaster relief for several 2024 salmon fisheries:

• Alaska Peninsula sockeye and South Peninsula pink salmon fisheries

• Chignik salmon fishery

• Kodiak pink salmon fishery

• Lower Cook Inlet pink salmon fishery

• Prince William Sound pink and chum salmon fisheries

• Kotzebue District salmon fishery

The governor has written to the U.S. Department of Commerce requesting disaster determinations for the fisheries. His letters are available here.

Trident's big contract

Seattle-based Trident Seafoods Corp. has won a contract to sell the U.S. Department of Agriculture nearly 10.6 million pounds of Alaska pollock products — frozen fillets, fish sticks and nuggets — for $25.1 million.

The purchase is "in support of child nutrition and other related domestic food distribution programs," says this USDA announcement.

No fish farming, says Bristol Bay group

The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association has issued a policy statement on finfish farming in Alaska.

The statement comes in apparent reaction to Gov. Mike Dunleavy's legislation to legalize farming some fish species, though not salmon.

Juneau watch

Rep. Nellie Jimmie, D-Toksook Bay, today introduced House Bill 125 to reform how the governor appoints members of the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

The bill specifies, among other things, that the governor shall appoint "two members who represent subsistence fishing, from a list of four names submitted by the Alaska Federation of Natives."

Sen. Cantwell rips reported NOAA purge

Here's her statement.

Commissioner outlines king rebuilding efforts

Alaska Fish and Game Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang has a piece on the Anchorage Daily News site headlined Here's what the state is doing to rebuild king salmon stocks in the Gulf of Alaska.

Fix those buoys!

State Sen. Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage, has introduced a resolution urging Congress and NOAA to address outages of key weather and wave buoys including the Seal Rocks Buoy at Hinchinbrook Entrance, where oil tankers pass.

Dive boat, one aboard, reported lost in Southeast

Here's the story from KRBD in Ketchikan.

More from Juneau

Interesting bills are dropping at the request of the legislative task force evaluating the state's troubled seafood industry.

We'll update this post as bills are introduced.

House Bill 116 — Commercial fishing insurance co-ops

House Bill 117 — Set gillnet co-ops

House Bill 129 — Fisheries product development tax credit

Senate Bill 135 — Sharing of fish tax revenue with municipalities

Juneau watch

The House Special Committee on Fisheries tomorrow will consider the governor's appointment of Rick Green to the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission.

Here's his resume.

'Creating a new fish farming industry'

Gov. Mike Dunleavy is offering legislation to allow limited finfish farming in Alaska.

The bill would authorize "the cultivation and sale of certain finfish in natural or artificial inland, closed-system bodies of water," said a letter from the governor to House Speaker Bryce Edgmon.

It would prohibit farming pink, chum, sockeye, coho, Chinook and Atlantic salmon.

Juneau watch

Rookie Congressman Nick Begich, R-Alaska, had a good bit to say about fisheries during his Thursday address to the Legislature.

Lutnick confirmed as commerce secretary

Here's a news account.

Hatcheries not a problem for wild salmon, MSC says

A Marine Stewardship Council audit found that "hatchery enhancement activities are highly unlikely to have significant negative impacts on wild pink and chum salmon in Southeast Alaska, Prince William Sound and Lower Cook Inlet."

Here's an MSC news release on the audit.

No PWS shrimp pot fishery this year

"The Prince William Sound Area commercial shrimp pot fishing season will not open in 2025," the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said today in an advisory announcement.

The department cited declining abundance of spot shrimp.

Another lost season for Cook Inlet setnetters?

The Upper Cook Inlet eastside setnet fishery, which targets sockeye, was closed for the entire 2024 season to protect a poor run of Kenai River king salmon.

Now, setnetters might be facing another shutdown season, per this advisory announcement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Public asked for help in Wind Walker case

U.S. Coast Guard investigators are appealing for further information regarding the fishing vessel Wind Walker, which sank on Dec. 1.

The bodies of two crewmembers were recovered, but three others remain missing.

USDA to buy 21M pounds of Alaska pollock products

Here's the announcement.

Board sinks hatchery proposal

The Alaska Board of Fisheries, meeting in Ketchikan, voted 5-2 against Proposal 156, which would have reduced pink and chum salmon production capacity by 25 percent at Southeast Alaska hatcheries.

The proposal, from Virgil Umphenour, drew widespread opposition from hatchery supporters including this group of legislators.

Limit set for Cook Inlet EEZ sockeye

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is recommending a total allowable catch of 800,126 sockeye this year in the Cook Inlet Exclusive Economic Zone.

That's well above last year's TAC of 492,100 sockeye, which seems to make sense with forecasters calling for an excellent Cook Inlet sockeye run this year.

A threat to sue

The Wild Fish Conservancy says it will sue the National Marine Fisheries Service for missing the deadline to determine whether Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon should be listed under the Endangered Species Act.

Here's a press release the organization issued today.

NMFS this week provided an update to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. Here it is:

Chinook Salmon Endangered Species Act Listing Petition Update

On May 24, 2024, NMFS announced a positive 90-day finding on a petition to list Chinook salmon in the GOA as threatened or endangered under the ESA, concluding that it presented substantial information indicating that the petitioned actions may be warranted. We convened a team of federal scientists to review the species’ status and extinction risk, and we invited experts from ADF&G and a tribal member to participate as advisors to the team. The Status Review Team (SRT) is making progress on the analysis and incorporating information from public comments, including an extensive letter from ADF&G and formal tribal consultations. The SRT has preliminarily identified Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) in the GOA and conducted demographic trend analyses at the ESU level. The SRT is compiling information about threats to the species in the region. The SRT will then synthesize the results of the demographic and threats analyses and assign an extinction risk category (low, medium, high) to each ESU. The SRT's analyses and conclusions of the risk assessment workshop will be summarized in a status review report to inform the 12-month finding.

Transition at NMFS

The National Marine Fisheries Service has a new boss — Emily Menashes.

She's filling the position on an "acting" basis, and is likely to be replaced as President Trump continues to build out his second administration.

Janet Coit previously headed NMFS, and departed with the end of the Biden administration.

Crewman found dead on trawler near Dutch Harbor

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Unimak

Type: Deceased person

On 1/27/25 Alaska State Troopers received a report of a death. Kien Au, 66, a crewmember onboard a large trawler about 110 miles from Dutch Harbor, was found deceased in his room. Next of kin has been notified. The state medical examiner's office has received the remains and conducted an autopsy. It was determined that Au passed away from natural causes. No foul play has been suspected.

Squid game

The Alaska Board of Fisheries is meeting in Ketchikan. Among the many proposals under consideration are a couple to create a directed jig fishery for magister armhook squid in Southeast Alaska waters.

"Magister squid is an underutilized species that not only could provide a source of revenue for dwindling commercial fishermen, but also provide a mechanism to control their predation on other economically important commercial species such as all species of salmon, cod fish, and herring," say the proposals from Richard Yamada and the Juneau-Douglas Advisory Committee.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is opposed to the proposals.

The Gulf of Mexico

We don't often have occasion to mention the Gulf of Mexico here on Deckboss.

When we do, going forward, we will follow AP style guidance and continue to refer to that body of water as the Gulf of Mexico rather than the "Gulf of America," as President Trump renamed it in a recent executive order.

PWS herring fishery wraps with 440-ton take

Here's the announcement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Halibut takes another hit

The International Pacific Halibut Commission today announced a coastwide catch limit of 29.7 million pounds for this year.

That's down 15.8 percent from 2024. It's the third consecutive year for a substantial cut in the coastwide limit.

Notably for the upcoming season, the catch limit in Area 3A (Southcentral Alaska) is 9.1 million pounds, down more than 20 percent, while Area 2B (British Columbia) is down 15.8 percent to just under 5.5 million pounds.

The commission recommended season dates of 6 a.m. local time March 20 to midnight Dec. 7.

Juneau watch

The legislative task force examining the economic crisis gripping the Alaska seafood industry has posted its final report, which makes quite a few recommendations.

Will any of these recommendations ever be implemented? Would they make a difference?

Don't be shy! Read the 21-page report and post your opinion here on Deckboss.

Washington watch

Howard Lutnick, President Trump's pick for commerce secretary, today sat for his confirmation hearing in Congress.

Part of the secretary's job is managing fisheries via the National Marine Fisheries Service, a Commerce Department agency.

Here's an NPR report on the hearing.

And here are press releases from Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell and Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan.

Bright outlook for Cook Inlet sockeye

The state is forecasting an "excellent" sockeye salmon run of 6.93 million fish this year for Upper Cook Inlet.

Last year, the commercial harvest of Upper Cook Inlet sockeye was 1.87 million fish on a run of 6.64 million.

Lots more number in this advisory announcement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

A new cutter for Kodiak

Here's a press release from the U.S. Coast Guard.

Another strong Sitka herring forecast

The state today announced a 2025 Sitka Sound sac roe herring quota of 36,720 tons.

That's a big number, though not nearly as large as the record 81,246-ton quota set for the 2024 season. Industry ended up taking only a fraction of that quota, about 12,700 tons.

Big sockeye catch predicted at Copper River

The state is forecasting a terrific harvest of 1.92 million sockeye salmon this year at the Copper River.

Gunnar Knapp: Trump's Greenland talk isn't serious

Here's his letter posted on the Anchorage Daily News website.

Trump administration fires Coast Guard chief

The administration of Donald Trump, who was sworn in yesterday for his second term as president, has relieved Adm. Linda Fagan as commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Here's a memo to all hands across the service.

And here's a news story from The New York Times.

EPIRB saves two in Kodiak capsizing

Details and a video in this press release from the U.S. Coast Guard.

Cutter of the year, and a Storis redux

Here are a couple of interesting notes from the U.S. Coast Guard.

• The Kodiak-based Alex Haley has again earned cutter of the year honors.

• The Storis, decommissioned in 2007, was a legendary Alaska cutter. Now, the Coast Guard is bringing the name Storis back to life, applying it to a newly acquired icebreaker to be homeported in Juneau.

Togiak herring forecast

Once again, a huge volume of herring will be up for grabs this year at Togiak, with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game setting a harvest quota of 41,163 tons for the sac roe fishery.

It's unclear, however, whether the industry has any taste for Togiak herring. The fishery was dormant in 2023 and 2024, and processors, purse seiners and gillnetters may stay home this year as well.

Huge government pollock buy coming, ASMI says

The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to purchase up to $50 million of Alaska pollock, the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute said in a press release.

"These USDA purchases provide food insecure Americans with high-quality, healthy and sustainable seafood protein," ASMI said. "They also support American fishermen, companies and communities currently struggling with low pollock prices due to reductions in demand and increased competition, mostly from Russia."

Legislative task force to meet again this week

Details in this press release.

Good news for our best crab

Scientists report that new research has "revealed more genetic diversity across Alaska's red king crab populations than originally documented."

This could make the species more resilient to climate change.

Circle salmon sales

Fledgling processor Circle Seafoods announced its frozen salmon fillets "have officially made their debut" in H-E-B stores across Texas and Sprouts Farmers Market stores nationwide.

Here's a picture of the pouched product.

'We are fishing on a depleted stock'

Homer commercial fisherman Michael "Buck" Laukitis is proposing a Pacific halibut rebuilding plan.

Five things to watch

As we enter the new year, we're looking for big news on multiple fronts. Here's a handful of items worth tracking.

• The National Marine Fisheries Service has a Jan. 11 deadline for completing a status review of Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon. NMFS began the review after the Wild Fish Conservancy petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act.

• The halibut stock is struggling, and we'll get a new read on the situation when the International Pacific Halibut Commission convenes its annual meeting Jan. 27-31 in Vancouver, B.C. "Harvest limits in Alaska will all likely be reduced in 2025," the Fishing Vessel Owners' Association reports in its most recent newsletter. Bob Alverson is association's manager and an IPHC commissioner.

• What will become of the huge King Cove processing plant? The facility was idled with the financial collapse of Peter Pan. Last we heard, a working group was considering the plant's future.

• The legislative task force evaluating the Alaska seafood industry's economic troubles has been meeting since summer. Will anything substantive come of this effort? The Alaska Legislature begins a new session on Jan. 21.

• Inauguration day for Donald Trump is Jan. 20, and a new president is always consequential for the fishing industry. We're eager to see who the administration names to lead NMFS. And Trump's vow to impose sweeping tariffs could have a major impact on the seafood business.